Complete Program

Last updated: June 17, 2020

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General Information
Completing F-1 or M-1 Program in SEVIS
Correcting Student Status

When F-1 or M-1 students finish their programs of study and/or post-completion practical training (employment), they have a grace period during which they can do the following:

F-1 Student 60-day Grace Period	M-1 Student 30-day Grace Period
Apply and be accepted to a new academic program to start within five months Apply to United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) for a change of class of admission Travel within the United States and make preparations to depart by the end of the grace period	Apply to United States Citizenship and Immigration Services for a change of class of admission Travel within the United States and make preparations to depart by the end of the grace period

SEVIS auto-completes the student’s record after the appropriate grace period has passed. However, the student may not depart and return to the United States during the grace period. If the student departs the United States before the end of this grace period, the rest of the grace period is lost.

Before a DSO manually completes a SEVIS record, the DSO should confirm that the student is outside the United States. Once a SEVIS record is in Completed status:

The grace period is no longer available.
The record cannot be reactivated without one of the following:
An SEVP-adjudicated correction request
A USCIS-adjudicated reinstatement application

It is important for DSOs to understand the difference between completing a program and shortening a program. DSOs shorten a program when the student completes the program of study earlier than the anticipated program end date in SEVIS. Shortening the program still allows for the grace period. See the SEVIS Help Hub article Shorten F-1/M-1 Program.

To complete the student’s record in SEVIS:

Navigate to the Student Information page.

2. Click Complete Program link under the Actions section. The Complete Program page opens.

Note: The Complete Program page allows users to view and enter required information on a student’s program completion.

Enter comments in the Remarks field regarding the student’s program completion.
Click button at the bottom of the page to complete the process:
- Complete Program: Submits the completion information and opens a Confirm page that requires a response:
  - Yes: Confirms you want to change the status of the student to Completed

Once the student’s record is completed, you will not be able to take any action on this student or print the student's record without requesting reinstatement.

No: Cancels the completion process and returns to the Student Information page.
- Reset Values: Deletes any information in the Remarks field and remains on the Complete Program page.
- Cancel: Cancels the completion process and returns to the Student Information page.
Upon successfully submitting the completion record, DSOs can return to the view record or print the student’s Form I-20.

If a DSO completes a student’s record in error, they must submit a correction request in SEVIS to address the error.

Refer to Change to Student Status article on the SEVIS Help Hub to learn more about correcting student status.