SEVIS Transfer Out

SEVIS Transfer Out for F-1 Students

F-1 students who would like their SEVIS record to be transferred to another U.S. college or university should complete the Transfer Out Request in the International Student and Scholar (ISSS) Portal. The request will require you to upload proof of admission to the new school you plan to attend and, if applicable, that school’s transfer-in form. An advisor will process your request and then release your SEVIS record to the school you plan to attend on the requested release date.

  • Students requesting a SEVIS Transfer must begin classes at the new school in the next available term, and that term must begin within five months of the last attendance at Syracuse University.
  • Students who are completing a degree at Syracuse University must request that their SEVIS record be transferred to the new school no later than 60 days after completing their last semester at Syracuse University.
  • After the SEVIS record release date, students are no longer eligible for on-campus employment at Syracuse University. Students on CPT must stop working by their SEVIS release date.
  • Students who travel outside of the U.S. after their SEVIS release date must obtain their transfer pending I-20 from their new school before they reenter the U.S. After your SEVIS release date, you will not be able to use your Syracuse University I-20 to enter the U.S.

  • Students who are on OPT and request a SEVIS transfer must begin classes at the new school in the next available term, and that term must begin within five months of their SEVIS release date or the end of their OPT, whichever is earlier.
  • Students on OPT must request that their SEVIS record be transferred to the new school no later than 60 days after the end of their OPT.
  • If the student requests that their SEVIS record be released while their OPT is still active, OPT ends on the date the SEVIS record is released to the new school. Students on OPT must end their employment on or before their SEVIS release date.
  • After the SEVIS record is released to the new school, the Center for International Services no longer has access to it and cannot make any updates to it, including employment information updates.

SEVIS Transfer Out for J-1 Students

If you are a J-1 student and require the transfer of your SEVIS record, please make an appointment to see a J-1 advisor at the Center for International Services for further information.

Frequently Asked Questions

Your SEVIS record will be released (transferred) electronically through the federal database known as Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS). Your SEVIS record can only be transferred to one school, so you must decide which school you will attend before requesting a transfer.

  1. Log in to the ISSS Portal. If you do not have access to the Portal, please email international@syr.edu with a detailed description of the issue (include screenshots if possible) or visit the Center for International Services during walk-in advising (Monday–Friday, 11 a.m.-3 p.m.).
  2. Go to the Student Request Center.
  3. Click on the Transfer Out Request.
  4. Read the learning content and click “Next.”
  5. Complete the questionnaires and click “Next.”
  6. Upload your admission letter to your new school (required) and the new school’s transfer-in form (if they have one).
  7. Submit your request.

The transfer release date is the date you want your immigration record released to your new school. You must select this date. For current students, the release date is usually they day after the current semester ends. For students on OPT, the release date is the day after the last day you will work on OPT. Your new school will only be able to create your new I-20 after the release date.

The School Code is the SEVIS School Code for the new school that you will attend. If you do not know the SEVIS School Code of the school you will attend, please reach out to that school’s international office to ask them for it. Sometimes schools also put this code on their transfer-in form.

No. You are considered a continuing student in SEVIS and do not need to pay the SEVIS fee again.

If your F-1 visa is still valid, you do not need to get a new visa. The notation of the school’s name on your visa becomes irrelevant. If your visa is expired, you will need to apply for a new F-1 visa before returning to the U.S. after traveling abroad.

This is complicated and may not be possible. Please contact our office.

If you are transferring to a new school in the middle of your program at Syracuse University, you should inform your academic department, the Office of the Registrar, the Bursar’s Office, and Housing, Meal Plan, and I.D. Card Services if you are living on campus. You may also want to inform the Barnes Center at The Arch so they can transfer your medical record to your new institution.