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Terminate a Student
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Terminate a Student
Last updated: October 14, 2020Quick Links:
- Overview
- Effects of Termination
- Grace Periods after a Termination
- Termination versus Other End of Program Actions
- Terminate a Student Record
- Manage Terminated Records
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A terminated record in the Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS) could indicate that the nonimmigrant no longer maintains F or M status. Designated school officials (DSOs) mostly terminate F-1/M-1 students and/or F-2/M-2 dependents who do not maintain their status. However, termination is not always negative. DSOs can terminate records for a number of normal, administrative reasons.
Prior to terminating a record be sure:
- Termination is the proper action to take.
- To use the right termination reason.
It is possible to terminate F-2 or M-2 records independently of their primary F-1or M-1 student.
For more information on SEVIS terminations, see SEVIS Help Hub articles:
When an F-1/M-1 SEVIS record is terminated, the following happens:
- Student loses all on- and/or off-campus employment authorization.
- Student cannot re-enter the United States on the terminated SEVIS record.
- Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents may investigate to confirm the departure of the student.
- Any associated F-2 or M-2 dependent records are terminated.
Depending on the termination reason, there may be a grace period during which a student anddependents must depart the United States or apply for reinstatement.
Termination Reason | Duration of Status |
---|---|
Termination for any violation of status |
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Authorized Early Withdrawal | Student andany accompanying dependents must leave the United States within 15 days of termination date. Important Note: This grace period only applies to F-1 students and their dependents. It does not apply to M- 1/M- 2 students and dependents. |
Change of Status Approved |
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Change of Status Denied |
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Preparation for Departure 8 CFR 214.2(f)(5)(iv)
The table below lists the program ending actions and when a DSO should use them:
Action | Use It When |
---|---|
Cancel Initial Record |
Note: This cancels all associated dependent records. |
Complete Program |
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Shorten Program |
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Terminate Record |
Important Note: A DSO can manually terminate a canceled record, but the action will show as a correction in event history. |
To terminate a record in Initial or Active status:
1. Go to the Student Information page.
2.Click Terminate Student. The Terminate Student page opens.
Note: You cannot terminate the Initial record of a student, who is requesting a change of education level, if the previous record is still Active. In this case, from the Student Information page you must:
- First: Cancel Change Education Level the Active record.
- Second: Terminate the Active record.
3. Select a Termination Reason from the drop-down list.
- Absent from Country for Five Months
- Authorized Drop Below Full Course Time Exceeded
- Authorized Early Withdrawal
- Change of Status Approved
- Change of Status Denied
- Change of Status Withdrawn
- Death
- Denied Transfer
- Expulsion
- Extension Denied
- Failure to Enroll
- Failure to Report While on OPT
- No Show – Manual Termination
- Otherwise Failing to Maintain Status: If you select this termination reason, enter an explanation in the text box provided.
- School Withdrawn
DSOs should never use the termination reason “School Withdrawn.” SEVP uses this reason when it terminates a student record when a school loses SEVP certification and is withdrawn by SEVP.
- Suspension
- Transfer Student No Show
- Transfer Withdrawn
- Unauthorized Drop Below Full Course
- Unauthorized Employment
- Unauthorized Withdrawal
- Violation of Change of Status Requirements
See Student Termination Reasons Available in SEVIS to DSOs in SEVIS Help Hub Termination Reasons article for a detailed description of the termination reasons.
4. Enter any optional comments in the Remarks field. This field has a 1,000-character limit.
Comments entered in the Remarks field will overwrite existing remarks on page one of the printed Form I-20.
5. Click one of the following:
- Terminate Student: Terminates the student. A Confirm page opens.
- Click No to cancel the action and return to the Student Information page.
- Click Yes to proceed with the student’s termination. An Update Successful page opens.
- Click Return to View Record to view the Student Information page.
- Click Print I-20 to print a copy of the student’s Form I-20.
- Reset Values: Clears all fields on the page.
- Cancel: Cancels the termination action and return to the Student Information page.
You may need to take one of the following actions on terminated SEVIS records:
- View lists of students in terminated status or soon to be terminated:
- Students Terminated Due to Change of Status Approved
- Students Terminated Due to Change of Status Denied o Students Within 45 Days of Termination
- Terminated Students Nearing their Reinstatement Deadline o Terminated Status Students (in past 18 months)
- Request Change to Termination Reason, if the termination reason in SEVIS is wrong.
- Request Change to Student Status, if the record was terminated:
- For authorized early withdrawal and the student is returning after an absence of less than five months.
- Incorrectly by a DSO, SEVIS, or a government official.
- Request Reinstatement if the student violated status and will try to regain status without leaving the United States.
- See 8 CFR 214.2(f)(16)(i) for F-1 eligibility criteria.
- See 8 CFR 214.2(m)(16)(i) for M-1 eligibility criteria.
See the Reinstatement article.
Create a new Form I-20 for initial attendance if the student violated status and will regain status by leaving the United States and re-entering on a new Form I-20.
Regaining status through travel will restart that student’s F-1 or M-1 status and benefits clock over again.
Note: You must create a new SEVIS record, and the student must pay the I 901 SEVIS fee again.
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