Definition

The procedure to transfer from one institution to another DHS-approved institution within the United States.

Eligibility

An F-1 student is eligible to transfer to another DHS-approved school if the student has maintained valid legal status, has carried a full course of study at the school last attended, intends to pursue a full course of study at the new school and is financially able to attend the new school.

Checklist of Documents

The school to which you are transferring may require a DSO from your previous institution to fill out a Transfer Clearance Form. Once you have met all requirements for transfer, possibly have shown a valid transfer clearance from the former school, and have been released in SEVIS by your previous school, you will be issued a new Form I-20 from the new institution.

Procedures

If you are transferring TO Emory University:

• Inform the international student advisor at your current school that you intend to transfer to Emory.
• Report to ISSP within 15 days of the report date on your new EMORY I-20 to proceed with the transfer procedure. THIS IS ABSOLUTELY NECESSARY TO MAINTAIN YOUR STATUS. You will need to have the Transfer Clearance Form signed by a DSO at your previous institution, your passport, I-94 Departure Record, and all previously issued I-20s, including your Emory I-20. If you have dependents in the U.S., you must bring each of their I-20s, passports, and I-94 Departure Records.

Note

Your transfer is not complete until you have enrolled full-time for classes and your ISSP advisor verifies your full-time enrollment, updates your current U.S. and foreign addresses, and registers your record in SEVIS. The act of registering you in SEVIS is MANDATORY every semester. Be sure to make this possible by keeping your addresses current in OPUS. Failure to do so could cause you to fall out of status.

If you are transferring FROM Emory University to a new institution:

• Inform ISSP that you intend to transfer to another school
• Discuss and determine with an ISSP advisor and the DSO from your new school when Emory University should "release" your SEVIS record to your new school. Keep in mind that once your record has been released to another school, Emory cannot access your record and consequently cannot reverse the release. Therefore, it is imperative that you be certain of your admissions status and of your decision to transfer to a given school.
• Ask ISSP to sign the Transfer Clearance Form from the new institution if required, and to release your record in SEVIS on a given date.
• Report to the Designated School Official at the new institution within 15 days of the program start date on your new I-20 to complete the transfer procedure.

If you have any questions, please contact an ISSP advisor at 727-3300 or issp@emory.edu.