/Office of Global Affairs
Visa and Immigration Services

Transferring to Stony Brook University
(F-1 Students)

If you are currently studying in F-1 status at another U.S. school and have been admitted to Stony Brook University, you may need to complete a SEVIS transfer.

A SEVIS transfer moves your immigration record from your current school to Stony Brook. Admission to a new school does not automatically allow you to begin studying at another institution. Your SEVIS record must first be transferred.

If you are a J-1 student, review the J-1 student transfer process for separate instructions.

Eligibility Requirements

You may transfer your SEVIS record to Stony Brook if the following conditions apply:

  • You are maintaining valid F-1 status.
  • You have received admission to Stony Brook University.
  • If you already graduated or completed Optional Practical Training (OPT), you request the transfer within your 60-day grace period.
  • Your Stony Brook program start date is within 5 months of one of the following:
    • Your program completion date at your previous school
    • Your last day of enrollment
    • Your OPT authorization end date listed on your EAD card

If you are transferring before completing OPT, your Stony Brook program must begin within 5 months of your SEVIS transfer release date.

If more than 5 months pass between your previous F-1 activity and the start of your Stony Brook program, your SEVIS record cannot be transferred. In this case, you must receive a new initial I-20 with a new SEVIS ID number.

Benefits of a SEVIS Transfer

A SEVIS transfer allows you to continue your studies in the United States without starting a new immigration record.

Benefits include:

  • You do not need to pay the SEVIS I-901 fee again.
  • You may remain in the United States between programs if the gap is less than 5 months.
  • You keep the same SEVIS ID number.
  • If your F-1 visa is still valid, you may continue to use it even if your previous school’s name appears on the visa.
  • If you travel between programs, you are not restricted by the 30-day entry limit before the new program start date.

SEVIS Transfer Process

To maintain your F-1 status, your SEVIS record must be transferred to Stony Brook University before you begin your program.

Follow the steps below.

After you are admitted to Stony Brook, notify the international student advisor at your current school that you plan to transfer.

Ask about your school’s transfer-out procedure.

Stony Brook cannot issue your new I-20 until your SEVIS record has been officially released to the university.

Log in to accessVIS and complete the SBU Issued Form I-20/DS-2019 Request eForm.

This form is available on the accessVIS home page under Requests.

Submit all required documents.

In accessVIS, submit the SEVIS Record Transfer Information eForm.

After you submit the form, the international advisor at your current school will receive instructions on how to release your SEVIS record to Stony Brook.

After your SEVIS record is released and your documents are verified, Stony Brook will issue your new I-20.

Your document will show “Transfer Pending.”

After you receive your Transfer-Pending I-20, you must complete the International Student Check-In in accessVIS.

This step allows Visa and Immigration Services (VIS) to register your record in SEVIS.

After your record is registered, you will receive a Continued Attendance I-20 that includes a travel signature.

Important: If you leave the United States between programs, you must present your Stony Brook I-20 when you reenter the country. You should also keep all previous I-20 forms for your records.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I travel outside the United States between programs?

Yes. If you travel after your transfer release date, you must reenter the United States with:

  • Your Stony Brook Form I-20
  • A valid F-1 visa
  • A valid passport

Students with a Transfer-Pending I-20 may enter the United States at any time before the program start date. The 30-day entry limit does not apply to transfer students.

 

Do I need a new F-1 visa?

If your F-1 visa is still valid, you may continue to use it even if your previous school’s name appears on the visa.

If your visa has expired and you travel outside the United States, you must apply for a new visa before returning.

You do not need to pay the SEVIS fee again.

 

What should my transfer release date be?

Your transfer release date should normally be:

  • Your current semester completion date, or
  • The date you plan to transfer, if earlier.

If you are currently on post-completion OPT, the transfer release date should usually be the last day of your OPT authorization period.

Important:

  • If you transfer your SEVIS record before your OPT end date, your OPT authorization will end on the transfer release date.
  • If you plan to transfer before your OPT ends, your release date should reflect your last day of employment.

 

Can I continue OPT at my previous school after my transfer release date?

No. Your OPT authorization ends on the transfer release date.

Working even one day after the transfer release date is considered a violation of F-1 status.

 

What happens to my on-campus employment?

You may only work on campus at the school that controls your SEVIS record.

Your on-campus work authorization at your previous school ends when your SEVIS record is transferred to Stony Brook.

 

Does my time at my previous school count toward OPT eligibility?

Yes. Time spent studying in valid F-1 status at your previous school counts toward the one full academic year requirement for employment benefits such as Curricular Practical Training (CPT) or Optional Practical Training (OPT).