How Students Fall Out of Status
An F-1 student may fall out of status for a violation of F-1 federal regulations.
There are many reasons why a student may fall out of status, including but not limited to:
- Dropping below full-time enrollment without prior authorization
- Enrolling in too many online courses
- Not maintaining on-ground presence
- Letting the I-20 program end date expire without requesting a program extension in a timely manner
- Working without authorization from the Office of Global Services (OGS)
- Taking a leave of absence without permission from the college and OGS
- Not making normal and continuous progress towards the completion of their program
The Office of Global Services must terminate the Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS) record of a student who is out of status in order to comply with Federal government regulations.
OGS advisors will work with students to attempt to remedy the violation. Please schedule an appointment with a Designated School Official/DSO (F-1 students) or Alternate Responsible Officer/ARO (J-1 students) at OGS by calling 617-373-2310 or visiting the front desk in 354 Richards Hall in Boston.
Two Ways to Correct F-1 Status
In order to resume studies in valid F-1 status, a student must seek to regain status of one of the following ways. Use the drop-down buttons below to learn about the different types, and then call OGS to schedule an appointment to discuss how to move forward.
If you wish to consult with an attorney, please see this List of Personal Immigration Attorneys and Pro-Bono Legal Services.
F-1 Reinstatement
You may be eligible if you have been out of status for less than five months, are currently in the U.S., and can demonstrate that the violation of status was out of your control.
To correct your visa status through reinstatement, students must obtain the support of OGS and a reinstatement I-20 from the OGS and file an application for reinstatement with the U.S. Citizenship and
Immigration Services (USCIS). Not all students who are out of status are eligible to go through reinstatement.
F-1 Readmission
This process is for eligible students with a terminated SEVIS record who have departed or plan to immediately depart the U.S.
In order to correct your visa status through readmission, students must obtain a new initial I-20 with a new the Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS) record, leave the country, and re-enter using the new initial I-20.
Useful Links
List of Personal Immigration Attorneys
Finishing Your Program from Abroad (e-form)