Transferring Your SEVIS Record

F-1 students who have been maintaining status and have been admitted to a new program of study may request to transfer their SEVIS records to their new school if they meet the following requirements:

  • F-1 students must request OISA to transfer their SEVIS record within 60 days following their program completion date (date of degree completion or date of post-completion OPT completion).
  • If a student starts a new program without completing their current academic semester at Wesleyan (withdrawal mid-program), they must request OISA to transfer their SEVIS record immediately following the last day of attendance.
  • F-1 students must begin the new academic program in the next available start term, no later than 5 months after completing the program/last day of attendance. 

To transfer your SEVIS record, you must currently be in F-1 status and meet one of the following:

  • You are currently enrolled at Wesleyan
  • You have completed your program, but are still within your 60-day grace period
  • You are currently on a post-completion OPT (including a STEM or Cap-Gap OPT extension) or within the 60-day grace period following the expiration of your OPT.

Important Things to Remember

  • You must let Wesleyan know you are not returning for the next term.
  • Wesleyan will not have access to your SEVIS record after your transfer release date.
  • You may not work using on-campus employment after your I-20 end date or SEVIS transfer release date (whichever comes first).
  • Any CPT or OPT will end immediately on the SEVIS transfer release date.
  • You may not continue to study at Wesleyan after your SEVIS transfer release date.

You may cancel your transfer request up to the day before your transfer release date by contacting OISA. Please be sure that you have made your decision to attend the transfer school before requesting to transfer your SEVIS record.

SEVIS Transfer Release Date Considerations

  • Traveling abroad: If you are traveling abroad, you will need to have the new school’s I-20 in hand when you return from your trip. This means you need the release date to be early enough for your new school to process your application for an I-20.
  • Using OPT in the Summer before you attend a different school in the Fall: If you are going to work on OPT in the summer after your current program before enrolling in the fall at the new school, your release date must be after the last date of work or you will lose the employment eligibility.
  • Currently on post-completion OPT: If you are currently on post-completion OPT you need to choose a transfer release date after you stop working. OPT authorization will automatically end on the release date.

Submitting a SEVIS Transfer Out Request

You will make your Transfer Out Request from your International Student and Scholar (ISS) Portal account. Before making this request, please gather the following documents/information:

  • Admission Letter from your new school/university (Required)
  • Transfer In Form from your new school/university (if available)
  • Most Recent I-94 Record (Required)
  • EAD Card (if on OPT or STEM OPT Extension)
  • Your current I-20
  • New school/university SEVIS code
  • SEVIS record release date decision

Log in to your ISS Portal account by clicking on LOGIN at the top right corner of the page. Use your Wesleyan credentials to log in.

Once logged in, click on the gray house icon located at the left side of the black navigation bar. Select Site Home from the drop-down menu. You will be redirected to the ISS Portal main page.

Select F-1 Student Requests from the menu on the left side of the page, then click on SEVIS Transfer Out Request from the menu choices on the next page. You will then be asked to select the term that you intend to transfer your record from Wesleyan University to your new school.

Make sure to carefully review the Announcements and Instructions sections on the page that you are redirected to.

In order to provide OISA with the information needed to transfer your SEVIS record to your new school, you will need to complete the following sections and requests:

Attached Documents: You will be asked to attach scans of the Admission Letter from your new school/university. You may also attach your new school/university Transfer In Form if there is one. Please confirm with your new school/university if they have a Transfer In Form that is required. Also upload your most recent I-94 Record. To obtain your most recent I-94 Record, please visit U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP)’s website.

Signature Documents: This section will ask you to review and digitally sign documents with important information that indicate your understanding. Please be aware that these are legal documents. Please contact OISA if you have any questions before clicking the buttons to digitally sign these documents.

Questionnaires: Please complete each of the questionnaires in this section. If the questionnaire does not apply to you, respond by selecting “no.” Make sure to start at the top of the list and complete all questions.

Those who currently are on OPT or STEM OPT Extension should provide a scan of the front and back of their EAD card in a combined document.

You will also be requested to confirm your SEVIS ID Number and Program End Date (both found on your current I-20) and to provide your new school/university’s SEVIS Code and your requested SEVIS Release Date. Please carefully review the “Release Date Considerations” in the Instructions section before selecting your SEVIS Release Date.

You can click the save button at the bottom of the form to save your answers as you go along but make sure you click the submit button to submit the information to your request.

When you have completed each section of the Transfer Out Request, click the Submit button at the top of the page.

If you start a request in the ISS Portal but are unable to complete it, you may return to this request at a later time. Do not start a new one. To return to an existing request, please go to your ISS Portal User Home Page.