• F-1 students admitted on or after September 15, 2026 receive a fixed Admit Until date on Form I-94, based on the program end date on the I-20 and is capped at four years.

• To stay beyond that date, you must either apply to USCIS for an Extension of Stay (EOS) or leave the U.S. and reenter. You do not need to do both. But you should consider your individual circumstances to determine which pathway is best for you.

• Your DSO can still extend your I-20. Only USCIS or CBP can extend your status.

• The grace period after completing your program is reduced from 60 days to 30 days for anyone admitted or extended on or after September 15.

• EOS applications are decided by a USCIS officer, take months to process, require a filing fee, and cannot be appealed.

• After September 15, 2026, once you complete a program you may only begin one at a higher education level — not the same level, and not a lower one. This applies to programs completed after that date; anything you finished before does not count against you.

• Graduate students may not change their major or educational objective at any point during their program, and may not transfer schools at all.

• Undergraduate students may not transfer schools or change major or education level during their first academic year.

• If you are in the U.S. in valid F-1 status on September 15, 2026, you may stay until the program end date on the I-20 you hold on that date — no EOS required.

• Unless you exit the U.S., your I-94 will not be updated. It will still read "D/S." However, you will be issued a fixed end date in SEVIS, based on the program end date on your I-20 plus your grace period.

• You keep the 60-day grace period, unless you travel and reenter, or an EOS is approved for you. Either event shortens the period to 30 days.

• If your OPT or STEM OPT application is already pending with USCIS on September 15, you do not need to refile.

• If you leave the U.S. and reenter on or after September 15, 2026, CBP will issue a new I-94 with a fixed Admit Until Date. This replaces D/S permanently and reduces your grace period to 30 days.

• You need an unexpired F-1 visa to reenter. Visa renewals generally must be done in your home country and can take weeks or months that are outside your control.

• If you have an EOS pending, being readmitted on an I-20 with a later program end date can cause USCIS to treat that application as abandoned.

• Talk to us before you book international travel. This is the most common way students create avoidable problems under the new rule.

• Post-completion OPT and STEM OPT now generally require an Extension of Stay in addition to your Form I-765.

• Important exception: if you file your I-765 on or before March 18, 2027, you do not also need to file Form I-539.

• Do not leave the U.S. before you file. Departing first voids this exception, and you would owe both applications.

• Your OPT filing window has not changed: 90 days before your program end date through 30 days after it.

• CPT and pre-completion OPT during your program do not require an EOS.

• Your DSO recommends the extension on an updated I-20, and you file Form I-539 with USCIS. USCIS makes the decision.

• The current filing fee is $420 per application. Dependents included on your application pay one fee; filing separately means a second fee. Check the current fee on the USCIS website.

• Every application requires evidence of sufficient funds. You do not need to show funds for your entire program, only readily available funds for your first year, plus a reliable source for later years.

• USCIS may require biometrics, and may require an interview. Build that time into your plans.

• File before your I-20 program end date, not your I-94 date. If you file during your 30-day departure period, your application is still considered on time and you may continue studying — but you may not work, including CPT for co-op and on-campus employment, until it is approved.

• Processing takes months. There is no premium processing for F-1 extension of stay applications.

If you want to drop a course, please get the course withdrawal form online by going to myWentworth>Student Resources>Registrar’s Office Forms>Course Withdrawal. Be sure to choose appropriately based upon whether you are a graduate or undergraduate student. Please note that you need your instructor’s approval as well as approval from ISSE before you can submit it to the Registrar’s Office to be processed.

Please be advised that international students on an F-1 student visa may take only 1 online course, which may then be counted toward their full-time enrollment requirement. 

You may take classes at other schools while taking classes at Wentworth. However, you must check what percentage of classes that may be taken outside of Wentworth with the Registrar and get the approval of your academic department. Students planning to take a course(s) at other institutions, must get proof of enrollment prior to the start of the course and then be prepared to show proof of grades. Students should note that in order to transfer credits, students must get a C or better.

If you are concurrently enrolled, your SEVIS record/I-20 remains at Wentworth. 

