Northeastern officials detail steps international students should take in light of DHS visa changes
In response to the changes, Northeastern University officials are actively working to advise students, faculty and staff across the university’s global network.
The Department of Homeland Security has enacted a new rule that will significantly change the way international students and exchange visitors are admitted to the U.S., with sweeping implications for the broader higher education landscape.
The policy, which became official on July 17 and will go into effect on September 15, imposes new constraints on nonimmigrant F-1 students, who study full-time at accredited U.S. universities, colleges and other academic institutions, and on J-1 exchange visitors, who come to the states as students, scholars, researchers and professors. It ends the Department of Homeland Security’s decades-long practice of permitting F and J students and scholars into the U.S. for a period consistent with the time needed to complete their program, or “duration of status,” according to the new federal rule.
Now, F-1 and J-1 nonimmigrants would be admitted for the length of their academic or exchange program, but up to a maximum of four years, with students having to seek additional approval from DHS’s U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services to stay longer.
In response to the changes, Northeastern University officials are actively working to advise students, faculty and staff across the university’s global network, preparing specific guidance, training and resources to those affected.
F-1 and J-1 international students and scholars with questions about whether the ruling will impact them should contact the university’s Office of Global Services (OGS), which oversees immigration advising, regulatory guidance and support for Northeastern’s international students and scholars.
Students and scholars can reach OGS representatives through its website. Additionally, OGS has launched a web page with links and resources for anyone with questions or concerns about the changes.
“Northeastern’s commitment to a global education and international students is at the core of our mission of bringing the best students from all over the world to our university,” said Satyajit Dattagupta, Northeastern’s head of global expansion and chief enrollment management officer. “As part of that, we monitor policy changes very closely because it impacts the lives of our international students.”
In addition to establishing a fixed admission period with a maximum of four years, the new policy shortens the grace period for F-1 students after completing their studies from 60 days to 30 days.
As part of the university’s proactive response, officials will be developing training protocols designed to help affected students, faculty, staff and co-op advisers better understand how the change impacts the university community.
These efforts will include updated orientation materials for incoming students, workshops for continuing students and training for academic advisors and other campus offices, said Jenn Christ, dean of the Office of Global Services, which supports Northeastern’s international students and scholars by helping them navigate the complexities of maintaining their immigration status while connecting them with resources to succeed academically and personally.
“We are committed to helping our international students and scholars understand how this new framework applies to them and what actions, if any, they need to take,” Christ said.
Christ said that the university is reviewing the requirements of the new rule and building the training, resources and systems needed to support Northeastern’s international students, scholars and graduates through the transition.
“We have a dedicated leadership team that tracks new guidance as it’s issued that keeps our advising current, so students get accurate, timely information rather than having to piece it together on their own,” she said.
In addition, F-1 and J-1 visitors would need to apply for an extension of stay and complete biometrics screening to continue their studies beyond their specified admission period. Citing an influx in visitors on those visas dating back to the 1980s, officials with DHS said that the increase poses a challenge for officials’ ability to “monitor and oversee these nonimmigrants while they are in the United States,” according to the department’s published statement.
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Tom Sheahan, interim provost and senior vice president for academic affairs, said that the university has a cross-functional team reviewing the new rule to determine which of the approximately 900 international PhD students may be affected.
Most PhD programs take, on average, between five and six years to complete, though the length of time varies based on the discipline, according to Northeastern’s graduate programs website.
“Our office will be working closely with the Office of Global Services to support those students who may need extensions of duration at the time the new rule takes effect,” Sheahan said.
He added that for other international PhD students, the team will closely monitor their duration, and that OGS will be issuing “new or updated I-20s, and issuing extensions as needed.”
The I-20 is a document issued by a university to certify that an F-1 student has satisfied the eligibility requirements to obtain that visa.
Incoming students and scholars
Incoming international students should continue visa-related preparations as early as possible, including requesting their I-20, “Certificate of Eligibility for Nonimmigrant Student Status” for F-1 students, or DS-2019, “Certificate of Eligibility for Exchange Visitor Status” for J-1 students, forms, Christ said.
International students from Northeastern University – New York City should request their I-20 form immediately, she said.
Officials advised incoming students to transfer Student and Exchange Visitor Information System, or SEVIS, records when applicable and schedule visa interviews promptly due to potential backlogs. The university is also asking students to regularly update OGS on their visa status and notify the office of any delays so staff can provide documentation, discuss deferral options and offer other support.
Northeastern has established a late arrival deadline of Sept. 22 for new incoming fall 2026 students. Any student experiencing a visa delay and will not arrive by the start date listed on their I-20 or DS-2019 needs to apply for late arrival approval. Details about this process will be provided in the coming weeks.
Incoming scholars should similarly schedule visa interviews as soon as they receive their immigration documents because of high demand and potential processing backlogs, according to guidance from Northeastern. They should also regularly update OGS as to their visa status and report any delays so the university can step in and assist.
Continuing students, scholars and alumni
Continuing international students, scholars and alumni do not need to take any immediate action, as officials work to review the policy and develop guidance moving forward, Northeastern officials said.
Incoming students, continuing students and alumni will be notified about steps they may need to take while the rule is being implemented over the next 60 days, ahead of its effective date of Sept. 15.
