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ELIGIBILITY
You are eligible to transfer your J-1 SEVIS record only if you meet the following requirements:
Meet your adviser
Meet your current J-1 program international student adviser.
You will need to establish whether you are eligible to have your J-1 SEVIS record transferred to Columbia. The release date for your J-1 SEVIS record must be before the expiration date of your current DS-2019.
Contact the ISSO
Send us an email with the contact information (phone number and email) of your international student adviser. Attach a copy of your current DS-2019.
Not sure of your campus? Check our campus school list.
Apply for your DS-2019
Follow and complete the instructions for Applying for Your I-20/DS-2019.
VISA AND TRAVEL INFORMATION
Yes, you can. If you plan to travel after completing your studies at your previous institution but before starting your program at Columbia, you must re-enter the U.S. with:
- Your DS-2019 issued by Columbia University
- Valid visa
- Valid passport
If you have a valid, unexpired J-1 student visa in your passport, you do not need to apply for a new visa. You may use the visa you have, even though it indicates the name of a previous school.
If you have an expired visa and are traveling outside of the U.S., you will need to apply for a new visa (but you are not required to pay the SEVIS fee again).
RELATED INFORMATION
If you are a J scholar, please see Transfer to Columbia (J-1 Scholars).
If you are currently a J-1 student at Columbia and planning to go study at another U.S. institution, please see Transferring Out of Columbia (J-1).
For your most recent I-94, access I-94 Arrival Record.
For more information about traveling, visit Documents Needed to Travel (Students) page.
For more information about your status, see Guidelines to Maintaining Status (Students).