For decades, an F-1 student admitted to the United States was given something unusual: no end date. You were admitted for duration of status, and you could stay as long as you kept studying and followed the rules. That ended on 15 September 2026. From that date, every F-1 student arriving in the US is admitted for a fixed period of time with a hard expiry date printed on their I-94 — capped at four years, regardless of how long the degree actually takes.
The rule was published by the Department of Homeland Security in the Federal Register on 17 July 2026. It is not a proposal and it is not under consultation. It is in force.
What you actually get now
Your period of admission is the length of the programme listed on your Form I-20, not to exceed four years, plus two 30-day windows: one before your programme starts, to arrive, and one after it ends, to leave.
| Type of student | Maximum period of admission | Plus departure window |
|---|---|---|
| Degree students (bachelor's, master's, doctoral) | Programme length, max 4 years | 30 days |
| English language training (ELT) | 24 months | 30 days |
| Public high school (grades 9–12) | 12 months in aggregate | — |
The 12-month public high school limit includes school breaks and annual vacation. The 30-day arrival window before your programme start date is unchanged.
There is also a new term you will need to know, and it is not the same as the one on your I-20. Your Admit Until Date (AUD) is the date your lawful stay ends. It appears on your Form I-94, and the 30-day departure period is included inside it. Your Programme End Date on the I-20 is a different date, set by your school. Confusing the two is how people fall out of status.
Who this hits hardest
If your degree finishes comfortably inside four years and you go home afterwards, very little changes for you. The people who need to plan differently are these:
- Doctoral students. A PhD almost never finishes in four years. You will need at least one extension of stay, possibly two.
- Anyone planning OPT after a four-year bachelor's. The degree alone consumes the entire four-year admission. Post-completion OPT sits outside it, so it requires an extension.
- Students on an English pathway first. ELT is capped at 24 months. If you are using language training to reach the entry requirement for a degree, that clock is separate and short.
- Anyone whose plan was "start somewhere cheaper, transfer later." See the next section. That route is now largely closed.
The rules on changing course, major or school
Alongside the duration change, DHS tightened what you may do once you are enrolled. These are the maintenance-of-status rules, and they are stricter for graduate students than undergraduates.
| You want to… | Below graduate level | Graduate level and above |
|---|---|---|
| Change educational level | Not in your first academic year | Not at any point |
| Change your major | Not in your first academic year | Not at any point |
| Transfer to another school | Must complete first year at the school that issued your I-20 | Not at any point |
SEVP can authorise exceptions for extenuating circumstances, but an exception is something you request and may be refused — not something you plan around.
Two further prohibitions apply to everyone. After completing a programme you may not enrol in one at a lower educational level (a master's graduate cannot drop back to a bachelor's), and you may not enrol in another programme at the same level (a second bachelor's degree in the US is out).
For Pakistani students this matters more than it might appear. A familiar strategy here has been to take admission wherever an I-20 comes through fastest, land in the US, and move to a better-fitting university once you are on the ground. From 15 September 2026 that is no longer available in year one for undergraduates, and not at all for graduate students without an SEVP exception. Choose the right university before you apply, not after you arrive.
Extensions of stay: the new routine
If you need more time — to finish your programme, to start a new one, or to do OPT or STEM OPT — you apply for an extension of stay (EOS). The mechanics:
- Speak to your DSO first. Your designated school official must issue an updated Form I-20 carrying an EOS recommendation before you file.
- File Form I-539 with USCIS, with the fee and biometrics. Note that a new edition of the form, dated 15 September 2026, replaces the old one — filing on the wrong edition risks rejection.
- Timing. USCIS must receive the application before your Admit Until Date expires. DHS recommends filing 180 days before that date.
Three consequences are worth committing to memory, because they are where people get caught:
- Employment. File before your 30-day departure period begins and you may continue on-campus work, severe-economic-hardship employment and CPT for up to 240 days while the application is pending. File during the departure period and you must stop working until it is approved.
- Travel. You may travel with a pending EOS, but carry your I-797C receipt and stay reachable for a Request for Evidence. If CBP admits you for a new period that runs past your old AUD, USCIS may treat the pending EOS as abandoned.
