Beginning September 15, 2026, the rules governing F-1 international students will change significantly. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is ending the longstanding “duration of status” (D/S) system and replacing it with fixed periods of admission. The final rule also changes the rules governing program extensions, OPT, school transfers, changes in academic programs, and the grace period after completing a program.

For international students, the biggest takeaway is simple: the expiration date on your Form I-94 will become much more important.

F-1 Students Will Receive a Fixed Period of Admission

Historically, most F-1 students were admitted for “duration of status,” allowing them to remain in the United States while they continued maintaining F-1 status—even if their academic program took longer than originally anticipated.

Beginning September 15, new admissions will generally be limited to the program end date listed on the student’s Form I-20, up to a maximum of four years, plus the applicable grace period.

If additional time is needed, simply extending the program through the school and obtaining a new I-20 will generally no longer be enough. The student may also need to file Form I-539 with USCIS to extend their stay or travel internationally and seek a new period of admission.

This makes checking the I-94 after every entry into the United States especially important.

Current F-1 Students Receive Important Transition Protections

Students who are physically present in the United States and maintaining valid F-1 status on September 15 receive special transition protections.

Generally, these students may remain through the program end date on their existing I-20, up to September 15, 2030, and F-1 students covered by the transition rule retain the existing 60-day grace period.

However, international travel after September 15 can change the analysis. A student who leaves and reenters will generally be admitted under the new fixed-admission rules and will receive only the new 30-day grace period. Travel can therefore cause a student to lose valuable transition protections.

The F-1 Grace Period Is Being Cut in Half

For students subject to the new rules, the grace period following completion of studies or practical training will decrease from 60 days to 30 days.

That means students will have considerably less time to prepare to depart, take steps toward another immigration status, or otherwise make post-completion arrangements. The OPT filing window is also affected: post-completion OPT applications will generally need to be filed no later than 30 days after completion, rather than 60 days.

OPT and STEM OPT May Become More Complicated

OPT and STEM OPT are not being eliminated. However, some students will now have an additional immigration filing to consider.

If a student’s authorized admission expires before the anticipated OPT or STEM OPT period ends, the student may need both the Form I-765 for employment authorization and Form I-539 to extend their authorized stay. Alternatively, the student may travel and seek a new period of admission.

There is an important transition benefit: certain students maintaining F-1 status in the United States on September 15 may apply for OPT or STEM OPT without an I-539 if they timely file the I-765 by March 18, 2027.

Students Will Have Less Flexibility to Change Schools or Programs

The final rule also imposes substantial new restrictions on academic mobility.

Among other changes, the rule generally prohibits students from completing multiple programs at the same educational level—for example, completing one master’s degree and then beginning another master’s degree. Graduate students also face significant restrictions on transferring schools or changing their educational objectives, while students below the graduate level generally cannot transfer schools or change educational objectives during their first academic year absent an approved exception.

What Should F-1 Students Do Now?

Students should review their I-20, expected graduation date, OPT/STEM OPT timeline, travel plans, and future academic plans before September 15. Students already in the United States may have transition protections that can be affected by international travel.

The new system makes advance planning significantly more important. An action that previously could be handled through a school’s international student office may now require a separate USCIS filing—and missing an I-94 deadline can have serious immigration consequences.

If you are an F-1 student whose program, OPT plans, travel, or graduation timeline extends beyond September 15, 2026, now is the time to review how the new rules may affect you.