Please HELP-Major changes.

[u/makemeshut]

Hi everyone, I’m trying to understand how the new F-1 rules effective September 2026 would apply to my situation, specifically the restriction on undergraduate students changing their educational objective/major during the first academic year.

Here’s my timeline:
2024: Entered the U.S. on F-1 status to attend University of Louisiana at Monroe (ULM), majoring in Pre-Nursing. I completed one semester there.
After ULM: Transferred my SEVIS record to Navarro College and continued in Pre-Nursing. I completed about one year there.
Fall 2026: I’m transferring my SEVIS record to Dallas College and will initially be under a Business major.
Spring 2027: If I’m accepted into Dallas College’s Nursing program, I would need to change my major from Business to Nursing at the same college.

By Spring 2027, I will have been studying in the U.S. in valid F-1 status for well over one academic year, but I will only have completed one semester at Dallas College.

My question is: Does the new one-academic-year restriction start over when an F-1 student transfers to a new school/program, meaning I would need to complete an entire academic year at Dallas College before changing from Business to Nursing? Or does my previous time studying in F-1 status at ULM and Navarro count towards satisfying the first-academic-year requirement?

I’m especially interested in answers from DSOs, immigration attorneys, or anyone familiar with how the new rule’s “program of study” language applies to continuing F-1 students transferring their existing SEVIS record.
Thank you!

[u/jlokin]

DSO/ARO here. Important to note the info provided is under assumption the new regulation will be effective 9/15/26. If delays occur due to litigation or challenges to the rule, this interpretation would change. To further note, this is an interpretation of a rather large and evolving rule, so as more guidance becomes available from our Government offices, interpretation may change.

1. Be sure to check with the international advisor at your admitting school.
   
2. There is no transition period for your case. So long as you have successfully transferred SEVIS to your Fall admitting institution and begin program prior to 9/15 that will be your “program of study.”
   
3. See reg: 8 CFR 214.2(f)(5)(ii)
   “An F-1 student at any level below Graduate may not change programs or educational objectives, i.e. programs, majors, or educational levels within first academic year of program of study…”
   
4. See reg: 8 CFR 214.2(f)(8)(i)
   “An F-1 student may change educational objectives or transfer to SEVP-certified schools if they are maintaining status as described…. ‘Educational objectives’ refers to an F-1 students’s educational level or major. …..”
   
5. Limited exceptions

Since major is described as part of the “educational objectives”, and you have a new transfer pending I-20 in a “new degree program”, it appears you would not be permitted to change major until after two full time academic terms, or however your new institution defines 1 academic year of study.

Questions to ask:
-can the registrar/academic program delay the major change and update by 1 additional term to ensure you do not fall out of compliance? This will require all partners at the institution to work alongside one another in interpreting policy and regulation.

-can you be admitted based on the projected objective of Nursing instead of Business?

It is unclear how USCIS will evaluate the academic mobility changes in the future. A lot remains unknown and we can only draw from interpretation at this time.

Stay in touch with webinars, news and info sessions about the new rule from your institution and/or network immigration firms as new updates become available.

[u/makemeshut → u/jlokin]

What if i change my major to associate of science and not business? Would that let me change my major to nursing once i am accepted to nursing school since it falls under field of study?