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Welcome to News and Updates from the Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP). This message provides useful information for the international student and academic communities.

SEVP Publishes Policy Guidance on OPT

In September 2019, SEVP published new policy guidance titled, “Practical Training: Determining a Direct Relationship Between Employment and a Student’s Major Area of Study.” This guidance explains that F-1 students engaged in practical training are responsible for providing a description of how their job duties relate to their major area of study, which their designated school official (DSO) must review and retain in the student’s file. Read the full policy guidance on ICE.gov and read the policy guidance blog on Study in the States.

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Students: SEVP Portal Upgrades to Release 1.10

The SEVP Portal recently upgraded to Release 1.10, which limits how long students can access the SEVP Portal after their optional practical training (OPT) authorization ends. Now students can only access their SEVP Portal account for six months after the end of their OPT authorization. For more information on this release and upcoming releases, visit the SEVP Portal Enhancements page on the SEVP Portal Help section of Study in the States.

DSOs: Public Schools Can Enroll both F and J Students

An SEVP-certified public high school (grades 9-12) can enroll both F-1 international students and  exchange visitor students through a U.S. Department of State-designated Secondary School Student Exchange Program. To learn more about the rules and regulations for public schools seeking to host international students, read the Grade 9 to Grade 12 Public Schools page on Study in the States. Check out the Public & Private K-12 Schools: Know the Difference infographic for details on how public and private schools differ in hosting international students. 

How to Submit Correction Requests

School officials must register all Active and Initial students at the beginning of each semester. They must maintain accurate student records and address all errors in the Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS) immediately. Inaccurate data can affect the status of a student’s SEVIS record. It can put a student’s eligibility for benefits at risk and can put their application for an F or M visa, admission to a program or entry into the United States in jeopardy. For more information about requesting a correction in SEVIS, visit the Correction Requests Overview page on the SEVIS Help Hub.

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