Admission Procedures for International Students, More Details

Entering The United States

Students and their spouse/dependents my enter the United States up to 30 days before the official program start date recorded in SEVIS, as it is listed on Form I-20. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS), U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officials at the port-of-entry have authority to permit or deny admission to the United States. Once allowed to enter the United States, the CBP official will provide an admission stamp Form I-94, and will update a traveler’s Form I-94 Arrival/Departure Record, which may be retrieved at https://i94.cbp.dhs.gov/I94/#/home

Maintaining (M) visa status

Students must immediately contact the designated school official (DSO) at South Florida Institute of Technology when they enter the United States. Student must report to the school by the program start date listed on their Form I-20. Once school starts, students must follow specific rules to legally remain in the United States. You may visit the “Maintaining Status” page for more information about how to properly comply. https://studyinthestates.dhs.gov/maintaining-status

Change Of Status

While in the United States, a person who wishes to obtain student (M) visa status may apply to request that U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) change their nonimmigrant status to another nonimmigrant category (example: from a tourist visa to a student (M) visa.). The person inside the United States must either leave the U.S. and re-enter following the steps 1-5 under the section “Admission of International Students” in this policy or change their status legally by following the process below:

  1. Apply to South Florida Institute of Technology (SFIT)
  2. Be accepted by SFIT and issued a Certificate of Eligibility (COE) by SFIT, also known as a Form I-20
  3. Pay the I-901 SEVIS fee (payable to: I-901 Student/Exchange Visitor Processing Fee)
  4. File Form I-539 (Application to Extend/Change Nonimmigrant Status) and supporting evidence with the United States Citizenship and Immigration Service (USCIS). To download Form I-539 please visit https://www.uscis.gov/i-539
  5. Depending on an applicant’s current Form I-94 information, an additional Form I-539 may also need to be submitted to extend an applicant’s current visa status. For more information please visit https://www.uscis.gov/working-united-states/students-and-exchange-visit….

Transferring To Another School As An M-1 Student

An M-1 student may only transfer programs within the first six months of arriving in the United States. The only exception to this is if you are unable to stay at a school because of circumstances beyond your control, such as if a school closes.

An M-1 student may transfer under the following conditions:

  • Within six months of your arrival in the United States or, if you changed to M-1 status from another nonimmigrant classification, within six months of the change
  • If your documentation confirms that you are an M-1 student
  • You remain engaged in a full course of study at your current school
  • You plan to pursue a full course of study at your new school
  • You are financially able to attend the new school
  • You are continuing with the same educational objective

The M-1 transfer process is as follows:

  • Apply and gain admission to another Student and Exchange Visitor Program-certified school that accept M students in the same educational objective.
  • Tell your current designated school official (DSO) your plans to transfer, and provide the name of the transfer-in school and proof of acceptance by them. The DSO at you current school must change your Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS) record to “transfer-out” status.
  • After this change, the DSO at your transfer-in school can generate and print a new Form I-20, “Certificate of Eligibility for Nonimmigrant (M-1) Student Status.” If the SEVIS record at the current school is in Terminated status, the DSO at your transfer-in school will need to recommend you for reinstatement on the Form I-20.
  • Submit your request for approval to transfer with a Form I-539, “Application to Extend/Change Nonimmigrant Status” and your new Form I-20 (signed by the transfer-in DSO and you) to U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS).
  • If USCIS approves your transfer application, they will endorse the name of the new school on your Form I-20 and return it.

To be eligible to transfer, you must continue attending all of your classes at your current school while you are waiting to transfer. For an M student, that is until you have submitted you Form I-539 application for approval to transfer. While the Form I-539 is pending, M-1 students should enroll at the transfer-in school by the program start date indicated on the transfer Form I-20. It is important to maintain your status while waiting for USCIS adjudications.

Note: An M-1 student may transfer to another school after six months from the date the student is first admitted as, or changes nonimmigrant classification to that of, an M-1 student ONLY if the student is unable to remain at the school to which the student was initially admitted due to circumstances beyond the student’s control.

