ATTENTION: Please refer to the Immigration Updates Page for the latest information which may impact international students, scholars, faculty, and staff.
Read the Final Rule
Final Rule Ending D/S and Restricting Academic Mobility published in the Federal Register
I-94 End-Date Guide
I-94 Tool developed by the International Student Resource Center
The information on this page represents International Student & Scholar Services’ advising as of the time of posting. ISSS strives to provide accurate and reliable information; however, this information is not intended to constitute legal advice and should not be relied upon as such (see: ISSS Disclaimer).
If you are concerned that the information here does not reflect your immediate circumstances or if you need more specific advising, please contact ISSS or book an appointment with an ISSS Advisor.
If you are seeking legal advice regarding your current immigration status or other factors that might affect your immigration status, consult an experienced immigration lawyer or recognized/accredited organization or representative for legal advice or for legal assistance.
Overview
On July 17, 2026, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) published its Final Rule Ending D/S and Restricting Academic Mobility, which among other things, eliminates “duration of status” for individuals in F-1, F-2, J-1, and J-2 visa categories.
EFFECTIVE DATE – This rule will go into effect on Tuesday, September 15, 2026.
Read the Final Rule (published 07/17/2026).
Read the ISSS Message to the International Student & Scholar Community of UA (sent 07/17/2026).
See the Webinar held by ISSS (recorded 08/07/2026) – Zoom Recording & Slides.
Brief Timeline of the Rulemaking:
- August 28, 2025 – the Department of Homeland Security published 90 FR 42070 a proposed rule to eliminate “duration of status.”
- September 29, 2025 – the open comment period ended. DHS was required to review public comments and prepare a response to all substantive comments.
- May 5, 2026 – DHS sent the rule to the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs within the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review.
- June 17, 2026 – OMB completed their review of the final rule – https://www.reginfo.gov/public/do/eoDetails?rrid=1370061.
- July 17, 2026 – OMB published the final rule to the Federal Register with an effective date 60 days into the future.
- September 15, 2026 – the final rule goes into effect
Brief Overview of Key Changes:
- Fixed-date admissions to the United States – Duration of Status (D/S) will become Admit Until Date (AUD)
- The new rule eliminates “duration of status” (or D/S) for individuals in F and J status. Currently, individuals in F and J statuses are admitted for “duration of status” which means they can remain in the United States as long as they are complying with their F or J regulations. There is not a fixed end-date by which individuals in F or J status must depart the United States, rather the F or J status end-date is tied to the individual’s Form I-20 or Form DS-2019 end-date.
- The proposed rule replaces “duration of status” (D/S) with a fixed end-date, or “Admit Until Date” (AUD).
- The “Admit Until Date” (AUD) for F or J status will be limited to the program end date noted on their Form I-20 or DS-2019, not to exceed 4 years, plus a 30-day grace period following their program end-date.
- Individuals in F or J status who require more than 4 years to complete their program would need to file a formal extension of status request via an I-539 Petition with USCIS in order to remain in the United States beyond their fixed end date.
- Individuals entering the U.S. or changing status to either F or J status (F-1 students, F-2 dependents, J-1 exchange visitors, and J-2 dependents) on and after September 15, 2026 will be admitted for a fixed date, recorded on the F or J nonimmigrant’s Form I-94.
- The F-1 grace period will be reduced from the current 60 days to 30 days for F students and dependents who enter or reenter the United States on and after September 15, 2026.
- The J-1 grace period is unchanged and remains 30 days.
- Formal I-539 Extension of Stay (EOS) Process with USCIS.
- Individuals who need time beyond their “Admit Until Date” (AUD) for whatever reason (e.g. an extension of program, school transfer, changing academic levels, to apply for Optional Practical Training (OPT) or Academic Training (AT), etc.) will have to timely file a complete Form I-539 with USCIS before their AUD expires.
