This page provides information on the Department of Homeland Security's Final Rule published on July 17, 2026, which makes significant changes to the regulations for F and J international student and scholar visas. The rule goes into effect on September 15, 2026.
To be clear, the new rule does not have any immediate impact on your visa, or your ability to begin your Jessup program in the Fall 2026 semester if you are an admitted student or a continuing student. However, it is important to understand the changes going forward. We are reviewing the rule and will provide additional details and updates on this webpage as the government provides them.
We understand that these changes will feel unsettling to many, and please be assured that we are here to support Jessup’s international community as we work through this transition together. Because Jessup University sponsors only F-1 student visas and does not sponsor J-1 exchange visitor visas, the summary below focuses exclusively on the proposed changes affecting F-1 students and highlights only the most significant provisions of the proposed rule.
What is Duration of Status (D/S)?
What is Duration of Status (D/S)?
When an international student arrives in the United States, they are inspected and admitted by a U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officer at the port of entry. As part of the admission process, the CBP officer determines how long the individual may remain legally in the United States.
Since the early 1990s, most students in F-1 status have been admitted for a period known as Duration of Status (D/S). Unlike most other nonimmigrants, who are admitted until a specific expiration date, individuals admitted under D/S have been permitted to remain in the United States for as long as they maintained their F-1 status and made normal progress toward completing their academic program.
Under the proposed rule, D/S would be eliminated and replaced with a fixed period of admission. Instead of being admitted for the duration of their status, F-1 students would receive a specific end date tied to the program end date listed on their Form I-20, with the period of admission generally not exceeding four years.
Summary of Changes
Fixed-Date Admissions to the United States - Students seeking initial F-1 status on or after September 15, 2026, would be admitted for a fixed period ending on the program end date listed on their Form I-20, not to exceed four years. Students whose academic program extends beyond their authorized period of admission would be required to apply to U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) for an extension of status before their authorized stay expires.
Students already in the United States on September 15, 2026, would transition from Duration of Status (D/S) to a fixed period of admission. Their authorized stay would end on the current program end date listed on their Form I-20, plus the standard 60-day F-1 grace period, not to exceed four years from the publication date of the final rule.
Formal USCIS Extension of Stay Requirement (Form I-539) - Students who need additional time to complete their academic program would be required to file Form I-539, Application to Extend/Change Nonimmigrant Status, with USCIS to request an extension of stay. An approved extension would also be required when advancing to a higher educational level (for example, from a bachelor's to a master's program) and when applying for Optional Practical Training (OPT) or the STEM OPT extension.
Form I-539 may be filed online or by mail and requires a filing fee. As of July 2026, the filing fee is $420 for online submissions and $470 for paper filings. While students may prepare and file the application themselves, some may choose to work with an immigration attorney because it is a personal application. University staff may be limited in the level of assistance they can provide.
Restrictions on School Transfers - Undergraduate students would not be permitted to transfer to another institution until they have completed one full academic year at the school whose Form I-20 they used to enter the United States. Graduate students would no longer be permitted to transfer directly to another institution while remaining in F-1 status. Instead, they would be required to depart the United States and reenter using a new Form I-20 issued by the new institution.
Restrictions on Changes to Educational Objectives - Undergraduate students would not be permitted to change their major field of study until they have completed one full academic year at the institution that issued the Form I-20 used for entry. Graduate students would generally be prohibited from changing majors while remaining in F-1 status and would instead need to depart the United States and reenter with a new Form I-20 reflecting the new program.
Prohibition on Lateral or Reverse Matriculation
Students who complete a degree at a particular educational level would no longer be permitted to begin another program at the same or a lower educational level while remaining in F-1 status. For example, a student who earns a bachelor's degree could not begin a second bachelor's degree, and a student who completes a master's degree could not pursue another master's or bachelor's degree in F-1 status.
Jessup ISSO is actively reviewing the final D/S rule and will communicate a detailed summary of changes and implications to the Jessup international community as soon as possible.
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