To ensure a smooth SEVIS (Student and Exchange Visitor Information System) transfer for F-1 students looking to transition to Day 1 CPT universities, follow this streamlined guide:

STEP 1: Get an offer from Day 1 CPT Universities On Time

Explore our Day 1 CPT Universities Academic Calendar to ensure you apply to programs with enrollment windows that align with your grace period timeline. To facilitate a SEVIS transfer, your F-1 status must be valid while also having a new offer in hand. This requires obtaining an offer from Day 1 CPT universities within the 60-day grace period following the completion of your previous course or OPT/CPT.

STEP 2: Inform Your Current School

Communicate with the Designated School Official (DSO) at your current institution about your decision to transfer. Provide the name of the Day 1 CPT university you're transferring to and your desired transfer date.

STEP 3: Facilitate Coordination Between DSOs

The DSOs from your current and future schools will agree on a transfer date that aligns with your educational goals and the program's start date at the Day 1 CPT university. There is not too much you can do but check in with them when approaching the deadline to make sure your case is on track. 

STEP 4: Get a New I-20 from Your Day 1 CPT Universities 

Once SEVIS is transferred to your Day 1 CPT Universities, your DSO will issue a new I-20 to you, which can be used later on to for apply CPT authorization. Some Day 1 CPT universities will issue you CPT I-20 directly to help bridge the gap between your previous OPT to your new Day 1 CPT authorization. Read more about How to Bridge the Gap Between OPT and CPT.

STEP 5: Report to Your Day 1 CPT Universities

It’s mandatory to check in with your new school and register for classes at the earliest opportunity, adhering to the enrollment policies of Day 1 CPT universities. According to USCIS, F1 students must report to the new school they are transferred to within no later than 15 days before the program start date.

The 150 Days Rule & The Proximity Principle

The 150 Days Rule

Eligibility for a SEVIS transfer requires that the start date of the new program (at the new school) falls within 150 days after the student completes studies at the previous institution or after finishing OPT/STEM OPT. The student has the discretion to select the Transfer date, which marks the official transfer of the SEVIS record from the previous school to the new one. Students considering a SEVIS transfer must thoughtfully determine the appropriate timing for this transfer date.

What does the 150-day rule imply, and how is it applied in reality? Although transferring a SEVIS record is a quick process, its activation requires manual intervention. The DSO at your Day 1 CPT university must manually activate your transferred SEVIS record through their SEVIS portal, which they typically do only after you have paid tuition and commenced classes. Some DSOs, to ensure students genuinely intend to pursue studies at their institution rather than just seeking a valid I-20, may wait 1-2 weeks (usually after the course add/drop period) from the start of the new semester before initiating the SEVIS record activation process. Thus, it's crucial to ensure that the period from your last class attendance at your previous institution to the activation of your SEVIS record by the DSO at Day 1 CPT universities does not exceed 150 calendar days.

The Proximity Principle

A nuanced aspect of SEVIS transfer involves enrolling in the intake session "closest" to the expiration date of your previous I-20 (OPT). For instance, if your OPT expires in January and the Day 1 CPT university you've chosen offers intake windows in March and May, you are required to enroll for the March session. Should you prefer to start your studies in May, the DSO at your new school may advise you to exit and re-enter the country as an initial student.