July 17, 2026

Hello Students,

The new rule to end Duration of Status has been posted and will begin on September 15, 2026. The OISS is reading through the official changes and working with other DSOs and schools to understand more clearly how this will impact you and your status. Once we have more information, we will send another email with more detailed information, so check your PCC email regularly.

What is changing?

Currently, your F-1 status is based on “Duration of Status (D/S).” This means you can stay in the U.S. as long as you are a full-time student and follow the F-1 rules.

Beginning in September, instead of staying in the U.S. for as long as you are an F-1 student, you will have a specific end date for your stay in the U.S.

What can you do now?

If you know that you will not be able to complete your program of study (an Associate degree or the ESOL program) before the Program End Date on your most recent I-20, then you can submit the SEVIS Request Form for “I-20 Extension.”



ESOL Students

You are not able to request an extension beyond the completion of the ESOL program (ESOL level 8). You must request a Change of Education Level as you near the end of your ESOL program to begin an Associate degree at PCC. It is not possible to process a Change of Education Level before your final term in the ESOL program.

Associate Degree Students

You must provide an academic plan, created by you and your academic advisor, that shows all of the classes needed to complete your Associate degree.

If you have questions, please email the SEVIS team at oiss@pcc.edu or schedule an appointment with them.

If you have questions, please email the SEVIS team at oiss@pcc.edu or schedule an appointment with them.

Warmly,

Alicia Adams and the OISS team

Office of International Student Services, Portland Community College