Program Extension for F-1 Students

A student who will not complete their academic program by the I-20 program end date should consult with the Immigration & Advising Coordinator regarding a program extension. If a student’s completed program extension application is submitted to and approved by the Immigration & Advising Coordinator before the I-20 program end date, the student will continue to maintain F-1 status.

If a program extension has not been filed or is not approved before the I-20 program end date the student will be in violation of their visa status.

Program Extension Procedure

Eligibility Criteria

You must have a valid passport at the time of program extension application
You must have a valid F-1 status and be making normal progress toward completion of their educational objective
The delay in program completion is caused by a compelling academic or medical reason, such as a change of major, a change of research topic, an unexpected research problem, or a documented illness
Delays caused by academic probation or suspension are not acceptable reasons for a program extension
The student must not have been authorized for 12 months or more of full-time curricular practical training (CPT)
The application materials should be received by the Immigration & Advising Coordinator a minimum of 10 business days before the I-20 program end date

Application Documents

The student should provide a signed and dated academic advisor letter of support printed on departmental letterhead.

The letter should include

A recommendation that the student be allowed additional time to complete their degree
A specific date (mm/dd/yyyy) by which the student is expected to complete their degree
The reason for the delay in completion
If the student has experienced research-related problems, the advisor should provide a detailed description of the problems encountered and the measures taken or to be taken, so the student completes the degree by the expected date of degree completion
If you apply for a program extension based on a medical reason, you should
provide documentation that indicates the medical condition has delayed the student's completion of the academic program
A letter from a licensed medical doctor, doctor of osteopathy, or licensed clinical psychologist adds legitimacy to the reques, but is not required
Examples of medical documentation include the following
- A medical professional’s letter or memo that was used to support a prior reduced course load request made by the student
- A recent letter from a medical professional which indicates the student’s medical condition has delayed completion of the academic program
Completed Financial Certification Statement
Documentation of any UNI funding (for example, assistantship, fellowship, scholarship, or any other on-campus employment), if the student wants a UNI source of funding indicated on the new I-20

Steps in the Approval Process

Submit the application materials to the Immigration & Advising Coordinator, Monday - Friday from 8 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.
The Immigration & Advising Coordinator will review the student’s program extension eligibility and provide an initial review of the student’s application materials. Any recommended revisions to the application will be provided by the Immigration & Advising Coordinator to the student
The Immigration & Advising Coordinator will notify the student regarding whether the program extension application is approved and when the student can expect to receive their new I-20 with a new program end date

What to Do After Program Extension Approval or Denial

If the student’s program extension application is approved, the student should note the following

If working on-campus, the student must contact the payroll/HR representative in the departmental where they work to complete a new Form I-9, so the student continues to be paid
The student must renew their Iowa driver’s license, if necessary. Students are not eligible to legally drive with a license which has an expired “status check” date
The student is no longer eligible for full-time CPT

If the student’s program extension application is denied

The Immigration & Advising Coordinator will discuss options with the student moving forward.

Some possible options are

Apply for optional practical training (OPT), if the student is eligible.
Obtain admission to a different academic program at UNI or another college or university, in the U.S. or abroad, and then transfer to that program
Depart the U.S. without having completed the academic program

Consult with the Immigration & Advising Coordinator if you lose F-1 status and discuss options to regain F-1 status.