Changes to Program of Study
Any change to the information contained on the Form I-20 or Form DS-2019 must be updated in the SEVIS system. It is the student’s responsibility to make sure the Form I-20 or Form DS-2019 reflects accurate information regarding the program of study.
Students should not assume that any changes made in the University system are automatically updated in SEVIS. Students should meet with an advisor at the ISSS office to discuss any changes to the program of study, since some changes may require additional documentation.
Change of Level
Students pursuing a change in level to another degree program must submit additional documentation before the change of level Form I-20 or Form DS-2019 can be issued. ISSS must receive from the student the following documentation prior to the completion of their current program:
- a letter of admission to the new academic program
- a financial certificate form with supporting documentation
Once the documentation is received, ISSS will create a new Form I-20 or Form DS-2019. ISSS will notify the student when the change of level Form I-20 or Form DS-2019 has been issued. Students will maintain the same SEVIS number on the new forms. (Students in J-1 status can only matriculate to a higher level of study.)
Students in F-1 status will be issued a Form I-20 for the change of level which must be registered in SEVIS to activate the new record. Students must ensure they have updated their address in Connect Carolina so they can be registered in SEVIS and issued another Form I-20 for continued attendance.
Requests for a change in level must be submitted to ISSS prior to the end of the previous academic program. Failure to comply with reporting deadlines will result in loss of the student’s immigration status.
Change in Program
International graduate students requesting a change in their program of study should first be admitted by the new academic program and have this information updated by the department in the Connect Carolina system. Students applying to a new program of study should submit a financial certificate form with the admissions application. After admission the academic department will foward the financial certificate form to ISSS.
ISSS will update SEVIS and request a new Form I-20 or Form DS-2019. The student will then be notified to pick up the new form only after a completed financial certificate has been submitted.
Change of Major
When an undergraduate international student changes their primary major at UNC-CH, the ISSS office will get alerted of this change through the Connect Carolina system, if the student is in F-1 status, and will send the appropriate information to SEVIS and issue a new Form I-20. Students in J-1 status must notify ISSS of a change in major so that SEVIS can be updated.
Changes to the secondary major or minor will be updated in SEVIS, but a new form will not be issued.
Students should receive notification from ISSS to pick up a new Form I-20 or Form DS-2019 within 3 weeks. If students have not been notified within this time, they should contact an academic adviser to make sure the change in major has been updated in Connect Carolina and then notify ISSS.