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International Student Services

Exiting a Ph.D. Program

Exiting a Ph.D. program and graduating with a Master’s can have important immigration consequences. Be sure to discuss your plans with your academic department as well as International Student Services.

Immigration Considerations

If you were admitted into a Ph.D. program but decide to leave with a Master’s degree, your F-1 status may be affected in the following ways:

  • Program End Date Change: Your SEVIS record and Form I-20 must be updated to reflect the new completion date. Your Designated School Official (DSO) will need to adjust your program level and end date to align with the completion of your Master’s degree.
  • Grace Period: Once you complete your Master’s degree, you are typically eligible for a 60-day grace period, during which you can:
    • Apply for Optional Practical Training (OPT) if eligible.
    • Transfer to another academic program.
    • Change to another visa status.
    • Depart the U.S.

Optional Practical Training (OPT) Considerations

If you had planned to apply for OPT after completing your Ph.D., you may still be eligible for OPT based on your Master’s degree. Key considerations include:

  • Will the Master’s degree be awarded in the future or was it awarded in a previous quarter? When your degree is awarded affects the timeline to apply for OPT.
  • Have you previously been authorized for OPT at the Master’s level? You can only be approved for OPT once per degree level.
  • Is the major for your Master’s degree different from that of your Ph.D.? A new CIP code may affect your eligibility for STEM OPT.
  • Do you plan to return to your Ph.D. program? Enrollment while on OPT should be incidental. Speak with ISS and your academic department to ensure you’re meeting immigration and institutional requirements.

How to Update Your I-20

Master's Exiting PhD

It’s important that you discuss your plans with your academic department/advisor to understand the administrative steps necessary to exit your program. You will also want to Meet with an Advisor to discuss the timeline of this change and the immigration implications including your grace period and applying for OPT.

To request an updated I-20, you should log into your MyISSS portal and submit the “Master’s Exiting Ph.D.” request. Please allow 2-3 weeks for ISS to process this request and issue you a new I-20.

When processed, ISS will issue you an updated I-20 to reflect your new program details. Be sure to check the education level, major, and program end date listed on this new I-20. If you have any questions, you can reach out to ISS.

Related Topics

Grace Period

Exiting your Ph.D. program will likely affect your final quarter and grace period timeline.

Read more

Post-completion OPT

After exiting your Ph.D. program, you may still be eligible to apply for OPT work authorization.

Read about OPT