How does the five-month rule work for transferring an F-1 SEVIS record to a new school?

Answer

Under SEVIS regulations, a student’s new academic program must begin within five months of the earlier of (1) the student’s program end date or (2) the SEVIS transfer release date. In practice, this means the five-month clock usually starts on the student’s last date of study, not the date the SEVIS record is released for transfer. If the new program start date falls outside this five-month window, the SEVIS transfer cannot be completed. (06.Jan.2026)

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