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Create Initial COE (Form I-20)

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Create Initial COE (Form I-20)

Quick Links:

• General Information
• Create Initial Form I-20
• Save Draft I-20
• Print Draft I-20
• Issue and Print the Certificate of Eligibility (Form I-20)
• SEVIS Record Follow-up
• Icon Guide

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General Information

To study in the United States, an international student must:

• Apply to an SEVP-certified school in the United States.
• Be accepted by that school.
• Be issued a Certificate of Eligibility (COE), also known as a Form I-20.
• Obtain F-1 or M-1 status by using the COE to pay the I-901 SEVIS Fee and obtain legal status in the United States as a student.

Certificate of Eligibility for Nonimmigrant Students

Designated school officials (DSO) issue the COE directly to the student who uses it either to enter the United States or to apply for a change of his or her nonimmigrant status. PDSOs and DSOs are responsible for creating and updating F-1 and M-1 student records in SEVIS. The first step is to create and issue a Certificate of Eligibility for Nonimmigrant Students (Form I-20), in accordance with the regulations located at 8 CFR 214.3(k), 8 CFR 214.2(f)(7)(ii), and 8 CFR 214. Once the Form I-20 is issued, the student may use the document to obtain F-1 or M-1 nonimmigrant status.

• Determine if your prospective student needs a SEVIS record transfer or a new SEVIS record. Use the record transfer when an international student transfers from another SEVP-certified school in one of the following conditions:
  • In the middle of a program and continuing the same program at your school.
  • At the end of a program and beginning a new program at your school.

  F-1 or M-1 Student Entry Overview

  Students outside the United States must follow the basic process below to obtain F-1 or M-1 status at the U.S. port of entry (POE):

  • The DSO must take action on the student’s SEVIS record within 30 days of the Initial Session Start Date.
  • For detailed information, see the Help Hub section Manage Program Dates, Registration and Course Load.

  F-1 or M-1 Student Change of Status Application Overview

  Students inside the United States must either leave the U.S. and re-enter following the process above or follow the basic process below to change their status legally to F-1 or M-1:

  • DSOs must carefully monitor these applications to keep the SEVIS records in Initial status for the entire time the application is pending with USCIS.
  • If USCIS has not approved the change of status before the program start date, a DSO must defer the program start date in SEVIS
  • For detailed information, see Help Hub Manage Initial Program and Session Dates. Note: If the student is in a nonimmigrant status that allows for study, the student’s start date at the school and the start date in SEVIS will be different. The start date in SEVIS should reflect the date the student begins studies at the school once in F-1 or M-1 status.

  To cancel a change of status that has not been sent to USCIS, follow the directions for canceling a SEVIS record in the Cancel a SEVIS Record Help Hub article, under the Manage Program Dates, Registration and Course Load section.

  Applicable Regulations and Policies

  DSOs must comply with all regulations and policies that govern the admission of international students, the issuance of COEs, and the applicable reporting requirements.

  The following federal regulations apply to:

  • Admission and fee payment of F-1 and M-1 students into the United States:
    • 8 CFR 214.2(f)(1) – Admission of F-1 student
    • 8 CFR 214.2(m)(1) – Admission of M-1 student
    • 8 CFR 214.2(f)(19) – I-901 Fee Payment
    • 8 CFR 214.3(g) – Recordkeeping and Reporting Requirements
    • 8 CFR 214.3(k) – Issuance of Certificate of Eligibility (COE)
    • 8 CFR 214.4(a)(2)(x-xix) – Withdrawal of School Approval (related to improper COE issuance)

    SEVP Policy Guidance related to the Form I-20:

    • Student and Dependent Personal Information Fields in SEVIS
    • Conditional Admission
    • Form I-20 and English Proficiency Field
    • Use of Electronic Signatures and Transmission for the Form I-20

    Create Initial Form I-20

    DSOs enter information on four pages in SEVIS to create a student record and issue a Form I‑20:

    • Class of Admission and Personal Information
    • Contact and Program Information
    • Dependents
    • Financial Information

    To begin creating the Certificate of Eligibility for Nonimmigrant Students (Form I-20):

    

    1. Select the appropriate campus from the Listing of Schools page.

    2. Click New Student. The first page of the Create Certificate of Eligibility for Nonimmigrant Students (Form I-20), Class of Admission and Personal Information opens.

    Class of Admission and Personal Information Page

    The Class of Admission and Personal Information page has three sections:

    • Class of Admission
    • Name
    • Demographics

    Personal Information Page" width="936" height="1200" />

    Class of Admission

    Complete the fields in the Class of Admission section:

    Personal Information Page" width="981" height="225" />

    • Class of Admission*
      • Select either F-1 for academic students or M-1 for vocational students.
      • Dependent spouses and children of F-1 and M-1 students are F-2 and M-2 dependents respectively, and are added to a student’s record later in the Form I-20 creation process.
      • This is a required field.

      Note: This field is restricted to the classes of admission for which your school is certified to issue forms.

      • Issue Reason*
        • Select either Initial Attendance or Initial Attendance– Change of Status Requested, as the reason for issuing the Form I-20 to the student:
          • Initial Attendance: Select this reason for any F/M student who plans to enter the United States to begin study at your school, if he/she:

          − Is NOT transferring a SEVIS record to your school from another U.S. school.
          − Is NOT applying for a change of status in the United States.
          These students generally reside overseas and use the Form I-20 for visa issuance and initial entry though a Department of Homeland Security (DHS) port of entry.
          Note: If the Initial Attendance option is selected, SEVIS will look for interface data from the Department of State (visa information).

          • Initial Attendance – Change of Status Requested: Select this reason if the student is currently in the United States and needs to change nonimmigrant status to F or M student to study at your school.

          The student must file an Application to Change Nonimmigrant Status (Form I-539) with U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Service (USCIS).
          Note: If the Initial Attendance – Change of Status Requested option is selected, SEVIS will look for interface data from USCIS (benefit application information).

          • This is a required field.