No more D/S: what the fixed admission period means for F-1 boarding school students

Until September 15, 2026, F-1 students entered the United States with "D/S" (duration of status) on their I-94. That meant they could stay as long as they were enrolled full time. A DHS final rule published on July 17, 2026 (Federal Register document 2026-14439, 91 FR 44976) ended D/S for F and J students. The rule took effect on September 15, 2026. This guide covers what the rule means for students at U.S. private high schools and boarding schools. Section numbers refer to Title 8 of the Code of Federal Regulations (8 CFR), current as of October 10, 2026.

What changed on September 15, 2026

• A fixed end date replaces D/S. An F-1 student is admitted for "the period necessary to complete the course of study indicated on the Form I-20 … not to exceed a period of 4 years" (8 CFR 214.2(f)(5)(i)). At the border the officer may admit the student for 4 years or the program length on the I-20, whichever is shorter (8 CFR 214.1(a)(4)(i)(A)). The end date goes on the I-94 as the admit-until date. Check it on your Form I-94.
• 30 days before, 30 days after. A student may be admitted up to 30 days before the report date or program start date on the I-20. After the program end date, or after the 4-year maximum, the student has 30 days to leave or to take other steps to stay in lawful status. Neither 30-day period counts toward the 4 years (8 CFR 214.2(f)(5)(i), (f)(5)(v)). Before the rule, this departure period was 60 days.
• Leaving school early shortens the clock. If a student stops studying before the admission period ends, the student must leave within 30 days. A student whose withdrawal the DSO authorizes has 15 days. A student who stops attending full time or otherwise fails to maintain status gets no grace period at all (8 CFR 214.2(f)(5)(v)).
• Public high school is still capped. F-1 study at a public high school, which now expressly includes charter schools and similar schools funded by U.S. taxpayers, is limited to 12 months in total, counting breaks and vacations (8 CFR 214.2(f)(5)(i)(C)). See the F-1 public high school 12-month limit.

What it means for boarding school students

Multi-year programs. A typical 9th–12th grade I-20 runs just under 4 years, so it fits within one admission. DHS addressed K-12 schools in the rule's preamble. It said private K-12 schools may still issue I-20s up to grade 12. A student "never travels abroad" would need an extension only every four years. Each time the student travels abroad and re-enters, CBP can grant a new admission period of up to 4 years. A student who starts earlier, for example in 7th grade at a school that runs through 12th, will pass the 4-year mark. That student needs an extension of stay or a new admission after a trip home.

Extensions of stay. In the past, a DSO could simply extend the program end date in SEVIS. That no longer extends the student's permission to stay. Under 8 CFR 214.2(f)(7):

1. The DSO issues an updated I-20 with a recommendation and the new program end date.
2. The student files an extension of stay application with USCIS. The rule refers to Form I-539, Application to Extend/Change Nonimmigrant Status (8 CFR 214.1(c)(8)(iii)). The filing includes the endorsed I-20, proof of funds, the fee and any biometrics appointment.
3. USCIS must receive the application on or before the admit-until date. That date includes the 30-day departure period. SEVP's FAQ recommends filing about 180 days early.
4. The student may keep studying while a timely application is pending (8 CFR 214.2(f)(5)(viii)).

Some reasons do not qualify for an extension: delays "caused by academic probation or suspension or a student's repeated inability or unwillingness to complete his or her course of study" (8 CFR 214.2(f)(7)(i)(C)). If the DSO extends the program end date only after the old date has passed, the student must apply for reinstatement instead (8 CFR 214.2(f)(7)(viii)). If your child may need extra time, raise it with the school early.

Travel while an extension is pending. A student who travels abroad while an extension application is pending may be readmitted for the time left on the old admission. If the student re-enters with an I-20 that shows a later program end date, USCIS may treat the pending application as abandoned (8 CFR 214.1(c)(8)). Carry the I-797C receipt notice.

Transfers in the first year. An F-1 student below the graduate level "may not transfer or change educational objectives … within the first academic year of a program of study" unless SEVP approves an exception for extenuating circumstances (8 CFR 214.2(f)(5)(ii)(A)). The rule lists school closure, long disruption from a natural disaster, and "a student needing to change schools to complete elementary or secondary education" as examples. To transfer, a student must also have finished the first academic year at the school that issued the first I-20, must not be on academic probation or suspension, and must start at the new school within 5 months (8 CFR 214.2(f)(8)(i)). More detail is in F-1 school transfers.

PG year and repeating a grade. The rule says a student who completes a program after September 15, 2026 at one educational level may not hold F-1 status for a program at the same or a lower level (8 CFR 214.2(f)(5)(ii)(C)). In the preamble, DHS lists "Primary and Secondary Education" as a single level, and it says programs completed before the effective date do not count. The rule does not mention postgraduate (PG) years, grade repetition, or moves from a junior boarding school to a high school. DHS says it will issue more guidance on educational levels. DHS also kept the power to delay or suspend these transfer and educational-level provisions until September 14, 2028 (8 CFR 214.2(f)(5)(ii)(E)). As of October 10, 2026, we found no Federal Register notice of a delay. Before you plan a PG year, a repeated grade or a move between schools, get the DSO of the receiving school to confirm in writing.

Students already in the U.S. before September 15, 2026

F and J students who were admitted on D/S and were maintaining status on September 15, 2026 may stay until the program end date on their I-20 or DS-2019, or until their EAD expires if that is later. This cannot run past 4 years from September 15, 2026. F-1 students then have a 60-day departure period, so the latest date is November 14, 2030. For J-1 students the latest date is October 15, 2030 (8 CFR 214.1(m)(1)). A current student who needs more time, or who wants to start a new program, must apply for an extension of stay. A student can also travel and be readmitted with a fixed period. Most high school students with an I-20 ending in 2027–2030 will not need to do anything right away. The admit-until date changes the first time they re-enter the United States after a trip abroad.

J-1 secondary school exchange students

The change also applies to J-1. A J-1 exchange visitor is admitted until the program end date on the DS-2019, up to 4 years. The visitor may arrive up to 30 days early and has 30 days to leave after the program ends (8 CFR 214.2(j)(1)(ii)). The State Department's Secondary School Student program already limits stays to two academic semesters (22 CFR 62.25), so the 4-year cap does not matter. The new rule matters for extensions. A program end date on a DS-2019 "standing alone" no longer keeps a J-1 student in status. A student who extends from one semester to a full year must file an extension of stay with USCIS (8 CFR 214.2(j)(1)(iv)). In the preamble, DHS confirmed that sponsors cannot make this change on their own. See J-1 secondary school student rules.

Checklist for 2026–27 applications

• Choose an SEVP-certified school. You can list F-1 (I-20) schools on USAnaru™.
• Check the program start date, report date and program end date on the Form I-20. The admit-until date will be based on them.
• If the planned program is longer than 4 years, for example starting in 7th or 8th grade, ask the school how it handles extensions.
• After every entry, check the I-94 admit-until date and keep it on your calendar. Ask the DSO about an extension about 6 months before that date.
• Do not plan to change schools during the first academic year. If a change seems likely, ask the DSO about an SEVP exception.
• Ask in writing before you commit to a PG year or to repeating a grade.
• Budget for possible Form I-539 fees and a biometrics appointment.
• Read maintaining F-1 and J-1 status together with your child.

This guide is general information, not legal advice. Immigration rules and agency guidance can change. Confirm your child's situation with the school's Designated School Official (DSO), or with the J-1 sponsor's Responsible Officer (RO), and with an immigration attorney if needed. USAnaru™ is an independent information service, not a government agency.