If you plan to transfer from UB to another school or vice versa, you may need a SEVIS Transfer.
A SEVIS transfer is the process of moving your SEVIS record from your current school to a new school, after you are admitted. Admission to a new school alone does not automatically allow an F-1 student to begin studies at another school. A SEVIS Transfer, if eligible, has several benefits:
A SEVIS transfer is recommended in the following situations:
If you are a UB student who has a valid UB I-20 and you will continue studies in a new degree program at UB, a SEVIS transfer is not needed. Instead, you should be issued a "Change of Education Level" I-20 after your admission is finalized and you have provided the necessary documents. Your change of education level I-20 must be issued before the end of your 60-day grace period.
If the period of time between F-1 activities is longer than 5 months, your SEVIS record is not eligible for transfer. Your new school must issue a new initial I-20 with a new SEVIS number.
Only one school at a time can access your F-1 SEVIS record. On the SEVIS I-20 transfer/release date, SEVIS access “transfers” from UB to your new school.
The SEVIS transfer affects your F-1 benefits, including employment, travel, and I-20 validity.
On the SEVIS transfer/release date:
Consider the following points when deciding on your SEVIS Transfer date:
As part of the application process, some schools will ask you to submit a “transfer form,” which UB’s International Student Services must complete. On this form, we will confirm your F-1 student status.
If your new school requires that UB complete a transfer form before they will grant you admission, please provide that form to ISS by emailing iss@buffalo.edu. Once you have an admission letter from your new school, you should follow the directions below and complete the “SEVIS Transfer Request” e-form.
ISS will review your “SEVIS Transfer Request” e-form and, if all required documents were submitted, will electronically send your SEVIS record to the school you requested. Your new school can then create your new I-20. To find out when your new I-20 will be ready, please contact your new school.
After we release your SEVIS record, ISS will no longer have access to your record nor will we be able to make revisions to your I-20. Please be certain of your transfer decision before asking us to release your SEVIS record.
You may stay in the U.S. in between programs if the SEVIS record transfer procedures are correctly followed. If the period between programs is longer than 5 months, your new school must issue a new initial I-20 with a new SEVIS number. If using an initial I-20 to return, you must leave the U.S. within your 60-day grace period and re-enter no earlier than 30 days before your new program start date.
You must enter the U.S. on the I-20 from the new school. It is important to discuss your travel plans with your international student adviser at the new school so that an appropriate “transfer out” date and new I-20 issuance can be coordinated to facilitate your travel.
As long as you have followed the proper transfer procedures, you will be able to use your current, unexpired F-1 visa to reenter the U.S. even though it has your previous school name printed on it.
If your F-1 visa will expire in between degree programs, remember you can stay in the U.S. with an expired F-1 visa as long as you are following the correct SEVIS transfer procedures. You must apply for a new F-1 visa if you travel internationally. For more information, see our U.S. Visa section.
Your on-campus work authorization ends when your SEVIS record is transferred or when you graduate, whichever comes first. You may not work on campus after your degree conferral.
You may only work on campus at the school that has access to your SEVIS record. Contact the international student adviser at your new school to verify employment eligibility.
