If you are currently in the US and in F-1 student visa status, it may be possible to transfer your visa record from your current school to UCSF. If you are a J-1 student and wish to transfer your J-1 record to UCSF, please contact [email protected] for further instructions. Transferring a J-1 student record is generally not possible.
To transfer your F-1 visa record to UCSF, the following conditions must be met:
- You have been admitted to a UCSF academic program
- No more than 60 days have passed since your last day of classes or the end date on your OPT EAD
- You are not out of status and do not require reinstatement
- Your anticipated start date at UCSF is no more than 5 months from your current program end date
If all of these conditions have been met then please complete the ISSO Transfer Instructions form and provide it to your current school's international office. It is not necessary for your current school to sign the transfer form but you will need to sign the form and upload it as part of the ISSO Student Visa Application form.
Please note that UCSF cannot accept transfers from students that will require reinstatement. The ISSO will only issue an initial I-20 or a transfer I-20. If you have fallen out of status, please indicate you would like an initial I-20 on the ISSO Student Visa Application form.
Your UCSF Start Date
When requesting a transfer to UCSF, you must indicate a transfer effective date. This date should be on or before the start of your UCSF academic program. If your program offers an orientation, please transfer your record on or before the start of the orientation.
If you will travel outside of the US between the end of your current academic program or OPT and your start at UCSF, please transfer your record to UCSF at least 2 weeks before your anticipated return to the US. You must enter the US using a UCSF "Transfer Pending" I-20. Please also communicate your transfer plans to the ISSO at [email protected] so that we can ensure you have the correct I-20 you'll need to enter the US.
Transferring to UCSF and OPT
If you are currently on OPT, please work with your current school to transfer your record in a way that does not end your OPT unexpectedly early.
Once your F-1 record has been transferred to UCSF, your OPT is complete, and you must stop working. If you have finished your OPT, you must schedule a transfer date to UCSF before your 60-day grace period has ended.
Transferring to UCSF with a Pending I-765
If you have a pending I-765 application and wish to transfer your record to UCSF before your I-765 has been approved, please work with your current school to navigate the transfer process. If you withdraw your I-765 after your 60-day grace period has passed but before your school has transferred your record to UCSF, you will no longer be eligible for a transfer and would, therefore, need to depart the US to apply for a visa and re-enter. Your current school can advise you on the best actions to take to ensure a smooth and successful transfer of your F-1 visa status.
Reporting to UCSF
Once your F-1 record has been transferred to UCSF, you must contact the ISSO at least 15 days before the program start date on your new UCSF I-20 to confirm your arrival plans at UCSF. You may do this by completing the ISSO Check-In and Arrival Reporting process, or if you are outside of the US, please provide the plans for your arrival at UCSF.
Once you have completed the ISSO Check-In and Arrival Reporting process, the ISSO will release the hold on your Student Portal. As long as you don't have any additional holds on your record, you may then enroll in units at UCSF.
Completing the Transfer to UCSF
Once the ISSO has processed your check-in and you have enrolled in at least one unit, the ISSO will register your F-1 record in SEVIS. The registration of your F-1 record in SEVIS represents the end of the transfer process. At that time, the ISSO will email you a new I-20 to replace your "Transfer Pending" I-20.