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🌐 Part 2 of the International Student Guide
Beyond Acceptance: Staying On Track as an International Student
Your acceptance letter is a milestone — but it's the start of a new set of rules, not the end of the process. This guide picks up where the application guide leaves off.
⚠️ Important rule change — effective September 15, 2026
On July 17, 2026, DHS published a final rule replacing "duration of status" (D/S) with a fixed "Admit Until Date" (AUD) for F and J nonimmigrants. Under the new rule, F students are admitted for the length of the program on their Form I-20 — not to exceed four years — plus 30 days to arrive and 30 days to depart.
The F-1 departure grace period drops from 60 days to 30 days, and students who need more time (including for post-completion OPT or STEM OPT) must file a Form I-539 extension of stay with USCIS. Transition rules apply to students already in the U.S. under D/S before the effective date. This rule is subject to congressional review, so the date could still move — click it to check.
This guide covers what happens after you're accepted: confirming your school, your first days in the U.S., staying in legal status, working on campus (or not), and planning your next move after graduation.
One rule above all: always confirm specifics with your school's international student office. Your Designated School Official (DSO) is your primary point of contact for anything status-related — and in most cases, legally your first point of contact. If your DSO cannot help, SEVP can be reached at sevp@ice.dhs.gov.
Every date and deadline on this page is a link. Any figure that looks like 30 days or September 15, 2026 opens the official government page it came from, so you can confirm the number is still current. Immigration deadlines change — click the date, read the source, then confirm your own situation with your DSO. Don't rely on the figure printed here alone.
Six steps to staying on track
Work through them in order. Tick each one off as you go — then Save to your account, have it emailed to your inbox, or Print the whole checklist. Only your tick marks (and the account that's saving them) are stored — no other personal details are collected on this page.
01
Confirm your school is SEVP-certified
Do this before you commitBefore you commit to a school, verify it's certified by the Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP). Only SEVP-certified schools can issue the Form I-20 you need for an F-1 visa, or the DS-2019 for a J-1.
Why this matters: applying to or enrolling in a non-certified school means you cannot get the paperwork required to study in the U.S. on a student visa — no matter how good the program looks.
02
Prepare for your first 30 days
Timing your arrival is a legal requirementOnce you have your visa and I-20 or DS-2019, timing matters. You may enter the United States no more than 30 days before the program start date listed on your I-20. As soon as you land, contact your DSO — this is a formal requirement, not a courtesy. You'll check in with them again once you reach campus, no later than your program start date.
Arrival checklist
- Book travel no earlier than 30 days before your program start date
- Carry your passport, visa, I-20/DS-2019, SEVIS fee receipt, and acceptance letter in your carry-on — you won't reach checked baggage before the port of entry
- Save your DSO's name and contact details, including after-hours contact
- Contact your DSO immediately upon U.S. entry
- Check in with your DSO again at school by your program start date
- Retrieve and save your electronic Form I-94 after you're admitted
- Set up housing, a U.S. phone number, and a bank account in your first week
Booking the flight itself
Travel CompassYour arrival window is narrow and fixed, which makes fare shopping harder than for an ordinary trip. Travel Compass builds a search packet from your route and cabin and opens live results across Google Flights, Kayak, Skyscanner, Expedia and Trip.com in one place, with flexible-date search to find the cheapest departure inside your legal 30-day window.
Two cabin notes that matter for students
- Think twice about Basic Economy for your first flight. It's the cheapest fare, but it typically allows no changes or refunds, no advance seat selection, and sometimes no full-size carry-on — and your carry-on is where your I-20 and SEVIS receipt must travel
- If your visa interview or I-20 date could still shift, a changeable Main Cabin fare is usually worth the difference over a non-refundable one
One important difference: Travel Compass's general entry-rule guidance is written for travelers heading abroad. As an F or M student entering the U.S., your controlling documents are your passport, valid visa, and signed I-20 or DS-2019 — not a general tourist entry rule. Follow this guide and your DSO for status questions, and use Travel Compass for the fare, car, and lodging side.
