Skip to content Skip to main navigation Report an accessibility issue

End of Semester Reminders

By
We hope everyone has had a successful Spring semester.  Below are some important immigration reminders for F-1 and J-1 students.

Program Completion & Grace Period

If you are earning a degree from UT, your program completion date on your I-20 will be updated to May 8, 2021. Your grace period begins on this date. F-1 students have a 60-day grace period and J-1 students a 30-day grace period. You may travel inside the U.S. during your grace period but you may not leave the country and return in F-1/J-1 status. F-1 students may also apply for OPT or transfer your SEVIS record to another degree program during your grace period. To learn more about OPT, please review the OPT information on our web site. F-1 students should contact an international student advisor regarding transfer questions. J-1 students may apply for Academic Training during their grace period. Please contact Brian Todd, btodd@utk.edu or Yevie Teyfukova, yevie@utk.edu if you have questions about J-1 Academic Training eligibility.

I-20 Expiration and Extensions

If your current I-20 program end date is in May 2021 and you will not complete your degree program, please submit an I-20 extension request in iVols as soon as possible. Please note that your I-20 cannot be extended after the program end date.

Change of Address

If you are moving/have moved inside the U.S., or if your permanent (home country) address has changed, please make sure you submit your change of address to CGE so that your SEVIS record is updated. The online form can be accessed through iVols. You should also update your address on file with the University of Tennessee through MyUTK.

Travel & Return to Campus

If you are a continuing student and plan to travel abroad this summer break, please be sure to check your immigration documents and get a travel signature, using iVols, before you depart (at least 2 weeks ahead of time).  If you plan to travel inside the U.S., please be sure to take your passport and current DS-2019 with you.

Electronic I-94

If you are traveling abroad, upon your return, CGE strongly recommends that you print out a copy of your electronic I-94 to ensure that your data in the Customs and Border Protection (CBP) database is accurate.  Here is the link to find your I-94: https://i94.cbp.dhs.gov/I94/#/recent-search

Undergraduate J-1 Exchange students

Please note that you have a 30-day grace period following the program end date on your DS-2019.  The 30-day grace period is intended for you to prepare to leave the U.S.  Unless you transfer to a different university or program, to a different immigration status or file for academic training (AT), you must leave the U.S. by the end of your grace period.

You may travel inside the U.S. during your grace period but you may not leave the country and return in J-1 status.  AT and transfer situations are exceptions and we discuss those individually during the AT or transfer process.  Please contact an advisor if you have any questions about travel.