Termination or Completion of F-1 Status
Termination of Status
Teachers College is required to terminate the F-1 records of any student for a number of reasons. Termination may take place because the student has departed the United States, has obtained a different immigration status, or has committed an immigration violation of some kind. Some typical reasons for termination include:
- Early withdrawal from course of study
- Authorized absence from the United States exceeding five months or more
- Change of nonimmigrant status
- Adjustment to permanent resident status
- Unlawful employment
- Failure to enroll as a full-time student without prior permission from the OISS
Please speak to the Office of International Students and Scholars (OISS) if you believe any of these termination reasons may apply to you. Students whose records are terminated may not use their I-20(s) or F-1 visas to travel or re-enter the United States.
Early Withdrawal
On occasion, students may find that they need to withdraw from studies - either temporarily or permanently - due to various reasons. If you believe you will need to withdraw from your program, please contact the OISS before withdrawing.
If you are applying for a Leave of Absence from Teachers College, you should get approval from the Office of the Registrar first. Once you obtain the approval, you will need to submit the Leave of Absence Request eForm to the OISS via TC-Compass. The OISS will authorize you to withdraw from classes and grant you a 15 day period to prepare for departure from the U.S. You must obtain this approval prior to withdrawing from classes.
If you terminate your course of study without prior approval from the OISS, you are not eligible for an additional period for departure. Your status ends immediately on the day you withdrew from your program and you must depart the U.S. immediately.
We recommend you make an appointment with an OISS advisor if you plan to take a leave of absence.
Completion of F-1 Status
F-1 students are admitted for 'duration of status' (D/S). This means that your status comes to an end after you have completed your course of study and any post-completion Optional Practical Training for which you may have been authorized.
Once you have completed your studies and/or any OPT, you are allowed a maximum of sixty (60) days to do one of the following:
- Prepare for departure from the U.S.
- Apply for a new I-20 to begin a new program of study at TC
- Transfer your F-1 records to a new school in the U.S. to begin a new program of study
- Apply for a change of nonimmigrant status to another classification, such as H-1 'working visa' status.
If your nonimmigrant status changes to another classification such as a permanent resident while you have active F-1 status, please submit the End F-1 Status form via TC-Compass. Upon receipt, the OISS will update your F-1 record accordingly.