SEVIS Transfer Procedures
To transfer your SEVIS record, you will need to work with both ISSP and the international office at your new school. Contact your new school to find out about their transfer-in requirements.
Transferring your SEVIS Record From UCSC to another college/university in the U.S.
If you have been admitted to a new U.S. college/university/certificate program and plan to transfer your SEVIS record to your new school, you must do the following:
- Obtain an official admissions offer from the new school. This letter must include your name and the term you are admitted for.
- Complete the university Leave of Absence/Withdrawal process. Students who are suspended or barred do not need to apply for university withdrawal, but can send notification of bar/suspension to ISSP.
Note: If you have graduated and are on OPT you can skip this step - Complete the ISSP LOA/Withdrawal Request e-form in iGlobal
- J-1 students please use the J-1 transfer out request e-form and attach a copy of your admission letter or other proof of admission and email istudent@ucsc.edu.
Note: This information pertains to your J-1 immigration record only and will have no impact on your academic record. Contact your academic department if you have questions about transferring your academic record or course credits.
If eligible, transferring your SEVIS record has a number of advantages:
- You keep your current SEVIS ID number and F-1 record
- You do not have to pay the I-901 SEVIS fee again
- If your F-1 visa is still valid, you can continue to use it until its expiration date. It is acceptable if your old school’s name is on your visa.
- You will be allowed to remain in the U.S. or travel in and out of the U.S. in between programs
- You are not subject to the 30-day entry restriction (entering no earlier than 30 days before your program starts) and can enter the U.S. at any point before your program
- Work authorization benefits: As long as you are otherwise eligible and enrolled in an eligible program, you may be able to apply for off-campus employment through Academic Training at the new school, if you will have already built up enough full-time study on your SEVIS record to qualify (one year of full-time enrollment).
- Policies on work authorization do vary from school to school and you will need to work with your new school for any questions you have about employment policies.
Transfer Eligibility Requirements and Timing
To be eligible for a SEVIS transfer, you must meet all of the following criteria:
- Be accepted into a SEVIS-approved institution for a full-time program
- F-1: Begin your courses at the new school within 5 months of your last enrollment date at UCSC (term end date) or post-completion OPT end date (EAD expiration date, or last date of employment).
J-1: Begin/continue your courses immediately following your DS-2019 end date.
- Transfer your record within the required timeframe:
- F-1 students: If you complete your program successfully, we must transfer your record within 60 days of your I-20 end date (which must match the final date of your final term of enrollment). For students on OPT who have maintained F-1 successfully through the duration of the OPT authorization period, we must transfer your record within 60 days of your OPT completion. Enrollment at the new school must begin within 5 months of your I-20 end date or post-completion OPT end date.
- J-1 Students: Your record must be transferred before your current DS-2019 end date. It will typically be transferred a few days before your DS-2019 program end date. There cannot be a gap between program dates. You will need to work closely with your new school to determine J-1 transfer eligibility and transfer timing.
FAQ
How do I choose my SEVIS transfer release date?
The transfer release date is usually the day after your final quarter’s end date. Please consult an International Student Advisor to request a different transfer release date or if you are currently on OPT or AT. For F-1 students, the transfer release date must be within 60 days after your last registered term or the end date of your OPT. For J-1 students, the transfer release date must be within 30 days after your last registered term or the end of your AT. We cannot backdate.
Is there a deadline to transfer out?
Yes. F-1 students may apply to transfer out during their 60-day grace period which follows your final registered term or the end date of your OPT. J-1 students may apply to transfer out during their 30-day grace period which follows your final registered term or the end date of your AT. Once your records are transferred out, your SEVIS status shows as “transfer-pending” and you are no longer considered to be in a grace period.
How does the “five month” rule apply to transferring my SEVIS record?
Advisors can only process this request if enrollment in your new program begins within five months from your most recent date of enrollment at UCSC or within five months from your OPT/AT end date. If your future enrollment date is more than five months past your most recent date of enrollment or OPT/AT authorization end date, then you need to depart the US during your designated grace period and return to your new college/university with an initial I-20 or DS-2019. Please contact your new school for more details.
What happens after my SEVIS transfer release date has passed?
On the transfer release date, the new school will have access to your SEVIS record. Assuming you have provided all the required documents your new school needs from you, they will issue you a new I-20 or DS-2019 for their program once the SEVIS release date has passed. At that point, your UC Santa Cruz I-20 or DS-2019 is no longer valid. If you are currently on OPT or AT and you decide to transfer to a new program, your employment authorization will end on the transfer release date. You will lose any remaining authorization.
Please also note that after your transfer release date, we will not be able to change your release date or the school you are transferred to. Please contact ISSP before the release date if you need to edit any information.