- Those in F-1 and J-1 visa status who timely file the I-539 Petition with USCIS to extend status will be granted a 240-day automatic extension of benefits, including on-campus employment and authorized Practical Training/Academic Training.
- Transition Provisions for Those Already in the U.S.
- There are transition provisions for F and J nonimmigrants who were admitted for D/S on their Form I-94 and are inside the United States on September 15, 2026, the final rule effective date.
- Those in F and J status who are already inside the U.S. prior to September 15, 2026 will be limited to the end-date listed on their current Form I-20 or DS-2019 or OPT EAD Card, or four years from the final rule effective date of September 15, 2026, whichever is shorter. These individuals must still apply for an extension-of-stay in order to remain in status beyond their status end-date, and will also be subject to the new academic restrictions in varied ways.
- F-1 students in this transition group will retain their legacy 60-day grace period even after September 15, 2026, but if they exit and re-enter the United States or apply for an extension of stay on or after the effective date, they will be assigned a 30-day grace period under the new rule.
- If someone in this transition group exits the United States and re-enters on or after September 15, 2026, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) will readmit them with a Form I-94 with a date-specific AUD that includes a 30-day grace period.
- There are some other transition provisions relating to employment.
- Limit on English as a Second Language Training
- The stay of English language training students is capped at 24 months.
- Restrictions on Transfers, Major Changes, Changes of Educational Objectives
- Undergraduate students may change their major or transfer schools only after completion of their first year of study (2 academic semesters), unless SEVP approves an exception on a case-by-case basis for “extenuating circumstances.”
- Graduate students are not eligible to change their educational objectives (i.e., “majors or educational levels”) at any point during their program of study.
- Graduate students may be eligible to transfer schools during their program of study, but only if SEVP approves an exception on a case-by-case basis for “extenuating circumstances.”
- After completing a program at a particular educational level, F-1 students are barred from pursuing a subsequent program at the same or lower educational level. DHS has clarified in the final rule that this limitation on study at the same or lower educational levels applies only to programs that are completed after the effective date.
Major Changes
| Immigration Process | Current Rule | Final Rule Effective September 15, 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| Duration of Stay | The I-94 shows D/S (Duration of Status), which enables students/scholars to remain in the U.S. as long as the I-20 or DS-2019 is valid and they maintain their active immigration status. | The I-94 will list a fixed Admit Until Date (AUD), which will be limited by the program end date on the I-20 or DS-2019 up to four (4) years (plus a 30-day departure period). |
| International Travel | F-1 and J-1 visa holders are usually readmitted to the U.S. for D/S when traveling with valid travel documents and maintaining active status. |
Starting September 15, 2026, F-1 and J-1 visa holders will be admitted with a fixed Admit Until Date (AUD) on their I-94. F and J visa holders should follow ISSS travel guidance when traveling abroad. |
| Extending Status |
ISSS can extend a student or scholar’s F-1 or J-1 status by extending the I-20 or DS-2019. F-1 and J-1 Students must show a valid academic or medical reason for an extension and submit the request for an extension of their I-20/DS-2019 to ISSS before the program end date on their I-20/DS-2019. J-1 Scholars must show that they will continue to pursue their program objectives and seek an extension of the DS-2019. No additional application with USCIS to extend status is currently necessary. |
F-1 and J-1 Students must first show a valid academic or medical reason for an extension and submit the request for an extension of their I-20/DS-2019 to ISSS before the program end date on their I-20/DS-2019.
J-1 Scholars must first show that they will continue to pursue their program objectives and seek an extension of the DS-2019. After receiving an I-20 or DS-2019 extension from ISSS, F-1 and J-1 visa holders will either need to:
|
| Grace Period |
F-1 students currently have a 60-day grace/departure period after I-20 end-date. J-1 students/scholars have a 30-day grace/departure period after DS-2019 end-date. |
The grace/departure period for F-1 students will become 30 days, matching the one for J-1 students.
