F1 student calling all veterans!!

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mona_lisa

New Member
Are F1 students allowed to take up another program after finishing the one they're currently in?

Let's say I'm in Business now and get my degree after a couple of years, and now I want to go for psychology at the same school, is this allowed or are u only allowed to change programs?

Thanks all!
 
As long as you have a valid I-20 you can go as many schools
as you want. When you are accepted to another school, they should
issue you another I20 and you are legal.If you visa expires you are
still legal in the US. When you go out of the country you need to
renew it in a consulate.
 
I believe once you finish school, your I 20 expires. If you get accepted into the new program, you'll recieve a new I 20 that shows your new major.
 
thanks for the quick replies you guys are awesome...!!:)

So let's say I finish my 'business major", can I apply for a new program at the SAME school and get issued a new I-20 and what are the chances that they will accept it or not?

And when it comes to changing your program, do you have to do it within a certain time frame? i.e. let's say my program lasts for 3 years, could u change it 6 months before program completion and do another 3 eyars with another program?
 
yes, that's not a problem.

And when it comes to changing your program, do you have to do it within a certain time frame? i.e. let's say my program lasts for 3 years, could u change it 6 months before program completion and do another 3 eyars with another program?
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yes, but why would you? graduate, apply for OPT, work for a year, then get into a new program and get a new I-20 right within 60 days of your OPT expiration date. Preferably, before your OPT expires, but then you forfeit the rest of your OPT time.
 
Lucy Mo, thanks for your response!!! now...

It is For several reasons, I have dreams but im currently in a major where i may not be guaranteed a job (i.e. becoming a professional dancer), and i'm taking lessons outside of school to see if I can make it, so in a way i gave myself a timeframe so if i don't make it 'big' within a certain time i want to switch majors over to something more 'secure', another reason is (if you read my other posts), I have been with my boyfriend for a couple of months, and we were going to get married, however I decided it's too soon and I want to take more time to do things for myself. So the only thing is, when we do get married in the future i want ot make sure i'm still enrolled in school so we can apply for AOS with me still being legal here. I just don't want to rush anything, in other words I want to get a real education, get a real job, marry my baby and at the same time make sure it's all good timing so the longer i stay in school the better, worse thing ever would be for me to rush into a marriage 'just cause' i'm almost done my program... not that i have a big problem with it cuz we are eventually going to get married I just need to prioritize for now.

So you are saying, it is possible for me to graduate/finish my proram, apply for OPT, and then before OPT expires I can apply for a new program? If so, are most students allowed to take up a new program after their OPT?

and let's say you finish the next program, could u apply for another OPT?
 
So you are saying, it is possible for me to graduate/finish my proram, apply for OPT, and then before OPT expires I can apply for a new program? If so, are most students allowed to take up a new program after their OPT?
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yes and yes. Try to get into a graduate program after you finish your undergrad. Chances of getting an assistantship are pretty good.

If you have additional questions about F-1, there is an F-1 subforum. This subforum is for family immigration. :)
 
thanks so much,
The reason y i posted here is because no one hardly ever posts in the other forum,

but again I appreciate your time,

Happy holiday LucyMo ;)
 
Yes, you can be an F-1 student indefinitely, if you can afford it (high tuition, minimum number of credit hours you need to maintain, limited work opportunities, need to prove financial resources).

I was an F-1 student for 6 years. Two degrees at the first college, no degree at the second college, then another degree at a third college, then started another at the third college but didn't finish before I changed to H-1B (finishing it now another 6 years later :eek:). Having the new I-20 issued was usually very quick and painless, requiring a visit to the school's international office. It was just a formality after you got accepted into the new program. Of course this is pre-SEVIS etc. so I don't know what all has changed! I still have all my I-20s, I found them while digging through stuff for our GC documents. I have four or five of them and the oldest one is wrinkled beyond recognition.
 
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After 8 years in F-1 the extension of status needs to be done through USCIS. It says so on I-20.
 
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