Grace Periods

F-1 students have a 60-day grace period following the last day of your final quarter of enrollment. By the end of that 60 days, you must take ONE of the following actions:

• Submit your Form I-765 application for Optional Practical Training (OPT) to USCIS. Learn more about OPT here.
• Transfer your SEVIS record to another school in the U.S.
• Request a Change of Program Level if you've been accepted to a another academic program at UC San Diego that will start within 5 months from the end of your current program.
• Change to another visa status.
• Depart the U.S. if you do not take any of the actions listed above. If you choose to depart the U.S. by the end of your grace period, you may not re-enter the U.S. with your completed I-20 and F-1 student visa. You do not need to report your departure to ISEO.

J-1 students have a 30-day grace period following the last day of your final quarter of enrollment. Students MUST take action to extend their J-1 status BEFORE the last day of their final quarter of enrollment, or they must leave the U.S. before their grace period ends.

To extend their J-1 status, students must take one of the following actions before the last day of their final quarter of enrollment: 

• Apply for post-completion employment authorization (Academic Training). 
  • J-1 students must apply and be approved for Academic Training before their Program End Date. 
• Transfer your SEVIS record to another school in the U.S. 
  • J-1 students must apply and be approved for the SEVIS transfer before their Program End Date. 
• Change to another visa status.

If none of the above actions are completed prior to the last day of your final quarter of enrollment, prepare to return to your home country and depart the U.S. before the end of your 30-day grace period. 

Note: If you depart the U.S. during your grace period, you may not re-enter the U.S. with your completed DS-2019 and J-1 student visa.