- Refusal. If USCIS denies the EOS, you and any F-2 dependants must leave before the original Admit Until Date — or immediately, if that date has already passed.
F-2 dependants are tied to the same fixed period and cannot stay longer than the F-1 holder. They can be included on your application or file their own.
If you are already in the US
There is a transition arrangement, and it is more generous than the headline suggests.
- If you were admitted under duration of status and were physically in the US on 15 September 2026, you may remain to the Programme End Date on your I-20, or to the end of your post-completion OPT or STEM OPT, without filing an EOS — but not beyond 14 November 2030.
- If you travel abroad after 15 September 2026, CBP will admit you on return with a new fixed period. Leaving the country converts you to the new system.
- If you were in the US on 15 September 2026 and file timely for post-completion OPT or STEM OPT by 18 March 2027, you do not need an EOS.
- Students eligible for an H-1B cap-gap extension do not need an EOS and may remain in F-1 status until the H-1B is approved or 1 April of the relevant fiscal year, whichever comes first.
What it costs before you even land
The duration rule does not change the fees, but it adds a new recurring one, so it is worth seeing the whole picture:
- I-901 SEVIS fee — USD 350 for F visa applicants, paid before the interview.
- MRV visa application fee — currently USD 185, non-refundable, paid whether or not the visa is issued.
- Visa integrity fee — USD 250, created by statute and collected at the point of visa issuance. Implementation has been uneven across posts, so confirm whether your consulate is collecting it.
- Form I-539 extension of stay — a USCIS filing fee plus biometrics, now a realistic cost for any student whose programme or OPT runs past four years. Check the current figure on the USCIS fee schedule, as it changes.
What we would do in your position
- Check your programme length against the four-year cap before you accept an offer. A four-year bachelor's plus OPT guarantees an extension application. A two-year master's does not. That is a legitimate factor in choosing between offers now.
- Get the I-20 dates right at the start. Your admission period is built from them. An I-20 with a padded or inaccurate programme length is no longer a harmless detail.
- Put your Admit Until Date in your calendar the day you arrive, along with a reminder 180 days before it.
- Pick the university you actually want. The transfer route out of a bad first choice has narrowed to almost nothing.
- Budget for an extension if your plan includes OPT. It is now a line item, not a contingency.
Frequently asked questions
How long is a US student visa valid from 15 September 2026?
F-1 students are admitted for the length of the programme listed on their Form I-20, up to a maximum of four years, plus a 30-day period to arrive before the programme start date and a 30-day period to depart afterwards. English language training students are limited to 24 months plus 30 days, and public high school students to an aggregate of 12 months.
What is duration of status and why did it end?
Duration of status meant an F-1 student was admitted for an unspecified period and could remain as long as they complied with their programme. The DHS final rule published on 17 July 2026 replaced it with a fixed period of admission, effective 15 September 2026. Students admitted before that date remain on duration of status until then.
What happens if my degree takes longer than four years?
You must apply for an extension of stay using Form I-539 with USCIS, after your designated school official issues an updated Form I-20 with an extension recommendation. Alternatively you may leave the United States and be admitted again by CBP with a new period of admission. Doctoral students and anyone doing OPT after a four-year degree should expect to file at least once.
When should I apply for an extension of stay?
USCIS must receive your Form I-539 before your Admit Until Date expires. DHS recommends applying 180 days before that date. Students who file during the final 30-day departure period may not begin or continue employment while the application is pending.
Can I still transfer schools or change my major?
Not freely. Students below graduate level cannot change educational level, change major or transfer during their first academic year unless SEVP authorises an exception. Graduate-level students cannot change level, change major or transfer at any point in the programme without an SEVP exception.
I am already studying in the US. Do I need to do anything?
If you were admitted under duration of status and were in the United States on 15 September 2026, you may stay to the programme end date on your Form I-20 or the end of your post-completion OPT or STEM OPT, and in no case beyond 14 November 2030, without filing an extension of stay. If you travel abroad after 15 September 2026, CBP will admit you with a new fixed period on return.