F-1 SEVIS Transfer: How to Move to Another US University

An F-1 SEVIS transfer lets you move to another SEVP-certified US university without leaving the country or getting a new visa, as long as you keep your status until the transfer is complete. You give your current school proof of admission to the new one, your current DSO sets a SEVIS “transfer release date”, the new school issues a transfer I-20, and you must report to the new school and enrol within 15 days of its program start date. Any on-campus job, CPT or OPT ends on the release date.

Last checked: 19 October 2026.

F-1 SEVIS transfer key facts

How to transfer to another US university on F-1, step by step

1. Apply to the new university as a transfer student and get a written admission letter.
2. Tell your current DSO you want to transfer. Study in the States lists what to bring: written proof of admission, the new school’s DSO contact details and its SEVIS school code. Your school may also have its own transfer-out form. SEVP says a DSO may not refuse an eligible transfer for financial or business reasons.
3. Agree on the transfer release date. Your current DSO chooses it with you and the new school. Under ICE’s transfer guidance, it is usually the end of your current semester or the date you expect to transfer, if earlier.
4. Keep studying full-time until the release date. You are still the old school’s student until then.
5. On the release date, SEVIS moves your record to the new school, and your old school can no longer change it.
6. Get the transfer I-20 from the new school’s DSO. It can only be issued on or after the release date. Sign it straight away.
7. Report and enrol within 15 days of the program start date on the new I-20, and enrol full-time.
8. The new DSO registers you in SEVIS. Your record changes from “Initial” to “Active”, and you can ask for an updated I-20 showing continued attendance.

Choosing the SEVIS release date

The release date is the most important decision in a transfer, because it controls three things at once: when your old school stops managing your record, when your work authorization ends, and when the new school can issue your I-20. The SEVIS Help Hub explains:

• The DSO bases it on your current session end date (or OPT end date) and the new school’s next start date.
• Before the release date, your current DSO can cancel the transfer or change the date or school.
• After the release date, if you change your mind and want to stay, the request has to go through the SEVP Response Center, so decide before the date passes.
• Your record must be Active, Completed or Terminated to be transferred. A Completed or Terminated record needs reinstatement by USCIS.

The five-month rule and the 15-day reporting rule

You must start classes at the new school at the next available term, or within five months, whichever is sooner. The five months count from the earlier of the release date or your current program completion date (or OPT end date if you are on OPT). If the new program starts later than that, ICE says it is not treated as a transfer: you would have to leave the US, get a new Initial I-20, pay the I-901 fee again and, if needed, get a new visa.

Once the new I-20 is issued, contact the new DSO and register for classes within 15 days of the program start date. Both Study in the States and the SEVIS Help Hub state this deadline. Treat it as a hard deadline; missing it can put you out of status.

What a transfer does to your job, CPT and OPT

• Everything ends on the release date. The SEVIS Help Hub says all current F-1 employment ends on the release date and any future employment is cancelled. That includes on-campus jobs and CPT.
• OPT is terminated. The USCIS Policy Manual says OPT, including STEM OPT, is automatically terminated if you transfer to another school or begin a new degree level at the same school. Plan your release date so you do not lose work you still need.
• New OPT at a higher level. USCIS says a student becomes eligible for another 12 months of practical training after moving to a higher educational level (for example, bachelor’s to master’s).
• CPT at the new school. CPT normally requires one full academic year of full-time enrolment, though master’s and doctoral programs that require immediate CPT are exempt. Ask the new DSO how your time at the old school is counted before you rely on CPT.

For background on these work options, see our CPT vs OPT guide and our STEM OPT extension guide.

Travelling abroad during a transfer

ICE lists travel plans as one of the factors in setting the release date, so tell your DSO before you book a trip home to Nepal. The general re-entry rules still apply: a valid passport and F-1 visa, an I-20 with a DSO travel signature, and an absence of five months or less. 8 CFR 214.2(f)(4) says that after a substantive change such as a transfer, you need an updated I-20 rather than just a travel signature on the old one.

