Visa Categories

To be eligible to transfer, you must consistently maintain F-1 status and follow the correct transfer procedures. To maintain your F-1 status at Jefferson, you must continue attending all your classes until your transfer release date unless your transfer occurs after your program and during your 60-day grace period. Your transfer release date is the day on which the Designated School Official (DSO) at your current school moves responsibility for your Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS) record to your new school. The time between the last of your program at Jefferson as listed on your I-20 or the last day of employment on OPT and the program start date at your new school must be less than five months.

If you have employment authorization such as OPT and decide to transfer before your OPT end date, you must stop working by your transfer date.

Process for Transfer:

• Book an appointment with an International Student Advisor to discuss considerations regarding transfer.
• Submit a request through the International Services Portal with written confirmation of your acceptance letter by another SEVP-certified school and a SEVIS school code for the transfer-in school.
• Talk to your College and the Registrar's Office about your intent to transfer and when you intend to transfer. Fill out appropriate forms.
• Wait for your SEVIS transfer date before the new school can process your I-20.

Note: Check with your new school to see if they have a Transfer-In Form that you and the Office of International Services must fill out to confirm the details of your status.

Eligibility:

• The purpose of the transfer must be consistent with the original objective that you entered the U.S. in your J-1 category.
• You must have a valid active J-1 status.
• You must have the program number of the school to which you will transfer.

The transfer will require careful coordination with Jefferson’s Office of International Services, the transfer-in school, and the J-1 student. Once all parties confirm that the transfer is to complete the academic objective for which the J-1 student was admitted to the U.S.:

The student must make a request in the International Services Portal.

The International Student Advisor at OIS will electronically transfer the J-1 student’s record to the new school on the agreed-upon effective date.