Program End Date Approaching – What’s Next?

IF YOU ARE NOT GRADUATING BY THE PROGRAM END DATE ON YOUR I-20, YOU MAY NEED TO REQUEST AN ACADEMIC EXTENSION OF THE I-20 END DATE. PLEASE NOTE THAT ISS WILL NOT AUTOMATICALLY EXTEND YOUR I-20. YOU MUST REQUEST THE EXTENSION.

Immigration regulations require that the program extension be processed BEFORE the program end date noted on your current I-20 or DS-2019. If you fail to request a Program Extension before your Program End Date you will be out of status.

Extensions are processed in the Center for Immigration Services & Support (ISS). You must complete the online Program Extension Request on our website.

You will be required to provide:

1. An electronic recommendation from your academic program/faculty advisor with the following information.

• (a) Confirmation of the academic requirements that you must complete in order for you to meet your degree requirements and qualify for graduation, including the reason that you have not been able to meet those degree requirements by your I-20 end date.
• (b) Confirmation of your expected completion date (for example, December 2023).
• (c) The number of credit hours you will need to complete your program. 

2. Proof of continued financial funding through the extended period. The minimum USD amount required to prove financial resources will be provided by ISS upon receipt of the recommendation from your advisor. Proof can include:

• (a) Evidence, such as a letter, stating continued scholarship/assistantship support from WFU, government entities, etc.
• (b) Bank statement(s); if a bank statement is from outside of the U.S., the statement must be translated into English.

NOTE: If the bank statement is not in your name, you will also need to provide an affidavit of support. This form will be provided to you with your budget. 

Extensions must be requested and processed PRIOR TO the program end date listed on Page 1 of your Form I-20, so start your application as soon as you know you need to extend. You must submit a completed request for a program extension two weeks prior to the end of your program end date on your I-20. Failure to request a program extension in a timely manner may result in the termination of your F-1 visa status.

NOTE: ISS is not able to process extensions without a student-initiated request in your ISSDeacs account or after the program end date has passed. 

IF YOUR I-20 END DATE IS CORRECT, YOU STILL NEED TO TAKE ACTION.

Students should decide their plans for after graduation during the last semester of their program. Students should arrange to apply for OPT, transfer their SEVIS record to a new school, start a new degree program at Wake Forest, Change to a new U.S. immigration status, or leave the United States before the end of their final semester at Wake Forest. All requests must be processed before the F-1 (60-day) grace period has ended. If no action has been taken on your SEVIS record before the end of your Grace Period you will be out of status. If a student is graduating earlier than the end date indicated on their I-20, ISS will update their SEVIS record to reflect a program end date that matches their graduation date. 

F-1 students are allowed a 60-day grace period following the completion of their program and their I-20 end date. During this grace period, students may:

• Apply for Optional Practical Training (OPT)
• Transfer their F-1 status from Wake Forest to another institution 
• Apply for a new I-20 to begin a new degree program at Wake Forest
• Apply for a change of visa status
• Prepare to depart the U.S. 
• Prepare to depart the U.S. 

The 60-day grace period only allows an F-1 student to remain in the United States to pack up, travel domestically within the U.S., and settle your affairs. By the 60th day, you must exit the United States.  All employment must end on your I-20 end date. You cannot enter the United States on your F-1 visa during your grace period unless you have already applied for OPT from within the U.S. or you have been admitted to a new F-1 program.

Optional Practical Training (OPT) is a type of employment authorization that allows eligible F-1 students to pursue employment related to their field of study. F-1 students are eligible to apply for post-completion OPT once per degree level (i.e. Bachelor’s, Master’s…). F-1 students can be approved for Standard Post Completion OPT for up to 12 months. During these 12 months, students are still on F-1 status and are required to pursue employment directly related to their field of study as a condition of maintaining the F visa status. 