03
Understand how to maintain your legal status
Talk to your DSO before, not afterYour F-1 or M-1 visa was issued for one purpose: full-time study. Maintaining status means following the rules tied to that purpose for the whole length of your program. Almost every item below shares the same pattern — tell your DSO first.
Key rules to know
- Maintain a full course load every term; talk to your DSO before dropping below full-time or dropping any class
- Keep your academic progress on track — if a class is too difficult, raise it early rather than after a failing grade
- Notify your DSO before changing your major, program, or degree level
- Notify your DSO before transferring schools or taking a leave of absence
- Notify your DSO before moving to a new address
- Notify your DSO before any international travel, so your documents can be signed for re-entry
- Keep your passport valid at all times
- If you need longer than your I-20 program end date to finish, request an extension before that date passes
Leaving the U.S. and coming back
Travel CompassGoing home for a break, or travelling over the summer? The booking is the easy part — the paperwork is what strands students at the border. Do these in order:
- 1. See your DSO first — before you book anything. They sign your I-20 or DS-2019 for re-entry; an unsigned form can mean you're denied boarding or entry
- 2. Check your visa's expiry — your visa is an entry document. It can expire while you're inside the U.S. without issue, but if it's expired when you try to return, you must renew it at a consulate abroad before re-entering
- 3. Confirm your passport has at least six months' validity beyond your return date
- 4. Then book — and build in buffer days before your term starts, in case a visa renewal takes longer than expected
- 5. Carry on arrival: passport, valid visa, signed I-20/DS-2019, proof of funds, and your enrollment or acceptance letter — all in your carry-on
Once the paperwork is settled, use Travel Compass to price the trip. Its flexible-date search and alliance comparison are especially useful for the long-haul routes students fly home on, where shifting departure by a day or two can move the fare substantially.
Plan a trip in Travel CompassNever book a non-refundable ticket before your I-20 is signed. Travel signatures have a limited validity period, so a signature from last year may not cover this trip — ask your DSO how long yours is good for.
Before you act on any item above: click through to the official page, confirm the current requirement, then email your DSO to confirm how it applies to you. Getting this in writing protects you later.
04
Know the work authorization rules
The most common way students lose statusWork rules trip up more students than almost anything else, and the rules differ by visa type.
Working without authorization can end your legal status immediately. If your DSO learns you are working without permission, they must report it in SEVIS — your record is terminated, you must leave the United States, and you may not be allowed to return.
F-1 Academic students
- Cannot work off campus without specific authorization
- May qualify for CPT (Curricular Practical Training) — employment that is a required or integral part of your curriculum and directly tied to your major, approved by your DSO
- May qualify for OPT (Optional Practical Training) — temporary employment related to your field of study, during or after your program, authorized by USCIS
M-1 Vocational students
- Cannot work at all during the program of study
- May apply for practical training only after completing the vocational program
- Requires a DSO recommendation and USCIS authorization
Always confirm eligibility with your DSO before accepting any job, paid internship, or assistantship — including roles that feel informal or unpaid-but-stipended.
05
Plan your graduation timeline early
Start a full semester before you finishYour visa doesn't let you stay indefinitely after finishing your studies, so plan this months in advance rather than during finals week. This is the step most affected by the 2026 rule change — check which column below applies to you.
F-1 After your program ends
- Admitted on or after Sept 15, 2026: a 30-day departure period, built into the Admit Until Date on your I-94
- Already in the U.S. under D/S before that date and maintaining status: generally keeps the existing 60-day period under transition rules, until you travel and re-enter or get an approved extension
- Within that window you may also transfer schools, change education level (e.g. bachelor's to master's), or apply to change status (e.g. H-1B for work, or O for extraordinary ability)
- Need more time — to finish, start a new program, or do post-completion OPT or STEM OPT? File Form I-539 with USCIS, pay the fee, and provide biometrics
M-1 After your program ends
- A 30-day period after the program end date to leave the U.S.
