united statesvisassevisopt
US Ends F-1 Duration of Status, Sets 4-Year Cap
The open-ended “duration of status” that F-1 students have relied on for decades is going away. From September 15, 2026, the Department of Homeland Security will admit international students for a fixed period tied to their program length, capped at four years. Need more time after that? You’ll have to apply to USCIS for an extension — your school can no longer just sign off on it.
What changed
On July 17, 2026, DHS published a final rule in the Federal Register — “Establishing a Fixed Time Period of Admission and an Extension of Stay Procedure for Nonimmigrant Academic Students, Exchange Visitors, and Representatives of Foreign Information Media.” It takes effect September 15, 2026.
From that date, F students will be admitted for a fixed period based on the program length listed on their Form I-20, not to exceed four years, plus a 30-day period for arrival and a further 30-day period for departure. Anyone needing more time — to finish a degree, start a new program, or begin post-completion OPT or STEM OPT — must file an Extension of Stay (EOS) with USCIS, or leave the US and re-enter with a new admission period.
Students already in the US under duration of status before September 15, 2026 are grandfathered: they can stay until the Program End Date on their I-20, or the end of their OPT/STEM OPT, up to a hard ceiling of November 14, 2030 (four years plus a 60-day departure period — longer than the 30 days new admits get).
The rule also adds new requirements around changing education level, changing major, and transferring schools. DHS/SEVP is hosting a stakeholder webinar on August 31, 2026, and has published Quick Facts and FAQ pages on Study in the States for schools and students working through the transition.
Who it affects
- New F-1 students entering the US on or after September 15, 2026.
- Continuing F-1 students already here under duration of status — grandfathered, but capped by the November 14, 2030 backstop.
- Students in programs likely to run past four years: many PhDs, some dual-degree or extended STEM tracks.
- Anyone planning post-completion OPT or STEM OPT, since the timeline now runs through USCIS rather than your school’s SEVIS record alone.
- Designated School Officials (DSOs), who lose some of the flexibility they previously had to manage program changes directly.
What you should do
- Ask your DSO now how the fixed admission period applies to your specific I-20 end date — don’t wait until close to expiry.
- If your program could run past four years, start the Extension of Stay conversation with your DSO early. USCIS processing takes time, and there’s no guarantee EOS is approved quickly.
- Note that new admits get a 30-day departure grace period, not the 60 days that grandfathered students get — build less buffer into your post-graduation and OPT planning.
- Check the Study in the States FAQ as it’s updated, and consider the August 31, 2026 stakeholder webinar if you want to hear DHS answer questions directly.
What hasn’t changed
OPT and STEM OPT themselves are not being eliminated — this rule changes how much time you’re admitted for and who approves extensions, not whether these work authorizations exist. For the current visa and post-study work landscape, see our US visas and working in the US pages.