New DHS Regulations for F-1 and J-1 Status

The rule significantly changes how long F-1 and J-1 visa holders are admitted to the United States and introduces new academic mobility restrictions for F-1 students. 

RIT International Student Services (ISS) is preparing for implementation and will update this page as additional federal guidance becomes available. 

ISS is watching for updates on the pending litigation against the new regulations. Stay tuned for any and all emails from ISS.  Until the new regulations take effect on September 15, 2026, or if there is a ruling affecting whether or when the regulations take effect, current F-1 and J-1 regulations and existing ISS procedures remain in effect. 

F-1 students can review additional information from the Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP):  

Fixed Period of Admission Final Rule

• Quick Facts
• Frequently Asked Questions

Fixed Periods of Admission for F-1 and J-1 

The new rule eliminates admission for Duration of Status (D/S) and replaces it with admission until a specific date, known as the Admit Until Date (AUD). 

Periods of admission will generally be based on the program dates on the Form I-20 or DS-2019, plus an applicable grace period, and will not exceed four years each.  

Individuals who need additional time in the United States may need to apply to U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) for an Extension of Stay (EOS), or, in certain cases, may be able to depart the U.S. and reenter to request a new period of admission from U.S. Customs and Border Patrol (CBP). 

The new rule introduces significant restrictions on when F-1 students may change their academic plans while in the United States. 

• Graduate-level students: F-1 students enrolled at the graduate level may not change their educational objective while in the United States on their current I-20. This includes changing majors, changing educational levels, or transferring to another school. 

• Students below the graduate level: F-1 students enrolled below the graduate level may not change their educational objective, including changing majors, changing educational levels, or transferring to another school, during their first academic year. After completing the first academic year, these changes are permitted, subject to other applicable F-1 requirements. 

• Completing a degree and beginning another: A student who completes a degree program in the United States in F-1 status on or after September 15, 2026, may pursue a new degree only at a higher educational level. A student may not complete another degree at the same educational level or move to a lower educational level while remaining in the United States in F-1 status. These are sometimes referred to as restrictions on lateral and reverse matriculation. 

• English language study: F-1 students may engage in English language training for a maximum of 24 months in the aggregate, including breaks and annual vacations. The new limitation applies prospectively to English language study beginning on or after September 15, 2026. 

For students affected by these academic mobility restrictions, departing the United States and seeking reentry with a new Form I-20/SEVIS ID may remain an alternative path to pursue these options, but further agency guidance is needed. 

Students considering a change of major, educational level, school, or other academic objective should contact ISS before changing their academic plans. 

The new regulations take effect September 15, 2026. Until then, the current regulations remain in effect. 

F-1 and J-1 students and scholars who are in the United States, maintaining status, and admitted for D/S when the rule takes effect will generally retain D/S until the earliest of these events: 

• The end of the transition period, no more than four years after September 15, 2026; 

• The end of the individual's current Form I-20 or DS-2019 program period, followed by the applicable legacy grace period, generally 60 days for F-1 students and 30 days for J-1 exchange visitors; or 

• Departure from and reentry to the United States after September 15, 2026. 

Special transition provisions apply to F-1 students engaged in OPT or STEM OPT. Those who retain D/S and file with USCIS for OPT or STEM OPT on or before March 18, 2027, will not be required to file and EOS at the same time as their I-765 Application for Employment Authorization. Students who have a fixed-date AUD on their I-94 at the time of applying for OPT or STEM OPT will be required to file an EOS at the same time.  

F-1 students who remain under the transition provisions retain the legacy 60-day grace period associated with D/S. However, an F-1 student who departs and reenters the United States or applies for an Extension of Stay on or after September 15, 2026, will transition to the new fixed-period framework, which provides a 30-day grace period. 

Under the new regulations, an Extension of Stay (EOS) application with USCIS, using form I-539 Application to Extend/Change Nonimmigrant Status, may be required when an F-1 or J-1 student or J-1 scholar needs additional time in the United States for: 

• A program extension; 

• SEVIS Transfer to another school or institution; 

• Pursuit of a new degree at RIT after completing another; 

• Optional Practical Training (OPT); STEM OPT extension; or post-completion J-1 Academic Training 

Whether an EOS is required will depend in part on the student's/scholar's period of admission and applicable transition provisions. 

Although we are awaiting additional implementation guidance, the regulations appear to preserve travel and reentry to request a new period of admission at the U.S. border as an alternative to filing an EOS in some circumstances. 
 

Studying and Employment while an EOS is pending

A properly and timely filed Extension of Stay (EOS) allows F-1 students to continue studying while the application is pending. 

Certain authorized F-1 employment, including on-campus employment, Curricular Practical Training (CPT), and employment based on severe economic hardship, may continue for up to 240 days, for that same employer, after the student's period of admission expires when the EOS was timely filed before that period ended and other requirements are met. 

Certain J-1 exchange visitors may similarly continue authorized program activities and employment for up to 240 days while a timely-filed EOS remains pending. 

The timing of your EOS filing matters. An EOS may in some circumstances be filed during an applicable grace period, but filing during the grace period does not provide the automatic extension of employment authorization described above. 

Different requirements apply to OPT, STEM OPT, cap-gap employment, J-1 employment, and some other circumstances. 

ISS is here to provide guidance and support, process immigration requests, and meet RIT's federal reporting responsibilities. We are in this together. Staying informed, planning ahead, meeting deadlines, and communicating with ISS will be increasingly important under the new regulations. Please review the helpful tips below.

• Read all emails from ISS
  ISS will send targeted information to students and scholars affected by particular provisions of the rule, and will email details about webinar events. 

• Know your documents and dates
  Review your Form I-20 or DS-2019 and Form I-94. Under fixed-period admission, the Admit Until Date on your I-94 will be particularly important. Keep your passport valid, renewing it before it has less than 6 months of validity remaining. 

• Check your I-94 after every entry to the United States

• Maintain your F/J status properly
  Students must maintain full-time enrollment. Scholars must pursue program objectives. Do not work without authorization. Keep your address up to date. Complete all OPT/STEM OPT reporting requirements.  

• Plan ahead and allow time for ISS processing
  Some immigration processes will require additional steps and more advance planning. 

• Meet your deadlines
  Do not wait until a document or period of admission is about to expire before requesting an extension or contacting ISS. 

• Ask when you are unsure
  Individual circumstances differ. Contact ISS if you have questions about how the regulations apply to you. 

J-1 students and scholars whose J-1 program sponsor is an organization other than RIT, including Fulbright-sponsored exchange visitors, should follow the guidance and procedures provided by their J-1 program sponsor.