INFORMATION ON TRANSFER PROCEDURES WHEN CHANGING UNIVERSITIES OR PROGRAMS
If you wish to study in another school, you must know that there are two types of "transfers" you will need to complete: the academic transfer (which is the transfer of your grades, credit hours, etc.) and the immigration transfer.
In the SEVIS system, only one school (or program sponsor, for J-1s) can access your immigration record at one time. This means that if you wish to transfer to another school or program, you must request that your immigration record in SEVIS be "released" to the new school or program you have chosen.
Once you have made a FINAL DECISION to transfer to a new school or program, you will need to submit an Exit Form to ISS to request the release of your immigration record in SEVIS.
When you are planning your transfer and the release date of your immigration record, keep the following things in mind:
F-1 STUDENTS:
- You may only work on campus at the school which has access to your immigration record in SEVIS.
- Your new school cannot issue an I-20 to you until your record has been released to them by the University of Arkansas.
- If you will travel outside the United States after ending your studies at the University of Arkansas, then you must release your record to the new school in time to receive a new I-20 from them for your return to the United States.
J-1 STUDENTS OR SCHOLARS:
- You must ask your program sponsor to release your SEVIS record if you wish to transfer schools or programs. Your program sponsor is the agency or institution that issued your DS-2019.
