Complete Program

Last updated: July 17, 2024

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Overview
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 prepare 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 prepare 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.

If the student leaves the United States during the grace period, the DSO may manually change the student’s record to Completed status.

Before a DSO manually completes a SEVIS record, the DSO must confirm that :
- The student is outside the United States.
- The Program End Date and Current Session End Date are accurate, based on the school’s academic calendar and the student’s program of study.
When a student’s SEVIS record is manually completed, their grace period ends and their SEVIS record cannot be reactivated without one of the following actions:
- An SEVP-adjudicated correction request
- A USCIS-adjudicated reinstatement application

Manually completing a program is different from shortening a program:

Shorten Program End Date	Complete Program
Used when a student finishes the program of study earlier than the Program End Date in SEVIS.	Used when a student has departed the United States and does not intend to return to continue the program of study.
Allows for a grace period after the program end date.	There is no grace period after a record is completed.
DSOs can take these actions on the student record during the grace period: Recommend optional practical training Change educational level Transfer	DSOs can take no action on the record. To return the record to an active state requires either an: SEVP-approved correction request USCIS-approved reinstatement application

Shorten Program End Date

Complete Program

Used when a student finishes the program of study earlier than the Program End Date in SEVIS.

Used when a student has departed the United States and does not intend to return to continue the program of study.

Allows for a grace period after the program end date.

There is no grace period after a record is completed.

DSOs can take these actions on the student record during the grace period:

Recommend optional practical training
Change educational level
Transfer

DSOs can take no action on the record. To return the record to an active state requires either an:

SEVP-approved correction request
USCIS-approved reinstatement application

See the SEVIS Help Hub’s Shorten Program article to learn more on shortening an F-1 or M-1 student’s programs of study.

To complete the student’s record in SEVIS:

Go to the Student Information page.

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

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 one of the following:
- 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 Correct Student SEVIS Status article on the SEVIS Help Hub to learn more about correcting student status.

What's New

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While employed this summer, make sure you have all the relevant information on maintaining your student status, and the steps you must take before returning to school.

SEVIS Help Hub