Completing Your Program
Congratulations on completing your degree or program! Please check the date on your I-20 or DS-2019 document to be sure that it accurately reflects your program end. Students are not permitted to work on campus after the program end date on their I-20. It is the student's responsibility to inform your supervisor that you can no longer work on campus from this date.
F-1 Students
Grace Period
There is a 60-day window for F-1 students following the program called the “grace period.” During the grace period, F-1 students can:
- Prepare to leave the country
- Apply for OPT work authorization
- Transfer to a new SEVP-approved institution
- Change visa status, if eligible
- Travel within the U.S. (do not travel outside of the U.S., as students cannot re-enter the U.S. as an F-1 visa holder during the grace period)
All other actions, such as extending your program, must be completed BEFORE the end date on your I-20.
J-1 Students
Grace Period
There is a 30-day window for J-1 students following the program called the “grace period.” During the grace period, J-1 students can:
- Prepare to leave the country
- Change visa status, if eligible
- Travel within the U.S. (do not travel outside of the U.S., as students cannot re-enter the U.S. as a J-1 visa holder during the grace period)
All other actions, such as extending your program, must be completed BEFORE the end date on your DS-2019.
212(e) Two-Year Home Residency Requirement
Your visa and DS-2019 form will indicate whether or not you are subject to the 212(e) two-year home country residency requirement. J-1 students are usually subject to 212(e) if they receive government funding to attend their program or their home government wishes to ensure they return home to share the skills they have learned abroad.
Visitors who are subject to this statute must return to their home countries and be physically present there for two years before being able to return to the U.S. on employment-based visas such as H-1B or L-1.
If you are unsure whether or not you are subject to the 212(e) Two-year Home Country Residency Requirement, check both your visa and DS-2019. They should match and tell you whether or not you are subject.
