International Student Transfer Procedures

If you are currently in the United States in F-1 status, and you plan to transfer your F-1 record to Fordham, you will need to complete the immigration school transfer procedure as described below.

Please note that even if you are NOT considered an academic transfer (for instance, if you just completed high school and now are coming to Fordham for a bachelors, or you completed a bachelors and are now coming to Fordham for a masters), you ARE STILL considered an F-1 transfer if you were attending that previous school in the US and in lawful F-1 status.

In addition to submitting the AFCOE, supporting financial documentation, and passport name page, as described in our “Immigration and Visa Information” page, you must also submit a completed Transfer Form.

You should complete the top section of the transfer form, and then send it to the International Student Advisor at your old school. They should complete the rest of the form. We prefer that they give the completed Transfer Form back to you, and you submit it to us with the rest of your application. However, it is also acceptable for the school to send the International Student Transfer Form to us directly.

If you will stay in the U.S. before attending Fordham, it will not be necessary for you to receive your Fordham I-20 before you arrive at Fordham. We will not issue your Fordham I-20 until you have arrived at Fordham and completed our check-in.

If you are traveling overseas before attending Fordham, you must use Fordham’s I-20 when you re-enter the U.S. You should NOT use the I-20 from you previous school. If your F-1 visa stamp in your passport will be valid/not expired, then you do not need a new visa (unless advised differently by an OIS advisor). If your F-1 visa will be expired/not valid, then you will need to make arrangements to apply for a new visa at a US embassy or consulate while you are outside the US. Please see our “Applying for an F-1 or J-1 Visa” page for more information about applying for your visa.