If you’re an F-1 student looking to transfer schools or planning your next program after OPT, you absolutely need to know about the “150-day rule.” This rule sets a key timeframe for your SEVIS record transfer: your new academic program’s start date must be within 150 days of either your previous program’s end date (check your I-20 for this!) or your OPT expiration date. Essentially, it’s a hard limit on how long you can remain in the U.S. between academic endeavors while your SEVIS record is being transferred.

It’s vital to handle this precisely. While your SEVIS record is in transfer, your old school considers it inactive, meaning you generally can’t work for pay during this limbo period. Critically, your SEVIS record needs to be transferred to the new school before the 60-day grace period, which follows your program completion or OPT end, runs out. If your new program starts beyond that 150-day window, you might find yourself out of status, potentially needing to leave the U.S. and re-enter with a brand new I-20. This rule is especially important for those eyeing Day 1 CPT programs, as aligning intake dates is non-negotiable.