In practice, ask both DSOs which I-20 you should carry if your trip falls around the release date. After the release date, ICE says the old school’s I-20 is no longer valid, so you would normally travel on the new school’s I-20. Ask the new DSO whether your current F-1 visa is enough for re-entry. If it has expired, you will need a new visa interview, which for Nepali students means the US Embassy in Kathmandu.

Do you pay the SEVIS fee again?

Usually not. ICE’s I-901 FAQ says you do not pay again if you transfer between approved schools at the same educational level, keep the same SEVIS ID and have maintained status. It suggests asking the DSO to note “Continuing student – transfer” in the remarks of your I-20 to avoid problems with visa issuance or re-entry. If you end up with a new SEVIS ID (for example after the five-month limit is missed), you will generally have to pay the $350 fee again. Our SEVIS I-901 fee guide explains how to pay from Nepal.

What Nepali students should think about

• Have a real reason. A better program, a scholarship, a lower cost or a major your school does not offer. A future visa officer may ask why you moved.
• Check the new school is SEVP-certified before you pay any deposit. Study in the States has a school search.
• Update your finances. The new school will need fresh funding evidence for its I-20. Make sure your bank and sponsor documents match the new cost.
• Tell family about cost changes. Use our student visa money calculator to compare in rupees.
• Not in the US yet? This guide is for students already studying in the US. If you have not travelled and want to switch schools, talk to the new school’s DSO before you book a flight.

Proposed transfer limits: blocked by a court

A DHS final rule published on 17 July 2026 would have stopped undergraduate students from transferring during their first academic year and stopped graduate students from transferring at all, unless SEVP approved an exception. A federal court in Massachusetts blocked the rule nationwide on 14 September 2026, and the government appealed on 30 September. While the court order stands, the existing transfer rules on this page apply. Ask your DSO to tell you if that changes.

Common mistakes

• Dropping classes at the old school before the release date.
• Choosing a release date that cuts off OPT or an internship you still need.
• Missing the 15-day reporting deadline at the new school.
• Leaving a gap of more than five months between programs.
• Travelling on the old school’s I-20 after the release date.

Frequently asked questions

What is a SEVIS release date?
The date your current school hands your SEVIS record to the new school. Your current DSO sets it with you. After it passes, the new school can issue your transfer I-20 and your old I-20 is no longer valid.

How long do I have to report to my new school after an F-1 transfer?
You must contact the new DSO and register within 15 days of the program start date on your new I-20.

Can I transfer schools while on OPT?
Yes, but your OPT is terminated on the release date. You must start the new program within five months of the earlier of the release date or your OPT end date.

Do I need a new F-1 visa to transfer universities?
No visa application is part of a transfer inside the US. If you travel abroad and your visa has expired, you will need a new one to return; ask your DSO before you travel.

Do I pay the SEVIS fee again when transferring?
Not if you transfer at the same educational level, keep the same SEVIS ID and have maintained status.

Can my school refuse to release my SEVIS record?
SEVP says DSOs may not refuse an eligible transfer for financial or business reasons.

Related guides

• Form I-20 Explained: What Nepali F-1 Students Must Check
• F-1 Port of Entry Guide: Your First Arrival in the USA
• STEM OPT Extension Guide: 24 Months, I-983, Fees and Rules
• DS-160 Form Guide for F-1 Students from Nepal (2026)
• SEVIS I-901 Fee Payment from Nepal: $350 Step-by-Step Guide

Sources

• Transfers for F-1 students – ICE SEVP
• Instructions for transferring to another school as an F-1 student – Study in the States
• Manage transfer of F-1 SEVIS record – SEVIS Help Hub
• USCIS Policy Manual, Volume 2, Part F, Chapter 5: Practical Training
• I-901 SEVIS fee FAQ – ICE
• Travel – ICE SEVIS
• 8 CFR 214.2(f) – Legal Information Institute
• Fixed time period of admission final rule – Federal Register, 17 July 2026
• US District Court order of 14 September 2026 (copy hosted by NAFSA)

Last checked: 19 October 2026. This is general information, not legal or immigration advice. Plan every transfer with your current and new DSO.