The Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS) is a federal database, meaning the data and records housed within the system are property of the U.S. government. Conversely, schools provide and maintain academic records, and therefore a student’s grades and transcripts are property of the school.

Understanding this difference is important because who the owner is governs how the record must be maintained and transferred.

As government property, federal rules and regulations govern how designated school officials (DSOs) must maintain and transfer SEVIS records. These regulations contain strict record-keeping requirements and explain that DSOs must transfer a SEVIS record to another Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP)-certified institution upon a student’s request, even if this request comes at the beginning of a student’s initial term.

A DSO cannot refuse to transfer a student’s SEVIS record to a new institution if the student is in status, even for financial or business reasons. SEVP oversees SEVIS and is required to intervene if a school fails to comply with regulations and transfer a requested record.

However, schools may use their own discretion for how the institution handles transferring academic records to other institutions. DSOs should refer to their school’s policies to determine if a student’s academic records are transferable. Please note, though, that according to regulation, SEVP may request specific international student records at any time, which should include the student’s academic records.

Do you have questions about managing the transfer process or about international student record keeping? Visit the F-1 student transfer page on ICE.gov or contact the SEVP Response Center.