F-1 Students Transferring from Another U.S. School
If you attended a high school or other post-secondary institution in the U.S., immigration regulations for F-1 students require that you complete a school transfer procedure of your SEVIS record to be authorized to attend Purchase College. The school transfer procedure is required even if you graduated from your former school.
A school transfer can be completed in one of two ways:
- By leaving the U.S. and re-entering the U.S. with your new Certificate of Eligibility I-20 issued by Purchase College or
- by reporting to the Office for Global Education (OGE) within the first 15 days of the semester to complete the transfer process.
Purchase College can only issue the transfer l-20 after the previous school’s “Release Date” of your SEVIS record. Students must be able to begin classes at Purchase College within 5 months of leaving the previous school or within 5 months of the program completion date on the l-20, whichever is earlier. The I-20 must be issued to you within the first month of classes for the transfer to be completed.
Students on Optional Practical Training (OPT) can transfer to a new program only if they begin studying within 5 months of transferring out of the school that recommended OPT or the date the employment authorization ends, whichever is earlier.
Visit Admissions Incoming International Students page for the list of documents required of admitted student who wish to transfer their SEVIS record to Purchase College.