General
The graduation or completion of an international student’s program coursework has a few implications for their immigration record. At the completion of their program, international students are given a grace period during which they can take one of several actions:
- depart the country
- apply for post-graduation work authorization
- transfer to another school
- apply for a higher degree level at the UW
- change of out of the F or J student status into another
International students should consult their academic advisor and ISS when planning for the completion of their program.
Completion of Program vs Graduation
For immigration purposes, a student’s program is considered complete when all coursework is finished. Students should not remain enrolled beyond completing degree requirements, even if they wish to take additional classes, especially for purposes like Curricular Practical Training (CPT). If the I-20 or DS-2019 has extra time, ISS will update it to reflect the final quarter of enrollment.
Sometimes a student has completed their coursework but for some reason their graduation application is delayed. In this case, students are still considered to have finished their program during the last quarter of enrollment. Graduation is considered an administrative university process.
On-campus Employment
International students working on campus, particularly through academic appointments, must stop all employment by the last day of their final quarter. If the appointment continues beyond this date for administrative purposes, it is not a concern as long as no work is performed after the last day of the quarter.
If a department wants a student to continue their employment beyond graduation, the student must have the appropriate post-graduation work authorization (OPT or Academic Training).