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Office of International Services

Maintaining your F-1 Student Visa Status

Compliance with the following regulations is essential to safeguard your valid immigration status. Failure to adhere to these rules, even unintentionally, may lead to losing your F-1 status. We are committed to supporting you throughout this process, so please email us if you have any inquiries or concerns.

Effective January 1, 2026, the following countries are subject to a travel ban.

Full ban where entry is suspended for immigrants and all nonimmigrants: Afghanistan, Burkina Faso, Burma (Myanmar), Chad, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Laos, Libya, Mali, Niger, Palestinian Authority Travel Documents, Republic of the Congo, Sierra Leone, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan, Syria, and Yemen

Partial ban where entry is suspended for non-immigrants on B-1, B-2, B-1/B-2, F, M, and J visas: Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Benin, Burundi, Cote d ‘Ivoire, Cuba, Dominica, Gabon, The Gambia, Malawi, Mauritania, Nigeria, Senegal, Tanzania, Togo, Tonga, Turkmenistan, Venezuela, Zambia, and Zimbabwe.

Please refer to the U.S. government website for full details

Steps to Maintain your F-1 Status

  • Always maintain a valid and unexpired passport with at least six months of validity remaining.
  • If your passport is close to expiration, contact your country's embassy for renewal. Your passport can be renewed within the U.S.  
  • Check your I-94 record for accuracy each time you enter the U.S.
  • Keep your Form I-20 from Jefferson up-to-date. Contact the Office of International Services before making any changes to your academic program.
Keep your Local Contact Information up to Date: 
  • Your local address and contact number must be updated within 10 days. Current students must update their contact information in Banner, and those on Optical Practical training must update their contact information in the Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP) Portal.

  • You must enroll full-time each term and make normal progress toward the completion of your degree.  If you cannot be enrolled full-time in your program, contact OIS immediately.  An F-1 student who fails to maintain a full course of study without the approval of OIS is not maintaining proper F-1 status and is not eligible for the pre-departure or pre-transfer grace period.
  • Obtain authorization from the Office of International Services before dropping below full-time enrollment to avoid terminating your F-1 student status.
  • In certain situations, you may request a reduced course load, which must be first approved by the Office of International Services.
Limit Online Classes
  • F-1 students are permitted to take one course up to three credits towards their full-time credit requirements each term.

I-20 Extension 
  • If you require additional time to complete your program, submit an I-20 extension request in the International Services Portal before your current I-20 expires.
  • Extensions are considered only for compelling academic or medical reasons.
  • Extensions require approvals from both the International Student Advisor and the Program.
  • See the Program Extension page for additional information.
Ending Your Program
  • After completing your academic program or Post-completion OPT, you have a grace period of sixty (60) days, which begins after the program end date on your I-20 or the Post-completion OPT end date on your EAD card. During this time, you are required to either leave the country, apply for Optional Practical Training if you are completing your academic program, or request an F-1 transfer to another SEVP-certified institution.
  • Working in any capacity during the grace period is not permitted unless you have received your EAD card for Post-completion OPT and secured employment meeting OPT requirements.
  • If you would like to change your field of study or change your academic level of study (e.g., from a bachelor’s to a master’s degree), you must contact OIS before you make any changes.
  • If you receive authorization from OIS to withdraw from your academic program, you have 15 days to prepare to leave the U.S. An F-1 student who does not maintain a full course of study without the approval of OIS or fails to maintain status is not eligible for the 15-day period for departure.
  • Students undergoing a status change should seek advice from an immigration attorney if needed.
Transfers

If you would like to transfer to another school during the 60-day grace period, please contact OIS before the end of your program. See Transfer to Another School for additional information.

Thomas Jefferson University students on F-1 visas planning to travel outside the U.S. should adhere to these instructions for safety and compliance. Follow the protocols for international travel, whether personal or Jefferson-issued, laid out on the F-1 and J-1 Student Guidelines. Please reach out to us at ois@jefferson.edu for further questions.

Review the Employment on the F-1 Status page to learn about on-campus employment, Optional Practical Training, and STEM OPT.

Review the Program Changes page on the F-1 status page to learn about learn about reduced course load, program extensions, taking a leave of absence, transferring to another school, and other changes to your I-20.

Report any status change through a request in the International Services Portal so that we may properly close out your F-1 status. Individuals on STEM OPT must still provide a completed final evaluation on Form I-983 before we close out your record.

Individuals in F-2 status cannot work or engage in business.

The following restrictions apply to those in F-2 status regarding study:

  • May enroll in a SEVP-certified school for less than a full course of study
  • May engage in a full course of study if a change of status to F-1 occurs
  • May engage in study that is avocational and recreational in nature full-time
  • An F-2 child may engage in full-time study in any elementary or secondary school (K-12)

If traveling internationally, the F-2 dependent must ensure they have a travel endorsement on page 2 of their I-20 along with other required travel documents. The student can request this endorsement through a request in the International Student Portal.

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