TRANSFERRING SEVIS RECORD OUT TO ANOTHER SCHOOL

• You must be maintaining F or J visa status at UC San Diego.
• You must be admitted by the transfer-in school.
• The course of study at the transfer-in school must begin at the next available term or session, which must be no more than 5 months from the end of your studies at UC San Diego. If you never attended UC San Diego, the start date at the new school must be within 30 days of arrival into the U.S.
• You must be eligible for an I-20/DS-2019 at the transfer-in school.
• J-1 students cannot transfer during their 30-day grace period.
• J-1 students who have applied to the U.S. Department of State for a waiver of the two-year home residency requirement and have been approved are not eligible to transfer.

Important note for students on F-1 Optional Practical Training (OPT):

• You must be able to start classes at the transfer-in school within 5 months of the transfer release date set by UC San Diego, or the date the OPT authorization ends, whichever is earlier; and
• Your authorization for OPT ends on the transfer release date.

How do I select my SEVIS Record Release Date? 

The SEVIS Record Release Date is the date that you choose to have your SEVIS record released to another institution. Once your SEVIS record is released, UC San Diego will no longer be able to update or make any changes to your SEVIS record.

• Your SEVIS Record Release Date should be a date after your last enrolled date at UC San Diego, keeping in mind the guidelines below as it relates to your particular situation.
• Please note that it may take up to 10 business days to process your request.

Students completing their degree program:

• The SEVIS Release Date should be after the last day of your final quarter at UC San Diego and before the last day of your 60 day grace period.
• You can request your SEVIS record release from ISPO after you have received an acceptance letter from your new institution. However it must be received at least five days before the end of your 60 day grace period.
• J-1 students cannot transfer during their 30-day grace period.

Students on F-1 Optional Practical Training (OPT):

• Students who are on post-completion OPT may use any release date during the OPT period or may choose a date before the last day of your 60 day grace period upon completion of OPT.
• Once your SEVIS record is released to the new institution, your OPT employment authorization will end automatically even if your EAD card has not expired.

Students dismissed due to suspension or academic disqualification:

• Students who have been dismissed from the UC San Diego due to suspension or academic disqualification must request their SEVIS record release from ISPO within one of the following timelines (whichever is later):
  • 15 days after the dismissal, or
  • 15 days from the date of an appeal denial, or
  • 15 days after the quarter end date of your last enrolled term, or 
  • 15 days after the quarter start date of the quarter of suspension/disqualification.
• You may verify this date with an International Student Advisor.

Students withdrawing from their program of study:

• Students who are in good standing and have been authorized to withdraw from their program of study may be eligible to transfer their SEVIS record.  
• If you were never enrolled in the withdrawal term, you must request your SEVIS record release from ISPO no later than 15 days after the last day to add classes.
  • The deadline to add classes is Friday of Week 2 of each academic term.
  • You may verify this date with an international student advisor.
• If you must withdraw after the Friday of Week 2 of the academic term, you must remain enrolled and remain in status up until the time we release your SEVIS Record. 
  • Discuss your situation with an International Student Advisor to determine the SEVIS Release Date.

There are Two Types of Forms:

1. E-Form: If your new institution needs ISPO to fill out an E-Form on their website/portal, then give your new institution the following contact information:
   • Name of your Advisor/DSO at ISPO: Use the name of the advisor who signed your most recent I-20
   • Contact email: istudents@ucsd.edu
   • Contact phone number: 858-534-3730
   • Your new institution will then email us a link to the E-form, and ISPO will then complete it in 10 business days.
2. Paper/PDF Form: If your new institution needs ISPO to fill out a paper/PDF-based transfer verification form, then submit the form through iPortal by following instructions below.

Submit Your Request if You Have a Paper/PDF Form for ISPO to Fill Out:

• Log in to iportal.ucsd.edu .
• Go to “Services” tab.
• Select “Transfer Verification for New Institution Request”.
• Fill out your request.
• Upload a PDF copy of your new institution’s transfer verification form.
• "Submit" your request.

Receive your Form from ISPO:

• Your form will be completed by an ISPO Advisor within 10 business days.
• You can check the status of your request anytime by logging in to iPortal and clicking on "My Requests" tab.
• A notification email will be sent to you when your document is ready.
• You will be able to download the completed form directly from your iPortal request, and then email it to your new institution.

• Log in to iportal.ucsd.edu .
• Go to "Services" tab.
• Select "Transfer Out Request".
• Fill out your request.
• Upload a PDF copy of your admission letter or admission email from your new school.
• "Submit" your request.

Important note on getting your new school’s SEVIS Code:

• Each institution that has been approved to accept and issue I-20/DS-2019 forms for F/J students is assigned a 15-character code that is unique to each institution.
• Please ask the International Student Advisor or Designated School Official at your new school for the code.
• This code must be filled out on your Transfer Out Request in iPortal so that UC San Diego can transfer your record out to the correct institution.

• Your request will be processed within 10 business days.
• You can check the status of your request anytime by logging in to iPortal and clicking on "My Requests" tab.
• A notification email will be sent to you when your document is ready when your request has been processed and your transfer information entered in SEVIS.
• The actual transfer/release of your SEVIS record will happen on the transfer/release date that you specified in your iPortal request, not before that.

After the SEVIS record release date:

• Your UC San Diego I-20/DS-2019 will be deactivated.
• You must use the new institution’s I-20/DS-2019 for travel and reentry into the U.S.
• Any employment authorization under the UC San Diego I-20/DS-2019 will be invalid.
• J-1 students must report to their new institution within thirty (30) days of your transfer date for SEVIS registration.

If you decide that you would like to be released at a different date, contact ISPO at least 10 business days before the SEVIS release date so that we may act accordingly.

If we do not hear from you before your SEVIS release date, your record will be transferred and you will need to contact your new institution regarding any questions you may have about your SEVIS record.