J-1 students/scholars’ 30-day grace/departure period remains unchanged. |
| Changing Majors or Academic Programs | Changes of major and program of study are currently permitted without restriction, but students must update ISSS and obtain updated I-20 or DS-2019 for a change of major or academic program. | F-1 undergraduate students are not permitted to change majors or academic program during their first year of study.
F-1 graduate students are not permitted to change academic programs at any point during their program. J-1 students are not restricted from changing majors. |
| Pursuing a Higher Degree | F-1 and J-1 students may begin a higher-level degree simply by updating the I-20 or DS-2019 for a new degree program.
Students must apply for a new I-20 or DS-2019 for their new degree program during their Grace Period. No additional application with USCIS is currently necessary. |
Students must apply for a new I-20 or DS-2019 for their new degree program during their Grace Period.
After receiving an updated I-20 or DS-2019 for a higher degree, F-1 and J-1 students will either need to:
|
| Beginning Another Degree Program at the Same or Lower Level | F-1 students may pursue secondary degrees at the same level (i.e. pursue a second Master’s) or pursue new degrees at a lower level (i.e. PhD to Master’s). F-1 students must obtain an updated I-20 to reflect their new academic record.
J-1 students are not permitted to change to a lower degree level but may pursue a second degree at the same or higher level. |
F-1 students will not be permitted to pursue another degree at the same level as their current program or to change to a lower academic degree level.
J-1 students are not permitted to change to a lower degree level but may pursue a second degree at the same or higher level. |
| Transferring to Another School | F-1 and J-1 students may request the transfer of their active SEVIS record to pursue study at any other SEVIS authorized institution.
J-1 scholars may request transfer of their active SEVIS record to another J-1 program sponsor. |
F-1 undergraduate students will not be eligible to transfer their SEVIS record to another school during their first year of study.
F-1 graduate students will not be eligible to transfer their SEVIS record to another school during their program of study, but may transfer after completion of their degree program to begin a higher level degree program at another institution. J-1 students and scholars are not restricted from SEVIS transfer. |
Frequently Asked Questions
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Duration of Status (D/S) has been in place since the early 1990s.
Rather than assigning a fixed expiration date, F-1 and J-1 nonimmigrants’ lawful stay in the U.S. has been tied to maintaining the requirements of their immigration status.
F and J visa holders’ status end-date is tied to the I-20 or DS-2019 and SEVIS Record rather than to a fixed calendar date.
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The Admit Until Date (AUD) is a fixed date that indicates when your visa status will expire.
Remember, your visa status and your visa are not the same and may have different expiration dates. See: “Your Visa Status” and “Your Visa”.
F and J visa holders who enter or re-enter the U.S. after 09/15/2026 will be given an AUD by U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), which will be a fixed date on the I-94 Record.
AUD will be granted until the end-date of the I-20 or DS-2019, up to a maximum of 4 years. The AUD can be extended if an F or J visa holder requires more time to complete study or program objectives by seeking Extension of Stay with USCIS.
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4-year limit is per period of admission, not a lifetime limit or degree program limit.
I-20s and DS-2019s can be issued for program lengths longer than 4 years.
Those with I-20s and DS-2019s longer than 4 years will need to plan to file an Extension of Stay (EOS) with USCIS prior to their AUD in order to get an additional period of authorized stay.
The 4-Year admission is not retroactive. Current students and scholars will not have their status shortened if they began their program 4 or more years prior to September 15, 2026.
F and J Visa holders currently in the U.S. on September 15, 2026 and who were admitted under Duration of Status (D/S):
- Immigration status will end on the current end-date of your I-20 or DS-2019, or 4 years from September 15, 2026, whichever is earlier.
- Those currently on OPT or STEM OPT, your immigration status will end on the expiration date of your Employment Authorization Document (EAD Card)
F and J Visa holders who depart and return from international travel (see: Student Travel Info and Scholar Travel Info) on or after September 15, 2026 will receive a new fixed admission period and Admit Until Date (AUD) on their I-94.
