F-1 visa holders are only entitled to attend the school that issued the I-20 used by the student to obtain admission as an F-1 student. In order to transfer schools, the student must let the current school know about the transfer and obtain an I-20AB Form from the new school. The F-1 student must then complete the Student Certification part of the I-20AB and bring it to the Designated Student Officer at the new school within the first fifteen days of attending the new school. The Designated Student Officer at the second school will endorse the transfer on the student’s copy of the I-20 and return that portion to the student. The Designated Student Officer at the second school will the send the original of the I-20 (School) Copy to the INS processing center in London, Kentucky and a photocopy of the I-20 (School) Copy to the first school. Note that failing to attend the first school at all or not taking care of transferring schools in the above stated fashion will put the student out of status.
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