The Trump administration has finalized one of the most significant changes to the U.S. student visa system in decades. The new rule affects international students in F status, exchange visitors in J status, foreign journalists in I status, and their dependent family members.

The rule is scheduled to take effect on September 15, 2026, unless it is delayed, changed, or blocked through legal action. Its most important change is the elimination of the long-standing duration of status system for F, J, and I visa holders.

For international students, this could mean more USCIS filings, higher immigration costs, stricter deadlines, and less freedom to transfer schools, change majors, or pursue another degree.

What Is Duration of Status?

Under the current system, most F-1 students are admitted to the United States for duration of status, usually shown as D/S on their Form I-94.

Duration of status generally allows an international student to remain in the United States for as long as the student continues to:

Attend an authorized school;
Maintain a full course of study;
Follow the requirements of F-1 status;
Participate in authorized practical training; and
Complete the applicable grace period.

This system has allowed students to finish their educational programs without repeatedly applying to USCIS for extensions merely because a degree took longer than originally expected.

For example, a student could complete a bachelor’s degree, obtain Optional Practical Training, and later begin graduate school, provided that the student properly maintained status and complied with the applicable immigration rules.

The new rule replaces that flexible system with fixed expiration dates.

F-1 and J-1 Visa Holders Will Receive Fixed Periods of Stay

Beginning September 15, 2026, students and exchange visitors entering the United States will generally be admitted until:

The end date of their educational or exchange program; or
A maximum period of four years,

whichever is shorter.

They will then generally receive a 30-day grace period to leave the United States, apply for an extension, change status, or pursue another lawful immigration option.

The new 30-day departure period is shorter than the current 60-day grace period generally available to F-1 students after completing their program or authorized post-completion practical training.

This could create serious problems for students enrolled in programs that routinely take longer than four years.

For example, a student pursuing a five-year doctoral program may need to apply to USCIS for an extension before reaching the four-year admission deadline, even though the student remains properly enrolled and is making normal academic progress.

Students May Have to File Extension Applications With USCIS

An F-1 or J-1 visa holder who needs additional time will generally have to file an extension-of-stay application with USCIS.

This is a major change. Students who previously relied on their schools to update program information through the student immigration system may now need a separate USCIS approval to remain in the country beyond their fixed admission date.

According to the American Immigration Council, each extension request will cost at least $420. The student may also face additional expenses for legal assistance, documentation, biometrics, or future fee increases.

An extension request is not guaranteed to be approved. A student will need to demonstrate continued eligibility, proper maintenance of status, and a legitimate reason for needing additional time.

Students must also understand that an updated Form I-20 may not necessarily be enough by itself to extend the period of authorized stay under the new system. Missing the USCIS filing deadline could lead to loss of status and potentially the accumulation of unlawful presence.

Undergraduate Students Will Face Restrictions on Changing Majors or Schools

The new rule will substantially limit the ability of undergraduate F-1 students to transfer schools or change their educational objectives during the first academic year.

An exception may be available only when the Department of Homeland Security finds extenuating circumstances.

The government has indicated that this exception is expected to be narrow and reserved for unusual situations, such as:

A natural disaster;
A school closing;
A serious unexpected event; or
Another rare circumstance outside the student’s control.

A student’s simple desire to attend a better school, change career direction, move to another state, or select a different major may not be sufficient.

International students should therefore carefully research their schools, degree programs, tuition obligations, locations, and career plans before entering the United States.

Graduate Students Will Face Even Stricter Rules

Graduate students may face some of the most restrictive changes.

Under the new regulation, an F-1 student studying at the graduate level generally will not be permitted to change the student’s educational objective during the program.

Graduate students may also be prohibited from transferring to another school during their program unless DHS approves an exception based on extenuating circumstances.

This could create difficulties for students who:

Discover that their academic program is not appropriate;
Lose an academic adviser;
Experience problems with a university department;
Receive a better research opportunity elsewhere;
Need to relocate for family reasons; or
Wish to move from one graduate specialty to another.

Even when a school is willing to accept the student, immigration regulations may prevent the transfer.

Students May Be Prevented From Pursuing Another Degree at the Same Level

After completing a degree, an F-1 student generally will be permitted to begin another program only if the new program is at a higher educational level.

For example, a student who completes a bachelor’s degree could potentially continue into a master’s degree program.

However, a student who earns a bachelor’s degree in business may not be permitted to remain in F-1 status to pursue another bachelor’s degree in mathematics. Similarly, someone who completes one graduate degree may face restrictions when attempting to pursue another degree considered to be at the same educational level.

The rule leaves important questions unanswered regarding professional degrees.

For example:

Is a Juris Doctor considered higher than a master’s degree?
How will an M.D. degree be classified in comparison to a Ph.D.?
How will certificate programs and post-graduate professional training be treated?
What happens when a student changes to a different professional field?

DHS is expected to issue additional guidance explaining how different educational levels will be classified.