IMPORTANT: F and J Visa holders should review their I-94 record after every entry to the U.S. and submit a copy of the I-94 to ISSS.
After 9/15/2026, F and J Visa holders who need more time beyond their AUD or their current I-20 or DS-2019 end-date will need to file an Extension of Stay (EOS) via a Form I-539 with USCIS.
Generally, filing the I-539 for EOS will be required if you:
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– need more time to complete your current program;
– apply for post-completion OPT or a STEM OPT extension;
– need additional time to complete a J-1 Program or Academic Training;
– want to begin a new academic program (for example, after completing a bachelor’s); or
– want to begin a new J-1 exchange visitor program.
F-1 and J-1 Student Extension of Stay (EOS) will be a 2-Step Process
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1. Extend I-20/DS-2019 or Update I-20/DS-2019 for New Program, and
2. File an I-539 with fees and supporting documents to USCIS.
IMPORTANT – F and J student visa holders must file I-539 for EOS on-time, before the I-20/DS-2019 end-date or Admit Until Date (AUD).
While I-539 EOS Application is Pending:
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– Can continue to study or can begin study for new programs.
– Granted extension of on-campus work for up to 240 days while EOS is pending.
Generally, F-1s applying for OPT or STEM OPT extensions will have to apply both for OPT and EOS simultaneously.
Applying for OPT will be a 3-Step Process:
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1. Obtain an I-20 with OPT Recommendation or I-20 with STEM OPT Recommendation from ISSS;
2. File an I-765 with fees and supporting documents to USCIS for OPT/STEM OPT Authorization; and
3. Concurrently file an I-539 for Extension of Stay with fees and supporting documents to USCIS to cover extension through the end-date of the OPT or STEM OPT period.
Those applying for EOS and OPT/STEM OPT will have to follow normal OPT work authorization rules (EAD Card in-hand or STEM OPT receipt/EAD to work)
SPECIAL EXCEPTION: During transition period (09/15/2026 – 03/18/2027), F-1 students who are already in the U.S. on September 15, 2026 and who do not travel may apply for OPT or STEM OPT without also having to file an EOS
J-1 Scholar/Professor Extension of Stay (EOS) will be a 2-Step Process
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1. Extend DS-2019, and
2. File an I-539 with fees and supporting documents to USCIS.
IMPORTANT – J visa holders must file I-539 for EOS on-time, before the DS-2019 end-date or Admit Until Date (AUD).
While I-539 EOS Application is pending, the J-1 scholar can continue to work for up to 240 days.
F-2 and J-2 Dependents will receive fixed periods of admissions and Admit Until Date (AUD), which may not exceed that of the F-1 or J-1 visa holder.
If the F-1 or J-1 travels and re-enters with a new, shorter AUD but the F-2 or J-2 remains in the U.S., the F-2 or J-2 dependents’ AUD will be changed to match the F-1 or J-1’s AUD.
If an F-2 or J-2 travels internationally without the F-1 or J-1, they may be given a shorter AUD than the F-1 or J-1.
If an F-1 or J-1 visa holder extends their I-20 or DS-2019 and files for an Extension of Stay (EOS) via an I-539 with USCIS, they must also include the F-2 or J-2 dependents in the extension application with an I-539A.
Generally, the F-1 Grace Period shortened from 60 Days to 30 Days for those who enter or re-enter the U.S. after September 15, 2026.
F-1s currently in the U.S. will retain their 60-day Grace Period for their current program unless they:
-
– travel outside of the U.S. and re-enter on/after September 15, 2026, or
– file for an Extension of Stay (EOS) with USCIS.
IMPORTANT: Travel or EOS filing for someone in F visa status will create a fixed end-date AUD with 30-Day Grace Period.
J-1 Grace Period is unchanged – it remains 30 Days.
F-1 students will be under new restrictions on changing “educational objectives” during their program of study for:
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– Changes of major;
– Changes of educational level (i.e. bachelor’s to master’s); and
– School transfers.