Do not wait for your grace period to apply for OPT! Students applying for OPT can request an OPT Recommendation I-20 from ISS and apply for OPT as early as 90 days before graduation. Processing times vary but can be quite long, ISS recommends applying early.

If you have applied for OPT and have submitted your application to USCIS:

We recommend that you do not travel outside of the U.S. until after you receive your Employment Authorization Document (EAD) or “OPT card”. Please note that your F-1 visa must be valid to re-enter the U.S. on OPT. If your visa has expired, you will be required to apply for a visa renewal prior to re-entry.

If you plan to apply for OPT:

You cannot apply for OPT from outside of the United States. You must stay in the U.S. while completing your coursework. Do not attempt to enter the U.S. after your I-20 end date or graduation date for the purposes of applying for OPT. 

You can view our online OPT Informational Workshop at any time by logging into ISSDeacs,  and clicking on “ISS Requests” then “OPT Request”. After reviewing the online presentation you must attend a virtual OPT Review Session. More information on how to sign up for our mandatory OPT Review Sessions will be available through the OPT Request information.

Without approved OPT, you cannot continue any employment you may currently be engaged in (on-campus or CPT) after the program end date on your Form I-20. For more information, please visit: iss.wfu.edu/student-employment/optional-practical-training/

You must have a new I-20 with an OPT recommendation from ISS in order to apply for OPT with the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Service (USCIS).

You must apply for OPT based on your planned graduation date. ISS will shorten your program end date during the OPT Recommendation process if your I-20 End Date does not match your graduation date.

Beyond OPT: If you are approved for another status in the U.S., you are required to inform ISS and provide us with your approval notice.

If you plan to attend another educational institution that is approved to host F students for a degree program, your existing SEVIS record can be transferred to that school if:

• Classes will begin on their campus within 5 months from your program end date at WFU
• You can demonstrate evidence of admission along with the expected start date of your new degree program
• You request a transfer of your F-1 record from ISS within 60 days of your I-20 end date. 

ISS can schedule the transfer ahead of graduation for a date in the future. It is strongly encouraged that you apply for a SEVIS Record Transfer Out through ISSDeacs to schedule your SEVIS record transfer as soon as you have committed to the new program. In between programs, you are not eligible to pursue employment unless you have applied for OPT. You may need to purchase health insurance if you will remain in the U.S. If you are approved for OPT between programs you will be granted 12 months of OPT. However, your OPT will effectively end when your SEVIS record is transferred to the next institution. To complete the transfer out application you will need provide:

• Evidence of your admission to the new school
• Date you want your record transferred (the earliest date you can request is the day after graduation)
• SEVIS School Code for your new school

Your new school will provide you with information regarding the SEVIS transfer in process. They may ask that an F-1 advisor at Wake Forest complete paperwork for their institution.

If you plan to start a different degree program at Wake Forest, the start date must be within 5 months of your graduation date, and you must request a Change of Education Level in ISSDeacs. 

All students transitioning to a new Wake Forest degree program must complete this request, including those transitioning to a new degree at the same education level. To request a Change of Level you must submit:

• Proof of admission to the new program
• Evidence of any scholarship/assistantship financial awards you have been awarded from the program
• Proof of additional finances (if the financial awards from the program are not sufficient to meet the cost of attendance for your program)

Detailed instructions are included in the online Change of Education Level application.

You can and should apply for a Change of Education Level as soon as you receive your admission to a new program. Don’t delay in applying for a new I-20. This could potentially disrupt travel plans and your arrival to begin your new program.

If you plan to start a different degree program at Wake Forest, the start date must be within 5 months of your graduation date, and you must request a Change of Education Level in ISSDeacs. 

If you plan to take a professional exam (bar exam, CPA, etc.) that is scheduled after graduation, please note that professional exams are not a qualified reason for an academic extension, as the exam is not required for you to receive your degree from Wake Forest. 

If the exam date falls outside of the 60-day grace period, you will need to extend your status using one of the above methods (OPT, transferring to another Institution, or transitioning to another program at WFU) or exit the United States and re-enter in an alternate visa status. 