The government may also delay some of the transfer, major-change, and educational-level restrictions for up to two years if immediate implementation proves too difficult.

What Happens to Students Already in the United States?

Students who are already in valid F-1 status on September 15, 2026, generally will not be required to file an immediate application simply because the rule takes effect.

However, they will still become subject to the new deadlines and limitations.

Their authorized period may be connected to the program end date shown in their existing immigration documents. Students already inside the United States must therefore carefully review:

Their Form I-94;
Their Form I-20;
Their program completion date;
Any authorized practical training;
Their passport expiration date; and
Their plans for transferring schools or continuing their education.

A student should not assume that being admitted under duration of status means that the student can ignore the new rule indefinitely.

The Rule Also Affects J-1 Exchange Visitors

J-1 exchange visitors will also lose duration-of-status admission.

Their authorized stay will generally be limited to the length of the exchange program or four years, whichever is shorter, followed by a 30-day grace period.

J-1 researchers, physicians, scholars, trainees, interns, teachers, and other exchange visitors may need to file extension applications when their authorized activities extend beyond the fixed admission period.

J-2 spouses and children will generally be subject to the same expiration date as the principal J-1 exchange visitor.

Foreign Journalists Will Be Limited to Shorter Admission Periods

The rule also affects foreign journalists and representatives of international media in I status.

After September 15, 2026, most foreign journalists will generally be admitted for the length of their specific assignment or for a maximum of 240 days, whichever period is shorter.

Journalists from China will generally face a maximum admission period of 90 days.

A journalist who needs additional time will have to apply for another extension. Each extension will generally be limited to another 240 days, or 90 days for affected Chinese journalists. Their I-2 spouses and children will generally be subject to the same deadline.

Why Is the Government Making These Changes?

The Trump administration argues that fixed expiration dates will improve government oversight, reduce fraud, and allow immigration officers to periodically verify that students, exchange visitors, and journalists are complying with the terms of their status.

Critics argue that the rule creates unnecessary bureaucracy for people who are legally studying, conducting research, participating in exchange programs, or working as journalists in the United States.

International students already face visa interviews, security checks, SEVIS monitoring, school reporting requirements, restrictions on employment, and strict rules regarding full-time enrollment. The new system adds another layer of USCIS filings and expiration dates.

The Changes Could Affect American Universities and the Economy

International students contribute approximately $43 billion to the U.S. economy each year through tuition, housing, transportation, food, and other expenses. Their presence also supports as many as 355,000 jobs.

Many international students pay full tuition, providing important financial support to American colleges and universities.

According to the American Immigration Council, interest from international students in studying in the United States has already declined, including a particularly significant decline in international graduate students. Additional costs, uncertainty, and restrictions may cause more students to choose universities in Canada, Europe, Australia, or other countries instead.

What Should International Students Do Now?

F-1 students, J-1 exchange visitors, foreign journalists, and their families should begin preparing before the rule takes effect.

They should:

Obtain and review their most recent Form I-94.
Confirm the program end date listed on the Form I-20 or Form DS-2019.
Speak with the designated school official or program sponsor.
Keep copies of enrollment records, transcripts, tuition payments, employment authorization documents, and immigration filings.
Confirm whether a planned school transfer or change of major will be permitted.
Review future educational plans, particularly plans to obtain a second degree at the same academic level.
Begin extension planning several months before any fixed expiration date.
Seek legal advice before falling out of status, ending a program early, transferring schools, changing educational objectives, traveling internationally, or applying for another immigration status.
Avoid relying solely on informal advice from friends, social media, or school employees who may not understand how the new immigration deadlines apply to an individual case.
Continue monitoring the rule because litigation, additional DHS guidance, or implementation delays may change how certain provisions are enforced.

Missing a Deadline Could Have Serious Immigration Consequences

Under a fixed-period admission system, the expiration date becomes extremely important.

A person who remains in the United States beyond the authorized period without filing a proper extension or another timely immigration application may lose lawful status. Depending on the circumstances, the person may also begin accumulating unlawful presence.

Unlawful presence can affect future visa applications, adjustment of status, admission to the United States, and eligibility for other immigration benefits.

Students should not wait until the final weeks of their authorized stay to ask for legal advice.

Speak With an Immigration Attorney Before Making Major Academic Changes

The new rule may affect decisions that previously appeared to be primarily academic, including changing a major, transferring universities, extending a degree program, beginning another degree, applying for practical training, or remaining in the United States after graduation.

These decisions may now carry serious immigration consequences.

Shepelsky Law Group assists international students, exchange visitors, professionals, and families with student visa issues, extensions of stay, changes of status, employment-based immigration options, family-based immigration, and other pathways for remaining legally in the United States. Call 718-769-6352 or schedule a paid immigration consultation through ShepelskyLaw.com to discuss how the new student visa rules may affect your status and future plans.

This article provides general information and is not legal advice. Immigration rules may change through litigation, agency guidance, or further government action.