Check an F-1 transfer to another SEVP-certified school
Key facts
- Human involvement
- YellowClose supervision
- How AI is used
- From the request and the offer, list the transfer-out school, the written acceptance, the new school's SEVIS school code, the proposed release date, and the program start date on any new Form I-20. Do not decide that the transfer is permitted, and do not create the Form I-20.
- What the lawyer must review
- You decide whether the record may be transferred. The SEVIS help page says the record must be transferred when the student begins full-time studies at a new school. An F-1 student may transfer during an academic program, or after completing a program and before starting a different degree program or level. An F-1 student may transfer only to another F-1 SEVP-certified school, and the F-1 and M-1 processes differ. F-2 dependents transfer with the F-1 student. If the student meets the eligibility requirements stated in 8 CFR 214.2(f)(8), a designated school official may not refuse to transfer the record of a student accepted by another SEVP-certified school, including for a financial or business reason. That regulation was not opened, so its eligibility test is not restated here. The student instructions, last updated 17 August 2026, say the student brings written confirmation of acceptance, the new official's contact information, and the SEVIS school code. The two officials choose a transfer release date, considering academic needs, travel and employment plans, and the projected start date. On that date the transfer-out official loses access and the transfer-in official can create a new Form I-20. The instructions say the student and the new official should sign it as soon as possible, and that to maintain status the student registers for classes and contacts the new official within 15 days of the program start date on the new Form I-20. A student who has arrived and wants to transfer before beginning classes at the school on the current Form I-20 must inform that school's official, show proof of acceptance, and report to the new school and enroll in a full course within 30 days of arrival.
- Written for / version
- United States versionUS
Who does what
| Role | What they do |
|---|---|
| Assistance | Consider narrowly defined preparation support after confirming the tool’s capability and permitted scope. |
| Lawyer | Set the scope, supervise the work closely, verify every part relied on, resolve omissions and exceptions, and approve the exact output. |
Checklist
- Trace every relied-on figure to its source, confirm dates and assumptions, and independently recalculate totals or derived amounts.
- Check the current court or regulator requirements, prescribed form and attachments for the intended document and filing.
- Review operative clauses in the complete document, including definitions, cross-references, schedules and inconsistencies with the instructions.
- Obtain and inspect the relevant current official register or search result. Confirm identities, interests and the date and scope of the search.
- Verify the applicable jurisdiction and the version of each relevant law, rule or instrument in force at the material time.
- Confirm the output against the client’s instructions and the complete relevant source material, including omissions or contradictions.
- Resolve exceptions and record the responsible lawyer’s approval of the exact output and intended use.
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