F-1 Students: Change Schools Now, Before the New Rule Lands

The rule that would rewrite how long an F-1 student can stay in the United States is one administrative step from publication. On June 17, 2026, the White House Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs finished its review of the final rule, the last gate before it appears in the Federal Register. Students thinking about switching schools or starting a second program still have a window to act, and it is closing.

Immigration attorney Charles Kuck told viewers on June 16 that the agency wants the rule final before the fall term, and his advice to anyone considering a move was to make it immediately.

The proposal, published August 28, 2025 and now finalized in OMB’s queue, ends “duration of status,” the open-ended admission that lets F-1 students stay as long as they remain enrolled. In its place comes a fixed admission period tied to the program end date on the I-20, capped at four years. After that, staying longer requires a formal extension of stay application to DHS, with biometrics, rather than the automatic continuation students rely on today. NAFSA’s tracking confirms the four-year ceiling and the June 17 clearance.

Three changes in particular reward acting before the rule takes effect.

Transfers get locked down. Under the proposal, an F-1 student would have to finish the first academic year at the school that issued the initial I-20 before transferring, which ends the mid-year school changes that are routine now. A transfer made today, under existing 8 C.F.R. § 214.2(f), goes through SEVIS without that waiting period.

A second degree at the same level disappears as an option. The rule would let a student move only to a higher educational level after finishing a program, barring any new program at the same or a lower level while in F-1 status. Kuck put it plainly.

The grace period at the end shrinks too. The current 60-day window to depart, transfer, or change status after a program ends would drop to 30 days, which compresses the time for filing an OPT application or lining up a next step.

The rule is not law yet. A final rule takes effect 60 days after it publishes, and litigation is likely. The public comment period that closed September 29, 2025 drew heavy opposition from universities. But betting on a court or a delay is a weaker plan than using the time that exists. A change completed and underway before the effective date is governed by the rules in place when it happened.

For an F-1 student with a move in mind this summer, the practical checklist is short:

• If you plan to change schools, initiate the SEVIS transfer and start the new program now, while the first-year transfer bar does not yet apply.
• If you are weighing a second degree at the same level, such as a second bachelor’s or master’s, understand that option likely ends at publication. Enroll now or pivot to a higher-level program.
• Track your program end date against any change of status or post-completion work plans, and assume a 30-day, not 60-day, grace period going forward.