Upon request, our office will examine your student profile to determine if we possess your previous I-20s. It takes 5-10 business days from the date of submission for us to process your request. As an F-1 student, it is your responsibility to maintain all records related to your immigration status, including all issued I-20s. Per Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP) regulations, schools are only required to retain records for three years after the student ceases their studies.

IF YOU ARE NOT GRADUATING BY THE PROGRAM END DATE ON YOUR DS-2019, YOU MAY NEED TO REQUEST AN ACADEMIC EXTENSION. PLEASE NOTE THAT ISS WILL NOT AUTOMATICALLY EXTEND YOUR DS-2019. IT IS YOUR RESPONSIBILITY TO REQUEST THE EXTENSION.

Extensions are processed in The Center for Immigration Services & Support (ISS). You will complete the online Program Extension Request on our website.

You will be required to provide:

1. An electronic recommendation from your academic program/faculty advisor.

2. Confirmation of the academic requirements that you must complete in order for you to meet your degree requirements and qualify for graduation, including the reason that you have not been able to meet those degree requirements by your DS-2019 end date.

• (a) Confirmation of your expected completion date (for example, December 2023).
• (b) The number of hours you will need to finish in order to complete your program. 

3. Proof of continued financial funding through the extended period. A minimum amount in USD to prove financial solvency will be provided by ISS upon receipt of the letter from your advisor. Proof can include:

• (a) Evidence, such as a letter, of continued scholarship/assistantship support from WFU, government entities, etc.
• (b) Bank statement(s); if bank statements are from outside of the U.S. the statements must be translated into English by the bank not by the student.

NOTE: If the bank statement is not in your name, you will also need to provide an affidavit of support. 

4. Proof of appropriate health insurance for you and your J-2 Dependents.

• (a) As a reminder, the Department of State’s requirements for J-1 and J-2 visa holders are listed below:
  • Medical benefits must be at least $100,000 per illness
  • Repatriation of remains must be at least $25,000
  • Medical evacuation must be at least $50,000
  • Deductible per accident/illness cannot exceed $500
• (b) Students may enroll in the Student Blue plan
• (c) Dependents may enroll in
  • GEOBlue
  • International Student Insurance plan 

Extensions must be processed PRIOR TO the program end date listed on Page 1 of your Form DS-2019, so start your application as soon as you know you need to extend. Failure to request a program extension in a timely manner may result in the termination of your J-1 visa status.

NOTE: ISS is not able to process extensions after the program end date has passed. 

J-1 students are allowed a 30-day grace period following their DS-2019 end date. During this grace period, students may apply for a change of visa status or prepare to depart the U.S. The 30-day grace period only allows a J-1 student to remain in the United States to pack up, travel domestically within the U.S., and settle your affairs. By the 30th day, you must exit the United States. All employment must end on your DS-2019 end date if you have not applied for Academic Training authorization.

Academic Training is a benefit of the J visa status. Academic Training provides students with the opportunity to pursue internships or employment that relate to their course of study. Academic Training can be pursued pre- and/or post-graduation. Applications for post-graduation Academic Training must be submitted to ISS before the end date of your DS-2019. An offer of employment is required. If you fail to submit your application before the deadline, you will not be eligible for academic training.

If you plan to attend another educational institution that is approved to host J students for a degree program, it is possible that your existing SEVIS record could be transferred.  Email iss@wfu.edu to speak with an advisor for more details and to request a transfer out form.

If you plan to take a professional exam (bar exam, CPA, etc.) that is scheduled after graduation, please note that professional exams are not a qualified reason for an academic extension, as the exam is not required for you to receive your degree from Wake Forest. 

If the exam date falls outside of the 60-day grace period, you will need to extend your status using one of the above methods (OPT, transferring to another Institution, or transitioning to another program at WFU) or exit the United States and re-enter in an alternate visa status.