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F-1 & OPT ·

DHS ends duration of status for F-1 students and shortens the grace period to 30 days

A Department of Homeland Security final rule published July 17, 2026 replaced duration of status (D/S) for F-1 students with a fixed period of admission, effective September 15, 2026. Students are admitted until the program end date on Form I-20, up to four years, and the grace period after a program or practical training ends is 30 days instead of 60.

Confirmed

  • F-1 students admitted on or after September 15, 2026 generally receive an I-94 with a specific end date: the program end date on Form I-20, up to four years.
  • The grace period after completing a program or practical training is 30 days, down from 60, and the window to file for post-completion OPT now ends 30 days after the program ends.
  • If your admission period does not cover the OPT or STEM OPT dates you request, you must file Form I-539 to extend your F-1 stay along with Form I-765, and you generally cannot start work until both are approved.
  • Students in the U.S. on September 15, 2026 who file for OPT by March 18, 2027 generally do not need Form I-539 for that practical training.
  • CPT rules did not change. After finishing a program, a student generally cannot keep F-1 status by starting another program at the same or a lower level, such as a second master's degree. Programs completed before September 15, 2026 do not count.

Still unclear

  • How long USCIS will take to decide Form I-539 together with OPT applications, which could delay OPT start dates.
  • Exactly when travel after September 15, 2026 removes the transition relief. Talk to your school's international student office before you travel.

Key dates

  1. Final rule published in the Federal Register
  2. Rule takes effect
  3. Last day for students in the U.S. on September 15, 2026 to file for OPT without Form I-539

Sources