The DHS Proposed Rule for F-1 Students: What Changes, When It Changes, and What It Means for You
In the United States, regulatory changes often generate questions, uncertainty, and significant speculation. This is especially true when the topic affects international students, a diverse community that plays a fundamental role in the country’s academic life and economy. In 2025, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) published a proposed rule to restructure admission and maintenance-of-status procedures for F-1, J-1, and I visa holders. This is a significant update, but it is essential to understand the context: this is a proposal, not a final rule. Nothing changes immediately, and the path to implementation is long, technical, and highly regulated.
In this blog, you’ll find a clear and fully DHS-based explanation of:
What the proposal actually says
What would change
What will not change
The official timelines
What this means for currently enrolled students
Why remaining enrolled in a strong, accredited institution, such as Approach, is the smartest way to protect your educational path during regulatory transitions.
Let’s break it all down.
1. What exactly is the DHS proposing?
Today, international students enter the United States under a system known as Duration of Status (D/S). In simple terms, this means the student may remain in the country as long as they maintain full-time enrollment, follow immigration rules, and progress academically. There is no fixed departure date on the I-94.
The DHS argues that this structure, created decades ago, makes it harder to track timelines and enforce immigration policy. To address this, the proposal eliminates D/S and replaces it with a fixed period of admission, recorded on the student’s I-94 upon entry.
This is the core of the change, and the part that usually creates the most anxiety. But by itself, it does not restrict rights, reduce opportunities, or change the structure of the F-1 program. It simply creates a clearer timeline.
2. A fixed admission period instead of D/S
According to the text of the proposed rule, students would be admitted:
For the period needed to complete the academic program listed on their Form I-20,
Up to a maximum of four years.
This does not affect the existence or availability of programs longer than four years. It only means that students in these programs would need to request an extension through USCIS.
This model is already common in many countries and does not interfere with academic progress. In practice, it formalizes the timeline but does not change learning opportunities, school structures, or access to future programs.
3. Extensions would be requested directly from USCIS (Form I-539)
Under the current system, DSOs extend program dates directly through SEVIS. The proposed rule changes this: extensions of stay would be handled directly by USCIS through Form I-539.
For students, the change is more administrative than practical.
One of the most reassuring points in the DHS proposal is that the agency itself states that students who maintain valid academic standing and follow immigration requirements should not face difficulty obtaining extensions. The intention is not to restrict well-intentioned students, but to standardize policy and increase transparency.
In addition, centralizing extensions with USCIS creates more consistency, something very beneficial to students studying at serious, well-structured institutions.
4. Transfers and program changes remain allowed
A common concern is: “Will I still be able to change schools?” Yes. You will.
The proposed rule maintains the possibility of transferring between SEVP-approved institutions or changing to a new program or level. The only difference is that the new program must fall within the admission period on your I-94. If it does not, the student simply submits an extension request to USCIS. If it doesn’t, the student simply requests an extension.
This respects academic mobility and allows students to continue:
Advancing to higher levels
Transitioning from language study to academics
Enrolling in partner colleges
Starting new educational tracks
The flexibility that defines the F-1 system remains intact.
5. OPT, STEM OPT, and Cap-Gap remain available
The proposal does not eliminate or reduce:
Post-completion OPT
STEM OPT
Cap-Gap extensions
The DHS text adjusts only the admission and timeline procedures for students on OPT or with pending applications. It does not change their eligibility, duration, or rights. Rights remain exactly the same.
This is crucial: the proposed rule does not dismantle the core benefits of the F-1 visa.
6. Transition period for students already in the U.S.
For students currently admitted under D/S, the proposal includes a long and smooth transition. Students would keep their lawful status until:
The end date listed on their I-20, or
Up to four years from the date the final rule becomes effective, without requiring any immediate extension from students who are already in the United States under D/S.
This shows that the DHS does not intend to interrupt ongoing programs. Instead, it offers clear, structured adaptation.
7. Official timelines: When could anything actually change?
This is one of the most important parts of the entire discussion.
The proposal is open for public comment until September 29, 2025. After that, DHS must:
Review thousands of public comments
Rewrite sections of the rule
Publish a Final Rule (which may take up to one year)
Announce an implementation date
Provide official guidance to schools and students
Historically, regulatory processes like this can take between 8 and 18 months.
Which means:
👉 Nothing changes now
👉 Nothing changes in the short term
👉 No action is required from students
The F-1 system continues functioning exactly as it does today.
8. What does this mean for you right now?
Here are the key points:
Your visa status remains 100% valid
Your I-20 remains valid
Your program, attendance, and daily routine stay exactly the same
You do not need to file anything
You do not need to update documents
There is no immediate risk to your F-1 status
The proposal could even change significantly before becoming final.
9. Why staying at a strong, accredited school is more important than ever
This is a practical consequence of the DHS proposal, even though it is not explicitly stated. When immigration regulations tighten structure and add oversight, the safest place for a student is a serious, accredited, compliant institution.
Here’s why this matters, and why schools like Approach become even more valuable under the proposed rule:
a) Accreditation matters
Accredited schools follow rigorous federal standards. They already operate within the highest expectations of DHS and SEVP.
That means:
Quality curriculum
Academic consistency
Verified student records
Strong institutional reliability
These factors make your student's history stronger in any future USCIS evaluation.
b) A clean compliance record protects the student
If USCIS is the one evaluating extensions, the quality and accuracy of your academic documentation become even more important.
At a serious institution, that means:
Your attendance is properly recorded
Your academic progress is well-documented
Your SEVIS record is accurate
Your DSO team follows all SEVP protocols
This protects you, not just today, but in any future application.
c) Experience with regulatory shifts
Schools that have existed for decades, like Approach, have already navigated multiple DHS, ICE, USCIS, and SEVP changes.
This means they know how to:
Interpret federal rules precisely
Update systems quickly
Provide correct guidance to students
Avoid mistakes that could affect status
When changes happen, experience is everything.
d) Institutional credibility matters
The DHS tracks school performance, compliance, and academic outcomes. Remaining enrolled in a credible, structured institution strengthens your position as a student.
Schools with strong reputations create stability, and stability is exactly what you want during regulatory transitions.
e) Transparent communication
Strong schools don’t hide information. They clarify it.
Approach has a long history of:
Educating students clearly
Offering multilingual support
Communicating updates transparently
Providing accurate, official information
In moments like this, clear communication is protection.
Your future remains safe. Your education continues normally.
The DHS proposal alters administrative structures, not the core rights of international students. The goal is to modernize the admission structure and create clearer timelines without reducing the benefits, rights, or opportunities available under the F1 category.
Here is the truth, based only on the official DHS document:
Nothing changes now
Your status remains fully valid
Your program continues as usual
The F-1 system remains intact
You do not need to do anything
The smartest thing you can do is:
Stay enrolled
Maintain your academic progress
Keep attending a stable, accredited institution
Approach will continue monitoring every official update, analyzing the full regulatory text, and guiding students with clarity, responsibility, and accuracy.
Your journey remains open, possible, and safe.
To read more about the subject, access https://federalregister.gov