If you need to apply for academic reinstatement please click on the appropriate link below:

• Undergraduates: Contact your academic department and fill out an Academic Reinstatement Form
• Graduate students: Contact your academic department and fill out the Academic Reinstatement Form

If your reinstatement was denied, please contact ISSE immediately to discuss your options.

Summer enrollment is optional for undergraduate students in their first and second summers. Optional summer sessions are exempt from the full course of study credit requirement.

The academic schedule for juniors and seniors requires that students are pursuing coursework or participating in a co-op. 

Students who wish to obtain proof of enrollment at Wentworth or degree verification may make requests through the Registrar’s Office website by visiting their website.

Students who want to get official transcripts can visit the Registrar's website for additional information.

If you want to change your program of study for any reason, you must make sure that you follow the proper procedures through the Registrar's Office. Once you have done that, it is your responsibility to communicate any changes to your academic program to ISSE, including the change in major and expected graduation dates. 

If you complete your bachelor’s degree at Wentworth and intend to continue your studies at a higher level (master’s), you must apply for and receive a new I-20 before your 60-day grace period ends.

There are circumstances that sometimes prevent students from completing their degree requirements by their I-20 expiry date. In those cases, students must apply for a program extension at least 30 days before their program end date listed on their I-20. Students should reach out to ISSE to let them know as soon as possible. 

Part of maintaining your F-1 student visa status involves keeping your local address, telephone number, and email address up-to-date. Any changes in this information must be reported to ISSE within 10 days. 

Are you going home or traveling outside of the United States?  You will need a valid travel signature from a DSO on the second page of your I-20 along with your passport (valid for at least 6 months into the future of your date of return to the United States), and a valid visa.

Students should bring or email their most recent I-20 to ISSE for the signature prior to traveling outside the U.S.

Please note that if your visa has expired, you will need to renew it in order to be readmitted to the U.S.

Important Note: Travel signatures are good for one year.  If it has been one year or will be by the time students return from their trip, they should request a travel signature. 

Students on OPT or STEM OPT should get an updated travel signature every 6 months if they are traveling outside of the United States. In addition to the abovementioned documents, they should also carry their EAD card and it is recommend to carry evidence of employment. 

If you plan to graduate this semester, be sure to let your international student advisor know as soon as possible. Make sure that you apply for graduation through Leopard Web. See grade point average requirements and advisories regarding graduation on the Registrar's Office website.

After the program end date listed on your I-20 (or your EAD card if on OPT/STEM OPT), you have a 60 day grace period during which you have the following options:

• Leave the United States within 60 days of your graduation date. If you leave at any point during this period without having executed another option, you may not reenter to finish your grace period.
• Apply for OPT. 
• Transfer your I-20 to another institution to pursue another degree. The new program must begin with 5 months of your end date at WIT. 
• Submit a change of status application to another visa status. 

All F-1 students are required to file taxes regardless of whether or not they have earned any income. Each year, ISSE partners with the Colleges of the Fenway (COF) to provide international students with tax software so they can file their taxes. Please note that ISSE are not tax experts and therefore cannot offer any advice. We encourage you to follow the instructions provided by the COF to fill out your tax forms or you may consult the IRS tax website for additional information.

Both students and Wentworth have rules that they must follow in order to be able to host international students. If the following occurs, your SEVIS record will be terminated and you may need to leave the country immediately:

Undergraduate students must enroll for a minimum of 12 credit hours in order to maintain their status, while graduate students must enroll for a minimum of 9 credits.

International students on an F-1 student visa may work up to 16 hours per week on campus during the school year and full-time during vacation periods. Note that the US government allows students to work up to 20 hours per week, but Wentworth only allows students to work up to 16 hours per week. If a student works off-campus without permission or exceeds this number of work hours, it will result in a status violation.

Students new to Wentworth (whether they are transfers or starting their degree program at Wentworth) must be physically present. Wentworth has an obligation to ensure that new students have arrived and are on campus. Therefore, are required to check-in with ISSE upon their arrival to the university. Failure to do so will result in a status violation.

Students are required to register for classes each semester that they are here, including their co-op semesters.  Be sure to register or you may find yourself accidentally violating your status.

Students are expected to make normal progress toward their degree completion. Students who fail to achieve this may end up violating their F-1 student visa status.