If a student is already in the U.S. on a student visa at another school, and wishes to transfer to Eastern, either to the same academic level, or to enter a new degree program at the next level, the student must ask his/her current school to transfer his/her SEVIS record to Eastern.
An international transfer student must:
1. Apply to Eastern and be accepted to the program.
2. Fax or scan copies of current immigration documents to the Office of International Student and Scholar Services for review.
3. Prepare financial documents as instructed, and pay a required deposit.
4. Submit the required health forms found on the Student Health Center webpage
5. Request the transfer of the SEVIS record from the transfer-out school.
6. Comply with all policies at the transfer-out school.
7. Negotiate a release date that accommodates OPT dates, travel needs, etc.
When the SEVIS record has been transferred to Eastern:
1. An F-1 student will get a “transfer pending” I-20 from Eastern University. This is a temporary I-20 that allows travel and maintains F-1 status until the start date of Eastern’s program.
2. For the F-1 visa, there can never be more than five months between the graduation date, OPT expiration date or the date of withdrawal from the transfer-out school and the start date of the new program.
3. Upon the start of classes at Eastern, the DSO will complete the transfer and print out an I-20 for continued attendance.
4. A J-1 student must transfer the SEVIS record out of the other school no later than 30 days after the program end date, and must transfer the SEVIS record to Eastern no earlier than 30 days prior to the new program start date.