M-1 Extensions Of Stay

M-1 students are only admitted into the United States for the period of time that is needed to complete their course of study as indicated on their Form I-20, “Certificate of Eligibility for Nonimmigrant Student Status” plus any practical training (PT) after they complete their program. This time cannot exceed one year.

However, if an M-1 student needs more than one year to finish their program or any relevant PT, that student may work with their designated school official (DSO) to request an extension of stay. Please keep in mind that the following rules apply for M-1 extensions of stay:

  • M-1 students may only request extensions in one year maximum increments at a time.
  • An M-1 student’s record is only eligible for an extension within a very specific time frame.
  • The cumulative time of extensions that can be granted to an M-1 student is limited to a period of three years from the M-1 student's original start date, plus 30 days.
  • This three-year maximum limit includes extensions granted due to school transfer or reinstatement to lawful status.
  • Delays caused by academic probation or suspension are not acceptable reasons for program extension

Requesting an Extension

If an M-1 student wants to file for an extension of stay, they must talk with their DSO as soon as possible. Before the M-1 student applies for an extension with U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), their DSO should request an extension of stay in the Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS).

To request an extension of stay from their DSO, an M-1 student must provide proof of financial responsibility for the entirety of the proposed extension. If the DSO confirms that the M-1 student has an educational or medical justification for filing an extension and the financial resources to remain in the United States, the DSO will input the request for an M-1 extension of stay on the student’s record in SEVIS.

After granting the request, the DSO will print and sign a new Form I-20 for the student. The student must use this updated form to apply for an extension of stay with USCIS.

Applying for a Program Extension

After receiving an updated and signed Form I-20 from their DSO, the M-1 student must file a complete application package to extend their nonimmigrant status with USCIS.

USCIS will deny any M-1 extension application received more than 60 days before and/or fewer than 15 days before the current program end date.

A complete application package includes:

  • A properly completed Form I-539, “Application to Extend/Change Nonimmigrant Status.”
  • Their updated Form I-20, indicating the extension of stay request in SEVIS.
  • Applicable fee.
  • Supporting documentation.

While USCIS processes their request, the M-1 student must maintain status and remain enrolled in their program of study or engaged in practical training. Upon USCIS’s approval, SEVIS should automatically update the M-1 student’s record. Once the SEVIS record updates, the DSO prints and signs an updated Form I-20 and delivers it to the M-1 student. The student will also receive an updated Form I-94, “Arrival/Departure Record,” (with a new departure date listed) attached to the bottom of the Form I-797, “Extension Approval Notice.”

Employment-Practical Training

An M-1 student may NOT accept employment. However, temporary employment for practical training may be authorized only after the completion of the student’s course of study.

An M-1 student must apply for permission to accept employment for practical training on Form I-765, along with fee, accompanied by a Form I-20 that has been endorsed for practical training by the designated school official. Please visit: https://www.uscis.gov/i-765. The application must be submitted prior to the program end date listed on the student’s Form I-20 but not more than 90 days before the program end date. For more information on M-1 practical training visit: https://studyinthestates.dhs.gov/sevis-help-hub/student-records/fm-stud…

Duration of practical training

When the student is authorized to engage in employment for practical training, he or she will be issued an employment authorization document. The M-1 student may not begin employment until he or she has been issued an employment authorization document from USCIS. One month of employment authorization will be granted for each four months of full-time study that the M-1student has completed. However, an M-1 student may not be granted employment authorization if he or she cannot complete the requested practical training within six months.

Period Of Stay

A student in (M) nonimmigrant status is admitted for a fixed time period, which is the period necessary to complete the course of study indicated on the Form I-20, plus practical training following completion of the course of study, plus an additional 30 days to depart the United States, but not to exceed a total period of one year. An M-1student who fails to maintain a full course of study or otherwise fails to maintain status is not eligible for the additional 30-day period of stay.