If you are completing one program at New Jersey Institute of Technology (NJIT) and wish to pursue another degree or program at NJIT, the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) must be notified of your plans by the Office of International Students & Faculty (OIS&F). The notification procedure is known as "Extension of Stay to Begin a New Program". If you do not file, or file late, you automatically lose your F-1 student status, and will need to apply for reinstatement.

Circumstances under which you must apply for an extension of stay are when you are going from any degree candidacy to a joint degree program, for example:

• a bachelor’s degree to a master’s degree
•  a master’s to a doctorate
•  a completed B.S. to another B.S.
•  a completed M.S. to another M.S.

You will apply to the Admissions Office for admission to the new program. You will be issued with a new I-20.

Eligibility:

In order to be eligible for the notification procedure under Extension of Stay guidelines, you must be in lawful F-1 status under the visa supervision of New Jersey Institute of Technology.

Deadline:

You must inform OIS&F in the first 15 days after you register for classes that you have changed your level of study.

Procedure:

Once you have been admitted to a new program of study at NJIT, you will be issued with a new I-20. Within 15 days of the day you first register for your new program of study, you should report to the OIS&F, bringing the following:

1. A copy of your admission letter to the new program of study or degree.
2. The I-20 for your new educational program, which you have signed on the bottom.
3. Your passport and I-94 card.
4. All previously issued I-20’s for the completed program of study (students who entered the U.S. in F-1 status before July 1988, should submit their yellow I-20ID Copy cards as well).

An OIS&F international student advisor will:

1. Review your documents.
2. Notify USCIS of the approved Extension of Stay to move from one program to another.
3. Issue a new I-20 which will state "COS from old program to new program."


Special Considerations:

If you are planning to pursue another program at a school other than New Jersey Institute of Technology, please ask your new institution for F-1 (student) transfer