The information below addresses frequently asked questions (FAQs) about the new federal fixed period of admission rule. Faculty, advisors and staff can seek further assistance with these or other questions by contacting ISSS at intl@uoregon.edu or call 541-346-3206.
As UO leaders, academic advisors, and faculty members, your guidance is critical to our students' academic success. Under the new fixed period of admission rule, standard academic milestones and adjustments have strict legal timelines. Routine internal changes that were previously handled by ISSS in collaboration with stakeholders across campus will change after September 15. Below are the proactive best practices and regulatory limits to keep in mind when advising F-1 and J-1 students.
Academic advising & program adjustments
Q1: A graduate student wants to change his/her major or switch to a different academic program within our department. Can we process this?
A1: After September 15, 2026, no. Under the new rule, graduate and professional students (masters, professional, and PhD) are strictly prohibited from changing their major field of study or specific academic programs once their program has begun. They are legally locked into the exact educational objective tracked by the original numeric code associated with their program of study. This code aligns with the National Center for Educational Statistics Classification of Instructional Program (CIP) codes. While they may take an elective course or two in another department, students cannot use outside coursework to transition into a new degree path or major.
Q2: An undergraduate student wants to change majors or transfer to a different university during their freshman year. What should I advise?
A2: Undergraduate students face a strict, first-year curricular lock. They are generally prohibited from changing their major field of study, altering their core educational objective, or transferring their SEVIS record to another U.S. higher education institution during their first full academic year (two full semesters, summer terms do not count toward meeting this requirement). Please advise them that they must remain registered under their original major code until they complete their first full year and to consult ISSS with any questions. Exceptions are extremely rare and require explicit DHS approval.
Q3: Can a PhD student who decides to leave the doctoral track "master out" and claim a masters degree instead?
A3: Advise with extreme caution. Moving downward from a higher educational tier to a lower tier (such as PhD to masters) is heavily restricted under the new rule and likely carries severe status implications. Students seeking to "master out" risk becoming entirely ineligible to apply for post-completion OPT employment benefits. Always direct the student to an ISSS advisor before any formal modifications are made to their degree path or plan of study.
Q4: After completing a degree program, can a student enroll in a second, parallel masters or bachelors program to gain extra skills?
A4: After September 15, 2026, no. The new regulation completely bans lateral or downward academic movements. Once a student completes an educational level in the U.S., they cannot pursue a subsequent or secondary program at that same or a lower level (e.g., earning a second masters degree after completing an initial masters). They are only permitted to progress vertically to a higher tier (e.g., masters to PhD).
Managing Program Extensions & Delays
Q5: What is my role when a student needs a program extension, and what are the deadlines?
A5: If a student's graduation timeline shifts for any reason, such as a compelling academic or documented medical reason, the student must submit an I-20 Extension Request e-form along with the name and email address of their academic advisor, faculty advisor, or program coordinator in their iConnect portal. If listed as the advisor, you will receive an email from ISSS prompting you to verify the student needs additional time to complete their program. The form confirms that the student is making normal progress, details the reason for delay, and must explicitly define their new expected program end date. 30-Day ISS Pipeline: After September 15, 2026, ISSS requires the completed program end date extension request and your advisor recommendation at least 30 days before the student's current I-20 or DS-2019 expires. If the window is missed, the student's SEVIS record will lock, making an extension impossible and placing them out of status. The student may submit their I-20 Extension Request e-form in their iConnect portal as early as 180 days before their current program end date. Before September 15, 2026, students must submit an I-20 Extension Request e-form iConnect portal to ISSS, if needed, even if the Program End Date on the current I-20 or DS-2019 is beyond the current semester, (for PhD students, up to a maximum of four years into the future).
Q6: What qualifies as a legally valid reason for USCIS to approve an F-1 or J-1 student program extension?
A6: Regulations allow extensions only for compelling academic or documented medical reasons. Standard valid reasons include:
- Graduate research bottlenecks: Lab equipment failures, data collection challenges, change in research topic
- Original length of time was insufficient: Recommendations for additional time based on an inadequate original timeframe must be strongly supported by evidence-based data. Submissions must include documentation and objective facts demonstrating why the original duration was insufficient to fulfill the academic requirements of the student’s educational objective.
- Documented medical circumstances: A medical condition interrupting full-time study, which must be backed by official documentation from a licensed medical professional.
- Extenuating circumstances: Some examples include when a school closes or is unable to hold in-person classes for an extended period due to natural disasters or other causes.
- Note: Wanting to delay graduation to wait for a better job market, continuing to work an on-campus or off-campus job, or delays due to continuing work on publications that are not required for the completion of the thesis or dissertation are not permissible reasons for an extension.
Student Employment & Internships
Q7: A student has an internship lined up, but the paperwork is still being processed by ISSS. Can they start onboarding or training early if it is unpaid
A7: No. Under federal immigration guidelines, "employment" is defined as any activity performed in exchange for compensation of any kind — including housing, transit passes, or promises of future equity. Furthermore, onboarding, orientation, and technology setup constitute labor. A student may never perform a single day of work or training until they have the physical authorization document in hand, and the active start date has arrived. Doing so can result in immediate status termination which will require their departure from the U.S.
Q8: Can an international student "volunteer" in my lab or department without work authorization?
A8: True volunteering is strictly reserved for altruistic, humanitarian, or charitable purposes with recognized non-profit organizations where no commercial employee is displaced. University policy contains careful language and descriptions of appropriate volunteer opportunities at Purdue and scenarios that are not appropriate for individuals to contribute in a volunteer role.
Faculty & Staff Proactive Checklist
- [ ] Refer early: Direct students to ISSS the moment they are in danger of failing to make normal academic progress or mention changing their major, research focus, or graduation term.
- [ ] Respect the application timeline: Complete the Academic Advisor Recommendation form promptly to give ISSS sufficient processing time.
- [ ] Check before enrolling: Do not authorize an official academic major or program change with the Office of the Registrar until the student has received formal written clearance from ISSS.
- [ ] Enforce the work rule: Ensure no international student begins assisting your department, lab, or project until their active work authorization dates are completely approved. Don’t invite or allow students to volunteer until/unless the opportunity has been properly vetted by ISS, HR and the Policy office.