Length of Study

Duration of Status

This page explains what Duration of Status means and how it is recorded on your official documents.  

Students on an F-1 visa are admitted to the United States for a specific period of time; the official name for this is Duration of Status.  As long as you are following requirements to keep your status in force, you can legally remain in the U.S.

Duration of status includes:

• The time during which you are pursuing a full course of study and making normal progress toward completing that course of study, (see the catalog for details about course of study and normal progress.)
• The time you may be working in authorized Optional Practical Training (OPT) after you complete your studies (if you qualify and are so authorized).

When you arrive in the U.S., either at the airport or another Port of Entry, border agents will review your documents, and, if everything is complete, grant you duration of status as an F-1 student by entering your date of arrival in the U.S. and the notation "D/S" on one or more of the documents listed below that you will have in your possession:

1. Certificate of Eligibility for Non-immigrant (F-l) Student Status (Form I-20)
2. Your passport

In addition, when you check in at the International Student & Scholar Center on campus and print out your Arrival and Departure Record (Form I-94), you will see a line for Admit Until Date followed by D/S.