For decades, most F-1 students entered the United States under Duration of Status, commonly shown as “D/S” on Form I-94. Instead of receiving a specific immigration expiration date, students could generally remain in the country while maintaining valid F-1 status, making normal academic progress, and following the requirements of their program.
That framework is now changing.
The Department of Homeland Security has finalized a rule replacing Duration of Status for F, J, and I nonimmigrants with a fixed period of admission. The rule is scheduled for Federal Register publication on July 17, 2026, with an effective date 60 days later. However, because it has been classified as a major rule subject to congressional review, DHS states that the effective date could still be changed through a later Federal Register notice.
For international students, this is more than an administrative adjustment. It affects program extensions, OPT planning, school transfers, degree progression, employment authorization, and the consequences of missing an immigration deadline.
Under the final rule:
Not sure how the new F-1 rules may affect your study, OPT, CPT, or future degree plans? Contact Us today for personalized guidance and a program shortlist tailored to your timeline, career goals, and immigration needs.
Under the current Duration of Status system, an F-1 student does not normally have a fixed immigration expiration date tied to the I-94. A Designated School Official may extend the program end date in SEVIS when the student qualifies for additional academic time.
The new rule creates a different system.
F-1 students will generally be admitted for the length of the academic program listed on Form I-20, but for no more than four years at a time. Students who need to remain beyond the authorized admission period will generally need to obtain additional authorization from DHS, either by applying for an extension from inside the United States or by departing and seeking readmission.
This means students will need to manage several dates much more carefully:
A SEVIS update alone may no longer resolve every timing issue.
The most visible change will be the addition of a fixed admission date to Form I-94.
Instead of being admitted for D/S, an F-1 student will normally receive an authorized stay based on the program length, subject to the four-year maximum. Students with programs lasting longer than four years may need to request an Extension of Stay before their admission period expires.
This changes the role of Form I-94. It will no longer be a document students check only after international travel. It will become one of the most important records in maintaining lawful status.
Students should compare their I-94 against their:
Any mismatch should be addressed early.
Students who need additional time beyond their I-94 expiration date will generally have to request an Extension of Stay from USCIS.
The filing will require the appropriate USCIS form, applicable filing fees, supporting evidence, and any required biometrics. The final rule also confirms that a timely filed Extension of Stay application allows an F-1 student to continue pursuing a full course of study while USCIS reviews the request.
This creates a new layer of planning for students whose programs may take longer than expected because of:
Students should not assume that every delay will support an extension. The rule makes clear that poor academic progress, repeated failure to complete coursework, academic suspension, or similar problems may not provide an acceptable basis for additional time.
The final rule generally shortens the period after program completion or authorized practical training from 60 days to 30 days.
During this period, a student may prepare to depart, seek another qualifying status, or take another permitted immigration step. DHS retained the 30-day period after reviewing public comments requesting that the existing 60-day grace period remain in place.
This shorter timeline will make last-minute planning much more difficult.
Students who wait until graduation to consider their next move may not have enough time to:
The practical lesson is simple: post-graduation planning should begin months before the program ends.
Under a fixed-date admission system, unlawful presence may generally begin after the authorized admission period expires.
That is a major departure from the practical operation of the D/S framework, under which unlawful-presence calculations were often tied to a formal determination that the student had violated status.
DHS states that replacing D/S with fixed admission dates will clarify when unlawful presence begins and may affect future eligibility for visas, readmission, adjustment of status, and other immigration benefits.
Students should therefore avoid relying on informal assumptions such as:
Under the new system, the exact filing date and the I-94 expiration date may determine whether a student remains in an authorized period of stay.
The final rule creates new limitations on changing schools and educational objectives.
Students below the graduate level generally must complete the first academic year at the school that issued the initial Form I-20 before transferring or changing their educational objective.
SEVP may authorize an exception for qualifying extenuating circumstances.
Students at the graduate level or above will generally be prohibited from changing their educational objective during the program.
Graduate students will also generally be unable to transfer schools after beginning the program unless SEVP approves an exception based on extenuating circumstances.
Because “educational objective” includes the student’s educational level or major, this provision could significantly affect students who later determine that another specialization, major, or institution is a better fit.
Prospective graduate students should conduct more due diligence before accepting admission, paying a deposit, or entering the United States.
One of the most consequential provisions concerns degree progression.
After completing an F-1 program in the United States following the rule’s effective date, a student will generally be unable to obtain or maintain F-1 status through another program at the same or a lower educational level.
A student who completes a master’s degree after the effective date would therefore generally be unable to begin another master’s degree in F-1 status. The student would typically need to move to a higher educational level, such as a doctorate.
The rule applies prospectively. Programs completed before the effective date are not counted toward this limitation. DHS gives the example that a student who completed a master’s degree before the effective date may still be eligible to pursue another master’s degree.
This distinction makes the completion date of a current program especially important.
Students should review:
The final rule does not ban Day 1 CPT.
DHS explains that the rule does not make substantive changes to the basic CPT framework. Eligible students may still receive CPT authorization when the training is an integral part of the established curriculum and all regulatory requirements are satisfied.
However, the broader environment surrounding Day 1 CPT will change.
Historically, some students used a second master’s program with CPT after completing OPT connected to an earlier master’s degree.
The new same-level degree restriction will make that strategy unavailable to many students whose first master’s degree is completed after the rule takes effect.
For those students, a higher-level academic program may be the only available F-1 progression path. Depending on the institution and curriculum, this could include:
The fact that a program offers CPT does not by itself make the program appropriate. Students should examine accreditation, SEVP certification, curriculum design, onsite requirements, academic expectations, total cost, and whether the employment is genuinely connected to the program of study.
The final rule does not end F-1 study, OPT, or CPT. It does, however, remove much of the flexibility that students previously relied on.
Under the new framework, students will have less room to delay decisions about:
The students best positioned under the new rule will be those who understand their dates, choose programs carefully, maintain strong academic records, and begin planning before a deadline becomes urgent.
Disclaimer: This article is for general informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Immigration rules may be updated, delayed, challenged, or implemented through additional agency guidance. Students should consult their DSO and a qualified immigration attorney regarding their individual circumstances.