- Longer only if you've filed for an extension
- Practical training, if any, must be authorized before your program ends
Know your real deadline. The absolute latest date you can legally remain is the "admit until" date on your Form I-94 — not the date on your I-20. That date is personal to you, so no guide can print it. Look it up now and put it in your calendar.
Talk to your DSO at least one semester before graduation about which path applies to you and what has to be filed, in what order.
Booking your departure flight
Travel CompassIf you're leaving rather than filing to stay, your departure has to fall inside the grace period above — which may now be as short as 30 days. That's a tight window during which you're also moving out, closing accounts, and shipping belongings.
- Price the route early, well before you know your exact date — one-way long-haul fares in peak graduation season rise sharply close to departure
- Look up your "admit until" date first, then work backwards; don't plan around your I-20 date
- Choose a changeable fare if any filing is still pending — an extension decision can move your timeline
- Check the baggage allowance against what you're bringing home; excess-bag fees on a one-way international ticket often exceed the cost of shipping
This step changes the most often. Click each date above to check it against the source before you book a flight, sign a lease, or accept a job offer — and confirm the result with your DSO in writing.
06
Stay current on immigration rule changes
Check every term, not onceStudent visa regulations change, and a rule you read about last year may not reflect this year's requirements. The July 2026 duration-of-status rule is a live example: it rewrote a practice that had stood for decades. Treat this as a fast-moving area rather than something to memorize once and forget.
- Bookmark Study in the States and check it at the start of each term
- Sign up for updates through your school's international student office
- Watch for effective dates, not just publication dates — a published rule may not be in force yet
- When in doubt, ask your DSO rather than relying on forums or outdated blog posts
Your resource checklist
Every official link from this guide in one place. Tick them off as you visit, save, or bookmark each one.
📌 All resources
0 of 19 visitedChoosing & confirming your school
SEVP School Search toolConfirm your school can legally issue an I-20
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EducationUSAFree advising centers in 170+ countries
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UTC School Comparison toolCompare universities, trade schools and colleges
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Travel & arrival
First-Time Arrival guidanceExactly what to hand the CBP officer
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U.S. Department of State — Student VisasVisa categories, interviews and appointments
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Official Form I-94 websiteRetrieve your record and your "admit until" date
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I-901 SEVIS fee payment & receiptKeep the receipt — you'll need it at the border
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Cost of Living plannerBudget housing, food and transport before you land
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Maintaining status
Maintaining StatusThe definitive list of what you must do and report
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ICE SEVP — student overviewStatus, benefits and departure rules at a glance
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Contact SEVP by emailsevp@ice.dhs.gov — when your DSO can't help
✉
Working & practical training
Working in the United StatesOn-campus work, CPT and OPT explained
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USCIS — OPT for F-1 studentsEligibility, timing and the Form I-765 application
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Student forms explainedI-20, I-765, I-539 and I-515A in plain language
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Travel planning & booking
Travel Compass — package builderCompare fares, cars and stays across major booking sites in one packet
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Student Travel GuideStudent fares, discounts and trip-planning basics
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Graduation & rule changes
Fixed Period of Admission — FAQHow the 2026 rule changes your departure deadline
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Federal Register — official rule textPublished July 17, 2026; effective September 15, 2026
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Study in the States homepageCheck at the start of every term for updates
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Keep going
← Part 1
International Student Guide
Researching schools, standardized tests, applications, financial aid, the I-20 and your visa interview.
Companion tool →🧭 Travel Compass
Build a booking packet for your arrival, your trips home, or your departure flight — fares, cars and stays compared in one place.
Next →Career & ROI planning
Line up your field of study with OPT-eligible work and long-term earning potential before you graduate.
Your status is your responsibility — but you're not on your own
Put one recurring reminder in your calendar right now: check in with your DSO once per term. Ten minutes a semester prevents almost every problem in this guide.
Find your school's directory →