New Program after OPT

See also Taking Classes on OPT

It is not uncommon for F-1 students to return to school in the U.S. after completing OPT. Working on OPT is a valuable way to gain experience that will enhance your graduate or professional school education.

However, F-1 students are not allowed to begin a full-time program of study while on OPT. If you have been admitted to a full-time degree program, you will be required to forfeit the remainder of your OPT before you can begin classes at your new school. However, you will most likely want to continue to have an F-1 status. So how is this done?

If you are admitted to a school different from the school that recommended your OPT, you will need to apply for a transfer of your F-1 status to the new school before the end of the 60-day grace period following your OPT end date. Speak to the international student Adviser at your new school about this process.
If you want to return to the same school that recommended your OPT, you will need to request a new I-20 for a "change of level." If your OPT was recommended by UC Berkeley, you should speak with an Adviser at Berkeley International Office to discuss the process for getting this done before your OPT expires.

F-1 Transfer “Release”
All F-1 students in the U.S. have an electronic SEVIS record that is shared with the U.S. government and the school the students are admitted to. Although students may apply for admission to many schools, the SEVIS record can only be held by the admitting school. No other schools can see this record or make changes to it. When you decide to leave one school to attend another, your record is electronically transferred to that new school on a specific date, called your "release date" which you will chose.

Choosing the Release Date
If you are on OPT, consider the following factors in determining the best F-1 transfer release date:

After the release date has passed, you are not allowed to continue working on your OPT, even if your Employment Authroziation Document (EAD) has not expired.
The transfer release date must be no earlier than 5 months before your program start date at the new school and no later than 60 days after the expiration date on your EAD.
If you request a release date in the future, you may continue working on OPT until that date as long as your EAD has not expired.
If the time period between your OPT end date and the start date of your new school will be more than five months, please meet with an Adviser at Berkeley International Office to discuss your options.

F-1 Transfer Process
If your OPT I-20 is from UC Berkeley, follow the transfer process below to maintain valid F-1 status:

Obtain admission to enroll at the new school.
Complete the Transfer Out Form and a copy of your acceptance letter or transfer form from the new program and submit all to Berkeley International Office. You must turn in the form no later than 60 days after your EAD has expired. Note: Some schools may also have their own transfer form you must complete as part of the admissions process.
Berkeley International Office will enter your chosen release date into your SEVIS record. The new school will electronically receive your SEVIS record on that date. The new school will then be able to issue an I-20 for transfer and the UC Berkeley I-20 will no longer be valid.
Contact the new school’s International Students office to find out what their procedures are to finish the transfer process (many schools require that you attend a "check-in" meeting or some other type of orientation program).

Other Educational Programs
If you are interested in joining a program that does not have F-1 authorization and thus cannot give you an I-20, discuss your options with the International Student Adviser at that school.


	Beginning a New Program After OPT	A-Z Index
Home Students Prospective Students New Students Current Students Exchange Students Practical Training Students Summer Students Returning Students Professors & Researchers Prospective J-1 H-1B TN O-1 Permanent Residents B-1/B-2 Visa Waiver Family UCB Departments Students J-1 Researchers & Faculty H-1B Staff TN Staff O-1 Staff B-1/B-2 Visitors Visa Waiver Visitors Permanent Residents Living at Berkeley Transportation Housing Money Health & Safety Legal Resources Cultural Adjustment Travel & Visas Programs & Workshops Calendar Resource Links About Berkeley International Office Staff Contact US	See also Taking Classes on OPT It is not uncommon for F-1 students to return to school in the U.S. after completing OPT. Working on OPT is a valuable way to gain experience that will enhance your graduate or professional school education. However, F-1 students are not allowed to begin a full-time program of study while on OPT. If you have been admitted to a full-time degree program, you will be required to forfeit the remainder of your OPT before you can begin classes at your new school. However, you will most likely want to continue to have an F-1 status. So how is this done? If you are admitted to a school different from the school that recommended your OPT, you will need to apply for a transfer of your F-1 status to the new school before the end of the 60-day grace period following your OPT end date. Speak to the international student Adviser at your new school about this process. If you want to return to the same school that recommended your OPT, you will need to request a new I-20 for a "change of level." If your OPT was recommended by UC Berkeley, you should speak with an Adviser at Berkeley International Office to discuss the process for getting this done before your OPT expires. F-1 Transfer “Release” All F-1 students in the U.S. have an electronic SEVIS record that is shared with the U.S. government and the school the students are admitted to. Although students may apply for admission to many schools, the SEVIS record can only be held by the admitting school. No other schools can see this record or make changes to it. When you decide to leave one school to attend another, your record is electronically transferred to that new school on a specific date, called your "release date" which you will chose. Choosing the Release Date If you are on OPT, consider the following factors in determining the best F-1 transfer release date: After the release date has passed, you are not allowed to continue working on your OPT, even if your Employment Authroziation Document (EAD) has not expired. The transfer release date must be no earlier than 5 months before your program start date at the new school and no later than 60 days after the expiration date on your EAD. If you request a release date in the future, you may continue working on OPT until that date as long as your EAD has not expired. If the time period between your OPT end date and the start date of your new school will be more than five months, please meet with an Adviser at Berkeley International Office to discuss your options. F-1 Transfer Process If your OPT I-20 is from UC Berkeley, follow the transfer process below to maintain valid F-1 status: Obtain admission to enroll at the new school. Complete the Transfer Out Form and a copy of your acceptance letter or transfer form from the new program and submit all to Berkeley International Office. You must turn in the form no later than 60 days after your EAD has expired. Note: Some schools may also have their own transfer form you must complete as part of the admissions process. Berkeley International Office will enter your chosen release date into your SEVIS record. The new school will electronically receive your SEVIS record on that date. The new school will then be able to issue an I-20 for transfer and the UC Berkeley I-20 will no longer be valid. Contact the new school’s International Students office to find out what their procedures are to finish the transfer process (many schools require that you attend a "check-in" meeting or some other type of orientation program). Other Educational Programs If you are interested in joining a program that does not have F-1 authorization and thus cannot give you an I-20, discuss your options with the International Student Adviser at that school.