F-1 students will be prohibited from pursuing a second degree at the same or lower level.
Restrictions are different for undergraduate and graduate students.
No. J-1 students have no change to academic regulations.
F-1 students who complete a degree on or after September 15, 2026 may generally only begin a new program at a higher educational level, which will require a new I-20 and an Extension of Stay (EOS) application.
F-1 students cannot change to a lower educational level (for example, PhD to Master’s – i.e. mastering out), but can earn the Master’s on the way to the PhD
F-1 students cannot pursue a second degree at the same level (i.e. graduate with a bachelor’s and pursue a second bachelor’s)
Undergraduate F-1 students cannot change educational levels during their first year of study unless granted an exception by SEVP.
Graduate F-1 students cannot change educational levels during their current program of study (i.e. a Master’s student with a Master’s I-20 must complete the Master’s degree program before changing to a Doctoral program).
Undergraduate F-1 students cannot change majors or add second majors during first year of study, unless granted an exception by SEVP.
Graduate F-1 students cannot change majors at any point during their program and cannot add secondary programs after beginning the program of study.
If pursuing more than one graduate program concurrently (i.e. MBA and M.S. joint degree), Graduate Students should include this on the I-20 at the start of the program.
Undergraduate F-1 students cannot transfer schools during first year of study, unless granted an exception by SEVP.
Graduate F-1 students may not transfer institutions during any point of their program of study.
SEVP may authorize an exception for Graduate student transfer, but exceptions are limited to extraordinary, extenuating circumstances, such as a school closure or natural disaster. Loss of funding or the departure of your major professor will not be considered.
SEVIS Transfer for F-1 Graduate Students to another institution is only possible after completion of a program of study in order to begin a new program of study at a higher level (i.e. graduating with a Master’s and transferring to another institution to begin a Doctoral program).
Legal Challenges
On August 18, 2026, NAFSA: Association of International Educators, the President’s Alliance on Higher Education and Immigration, and other organizations filed a complaint and a motion for preliminary injunction in the U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts challenging the Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) final rule ending the Duration of Status (D/S) framework for international students, exchange visitors, and representatives of foreign media.
- See NAFSA’s Legal Challenge Page.
- See NAFSA’s and the Presidents’ Alliance joint press release.
- See NAFSA’s litigation update page.
- Read the full complaint.
- Read the motion for a preliminary injunction.
Resources
ISSS Webinars and Announcements
- ISSS Message to the International Student & Scholar Community of UA (sent 07/17/2026).
- Webinar held by ISSS on 08/07/2026 – Zoom Recording & Slides
- Webinar held by ISSS on 09/04/2026 – Zoom Recording & Slides
Professional Resources
- NAFSA: Association of International Educators (accessible with free account): https://www.nafsa.org/dsfinalruleanalysis
- International Student Resource Center: https://www.internationalstudent.us/topics/ds
- ISRC I-94 End-Date Tool: https://isrc-i-94-flowchart.netlify.app/
Government Webinars
- Student Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP) held an overview webinar (08/31/2026) – Recording, Slides, & Transcripts.
Government Resources
- Official text of the final rule published in the Federal Register: DHS Final Rule: Establishing a Fixed Time Period of Admission and an Extension of Stay Procedure for Nonimmigrant Academic Students, Exchange Visitors, and Representatives of Foreign Information Media
- DHS announcement summarizing the purpose and implementation of the rule: DHS Press Release: Trump Administration Issues Final Rule to End Foreign Student Visa Abuse
- SEVP overview of the new rule and major changes: Study in the States: Elimination of Duration of Status – Quick Facts
- SEVP FAQs addressing common implementation questions: Study in the States: Elimination of Duration of Status – Frequently Asked Questions
- USCIS page for filing an Extension of Stay or Change of Status application: USCIS Form I-539 (Application to Extend/Change Nonimmigrant Status)
- SEVP overview of the I-94: Study in the States: Understanding the Form I-94