Carnegie Mellon University
Division of Enrollment Services  ›  Office of International Education  ›  Maintaining Status  ›  Students  ›  Leaving Carnegie Mellon

Leaving Carnegie Mellon

Below is information that you should know as you near the end of your academic program. In most cases, you will want to contact OIE at least three months before graduating to learn more about your next steps.

Remember that, by law, you have a limited time to take action from the date you complete your studies before your presence in the U.S. is no longer legal. Be aware that the date you complete your studies is the day you finish the last requirement for your degree (i.e., the day of your last final exam or the date you hand in your thesis corrections), not your graduation date. This date is important for interpreting the following information.

After Completing Your Studies

If you are here in F-1 status and have completed your course of study, you have 60 days from the day you complete your studies to do ONE of the following:

This 60-day deadline is final and non-negotiable. Please check the program completion date on your I-20. If your I-20 will end in the current semester and you plan to continue studying at CMU, then you must apply for an extension at least one month in advance.

Withdrawing or Leaving Early

If you are here in F-1 status and you plan to withdraw from classes and leave CMU before completing your degree program, then you must get authorization in advance from your OIE advisor. If you have been pre-authorized by your advisor to withdraw from classes because you are planning to leave CMU, then you have 15 days to do one of the following:

  • Leave the country
  • Apply for a change to another immigration status
  • Transfer to a new school or a new CMU program (get a new I-20 for that program and begin attendance in that program in the next possible semester)

If you leave CMU without completing your degree program and without pre-authorization from your OIE advisor, then you do not have any additional days to remain in the U.S. You must leave the U.S. or apply for a change of status immediately.

Practical Training

If you are planning to apply for post-completion Optional Practical Training (OPT), then you must apply for the authorization before the end of your 60-day grace period, or you will lose your eligibility for the training. Since it typically takes three months for the approval to arrive from USCIS, this means that you should apply three before you complete your program.

View information about how to apply for practical training.

I-20 Information

Your I-20 cannot be signed once you have graduated unless you have applied for OPT. This means that you should not plan any short trips abroad after completing your program unless you have either received OPT work authorization, you will return to your home country from abroad, or you will return to the U.S. on a tourist visa from abroad.

After Completing Your Studies

If you are here in J-1 status you have 30 days from the day you complete your studies (the day you finish all requirements, not the date on the DS-2019 or visa) to do one of the following:

  • Leave the country
  • Apply for a change to another immigration status
  • Begin Academic Training

This deadline is final and non-negotiable. Please check the program end date on your DS-2019. If your DS-2019 will expire and you plan to continue studying at CMU, you must apply for an extension at least one month before it expires.

If you plan to transfer to a new school or a new CMU program, you must work with your OIE advisor to have your record transferred by the date you finish your program. You may not transfer after the expiration of the DS-2019.

Academic Training

If you are planning to apply for academic training, you must apply for the authorization before you complete your degree program or you will lose your eligibility for the training. View information about how to apply for academic training. After reading the information, you may schedule an appointment with OIE. Additionally, you will need a job offer in order to apply for academic training.

DS-2019 Information

Your DS-2019 cannot be signed once you have graduated unless you have applied for academic training. This means that you should not plan any short trips abroad after completing your program unless you have either received academic training authorization, you will return to your home country from abroad, or you will return to the U.S. on a tourist visa from abroad.

If a student's program completion is delayed, the following steps should be taken:
  1. Early notification of the student by faculty regarding sub-standard or unacceptable work or failure to meet all program requirements so the student can consult with OIE advisors about OPT application timing.
  2. Notification to OIE when a graduating international student does not complete the program as anticipated.

Quick Links