From 15 September 2026, the United States stops admitting F-1 international students for “duration of status” (D/S) and starts admitting them for a fixed period of time instead. The change comes from a Department of Homeland Security final rule published in the Federal Register on 17 July 2026.
What actually changes
- Fixed admission period. F students are admitted for the length of the programme shown on their Form I-20, capped at four years, plus 30 days to arrive and 30 days to depart. Previously there was no end date on the I-94 — status simply lasted as long as the student stayed enrolled.
- Extensions become an application. Students who need longer than their admitted period must file an extension of stay with USCIS rather than relying on their school to update SEVIS.
- Grace period cut from 60 to 30 days. The period allowed to prepare to depart after completing a course of study or a period of post-completion practical training drops from 60 days to 30 days.
- Ending study early. If an F-1 student ends study or training early, the student and any dependents must depart or take action to maintain lawful status within 30 days of that end date.
- The same fixed-period approach applies to J exchange visitors and I representatives of foreign information media.
One caveat on the date
DHS has classified this as a major rule subject to congressional review. The stated effective date is 15 September 2026, but DHS notes that if the effective date changes at the conclusion of that review, it will publish a further document in the Federal Register to set the actual date or terminate the rule. Check the current position before relying on a specific date.
What it means if you are applying
The practical effect is less slack. A programme that runs long, a change of level, or a delayed OPT filing now has a hard date attached to it rather than an open-ended status. If you are planning post-completion OPT, work backwards from the shorter 30-day window, and keep your I-20 programme end date accurate with your Designated School Official.
This sits alongside the other US cost increases already tracked on the ConsultancyCheck Student Visa Approval Tracker: the US$185 DS-160 fee, the US$350 SEVIS fee, and the US$250 visa integrity fee charged on issuance.