University Policy
Title
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Policy on International Transfer Students
Introduction
Purpose
This policy explains how international students in F-1 or J-1 status can transfer their immigration record to the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill ("UNC-Chapel Hill") and what steps they must complete to maintain lawful status and begin study there. It also sets out the timing, eligibility, and employment rules tied to the transfer process.
Scope
This policy applies to international students currently in F-1 or J-1 status at another SEVP-approved U.S. school, or in approved post-completion OPT, who are transferring to UNC-Chapel Hill.
Policy
Students currently studying in F-1 or J-1 status at an SEVP-Approved School in the U.S., or currently in a valid period of post-completion OPT, may transfer their SEVIS record to UNC-Chapel Hill. Certain restrictions apply and are discussed in detail below.
Students who meet the eligibility requirements for a SEVIS transfer will work with their current institution to arrange the transfer of their SEVIS record.
In order to request a Form I-20 or DS-2019 from UNC-Chapel Hill, students will need to complete the Admitted/New Student Intake Process in the ISSS Portal. Students can find more information on this process on the New Student page (Steps 1-3). A form I-20 or DS-2019 will be created only after submission of all forms in the Admitted/New Student Intake Process and after the transfer release date in SEVIS.
On the transfer release date the student’s SEVIS record will be electronically transferred to UNC-Chapel Hill and the previous institution will no longer have access to the SEVIS record. The ISSS office at UNC-Chapel Hill will then issue a new “transfer pending” SEVIS document (normally within 2-3 weeks of the release date, if all forms listed above have been submitted and approved). ISSS cannot produce a Form I-20 or DS-2019 until the SEVIS record has been released.
Students transferring their SEVIS record to UNC-Chapel Hill are not required to obtain a new student visa unless they will be traveling outside the U.S. and their current visa is expired. If the student’s current visa is still valid, he or she may continue to use the visa along with the UNC-Chapel Hill Form I-20 or Form DS-2019. Students with expired visas not traveling outside the U.S. may remain in the U.S. and continue to maintain F-1 or J-1 status as long as they properly complete all SEVIS transfer procedures as noted in this section.
F-1 Transfer Student Eligibility and Timeline
Students must be in valid F-1 status to be eligible for the transfer of their SEVIS record. Additionally, students must begin study at UNC-Chapel Hill within the following timeframe:
- Student Currently Enrolled at Another SEVP-Approved School: Students must begin study at UNC-Chapel Hill at the next available term, or within 5 months of their last date of enrollment at their previous institution, whichever is sooner.
- Student Currently in a Period of Approved Post-Completion OPT: Students must begin study at UNC-Chapel Hill at the next available term, or within 5 months of their last date of OPT authorization, whichever is sooner. Students whose SEVIS record are released to UNC-Chapel Hill before the end date listed on their EAD forfeit any remaining time of OPT and must begin study at the next available term, or within 5 months of their SEVIS transfer release date, whichever is sooner.
Students currently in their 60-day grace period may still be eligible for a SEVIS transfer, but should check with their current institution to confirm.
In addition to the process to obtain a Form I-20 from UNC-Chapel Hill, F-1 transfer students are required to check-in with ISSS at UNC-Chapel Hill no later than 15 days from the program start date listed on their Form I-20 from UNC-Chapel Hill. Once the student is enrolled in classes, has reported his/her current address and otherwise completed the check-in process, ISSS staff will register the student in SEVIS and the student’s record will become active at UNC-Chapel Hill. ISSS will issue a new Form I-20 indicating that the SEVIS transfer is complete.
F-1 Transfer Employment
On the SEVIS release date the student no longer has work authorization on or off-campus from the previous school. Before the student is allowed to begin any employment on-campus at UNC-Chapel Hill, the student must receive the “transfer pending” Form I-20 from UNC-Chapel Hill. Working prior to receiving the Form I-20 from UNC-Chapel Hill is a violation of F-1 status.
For students approved for Curricular Practical Training (CPT) or Optional Practical Training (OPT) from their previous school, the work authorization is no longer valid once the SEVIS record is transferred to UNC-Chapel Hill. Working on OPT after the transfer release date to UNC-Chapel Hill will result in a violation of F-1 status.
Because authorization for CPT or OPT ends on the transfer release date, students should consider carefully the dates on which they plan to discontinue work and initiate the transfer. Students who want to complete OPT should consult with the transfer-out school to set the release date for a date after the OPT ends. Students can transfer up until the end of the 60-day period following post-completion OPT, as long as the student will begin studies at UNC-Chapel Hill within five months of their OPT end date, or at the beginning of the next available semester, whichever is earlier.
J-1 Student Transfers
An exchange visitor may transfer from another program sponsor to UNC-Chapel Hill sponsorship, if the purpose of the transfer is to complete the original program objective and if the exchange visitor is currently residing in the U.S. in the J-1 student category. All students should first discuss the possibility of transfer with their sponsoring organization prior to requesting a transfer.
The effective date of the transfer from the current program sponsor to UNC-Chapel Hill should be discussed with both the Responsible Officer of the current program and ISSS at UNC-Chapel Hill. On the effective date of transfer, the student’s SEVIS record will become the responsibility of UNC-Chapel Hill.
Students in J-1 status who qualify for transfer should contact a student advisor at the ISSS office to help coordinate transfer from their current J-1 program sponsor. Prospective MBA and MAC students, please contact Jessica Larsen. To complete the J-1 transfer process, students must check-in at ISSS no later than 15 days after the effective date of transfer in order for ISSS to validate their records in SEVIS and issue a new Form DS-2019 for their UNC-Chapel Hill program.
This information is provided for informational purposes only and is not intended as legal advice. The information provided is subject to change. For the latest information go to https://isss.unc.edu/.
Contact Information
Primary Contact
Name: International Student and Scholar Services
Telephone: 919-962-5661
Email: ISSS@unc.edu