Maintenance of F-1 Status and Thesis, Capstone, Comp Exam Implications for Graduate Students

Once a graduate F-1 international student has completed all required substantive coursework (courses other than Thesis, Capstone, Comp Exam), the student may be eligible for the following two options in order to legally remain in the U.S. in F-1 status.

1. Continue in F-1 student status without OPT through course enrollment

      ELIGIBILITY:

• You must be enrolled in coursework associated with thesis or dissertation activities, thesis extension, or independent research.
• If enrollment is less than full time units (fewer than 9 units for Masters & fewer than 6 units for Doctoral level) you must be eligible for a reduced course load approval for reason # 8: Enrollment in 799B (Thesis Extension), 799C (Comprehensive Exams), or Project course. This reason can only be approved once throughout your academic program.

      INELIGIBILITY:

• Continuation of the F-1 student program without OPT simply for administrative processing, paperwork submission, thesis publishing, non-course degree requirements, or other non-course-related university business is not permitted. Here are some examples of activities that would not justify continuation of F-1 student status without OPT: 
  
  • Working towards resolution of a course that currently has a transcript entry of Incomplete.
  • Independent preparation of a Master's degree thesis, portfolio, project or similar product without course registration.
  • Waiting for committee review of a Master's degree thesis, portfolio, project or similar product.
  • Waiting for Montezuma Publishing formatting review or publication in a semester with no course enrollment.
  • A Plan B Master’s degree culminating experience that is not associated with course enrollment.

• If your I-20 is expiring at the end of the current semester, and you are eligible to extend your I-20 for an additional semester based on meeting the above criteria. Information on how to request an I-20 extension is listed on the ISC website, on the forms page. You will need to provide new supporting financial documentation when requesting an I-20 extension.

*Students who are not eligible to continue or extend their F-1 student status must apply for OPT or depart the U.S. 

2. Maintain F-1 status by applying for OPT

Students who have completed all substantive coursework except for thesis or comprehensive exams and do not plan to replace comprehensive exams with a course, may apply for Post-completion OPT. Visit the ISC OPT website for more information about eligibility requirements, and the OPT application process.