What's New

ACICS Loss of Accreditation Recognition

On Dec. 12, 2016, the U.S. Department of Education (ED) announced that it no longer recognizes the Accrediting Council for Independent Colleges and Schools (ACICS) as an accrediting agency. On March 15, 2017, the Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP) began issuing appropriate notices and requests to schools which failed to report their loss of accreditation to SEVP and/or needed to meet requirements of continued SEVP certification. For detailed information and guidance, students and schools should visit the ACICS Loss of Accreditation Recognition Information page.

School Alerts

Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP)-certified schools are subject to a review of their certification at any time based on federal regulation. Upon this review, SEVP can exercise its authority to withdraw schools and/or terminate certain initial and active student records for noncompliance with SEVP regulations. Visit the School Alerts page for a list of schools that have been withdrawn and instructions students should follow.

Additional SEVP News and Resources

• SEVP Spotlight – June 2017 – Volume 7, Issue 2: Read the latest SEVP Spotlight on Study in the States (posted: Jun. 2017)
• Read the latest SEVIS by the Numbers report. (Jun. 2017 edition)
• Stakeholder Webinars Page – Study in the States launched a redesigned Stakeholder Webinars page to include SEVP, SEVIS and partner agency-hosted webinars. You can filter webinars by event type (i.e. SEVP, SEVIS or partner), category/topic and date. Users can access the Stakeholder Webinars page through the Study in the States Schools page. (posted: May 2017)
• ICE Sensitive Locations Policy - As a reminder to our stakeholders, ICE has a policy in place that advises against enforcement actions at schools or churches. With that said, SEVP personnel often visit SEVP-certified schools or those seeking SEVP certification. Many of these visits are required in order to maintain a school’s SEVP certification. Learn more about ICE’s sensitive locations policy. (posted: Mar. 2017)
• School Appeal Status Tracker: Study in the States launched the SEVP School Appeal Status Tracker. This online tool allows SEVP-certified schools, in the appeals process, to proactively and securely check the status of their case on Study in the States. To learn more about the Appeals Process, visit the How to File an Appeal or Motion page and the Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about Appeals and Motions on ICE.gov. (posted: Feb. 2017)
• Special Student Relief for F-1 Students from Nepal - The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced an extension of employment authorization for certain Nepali F-1 international students who are facing severe economic hardship as a direct result of the April 25, 2015, earthquake in Nepal. Visit Study in the States to learn more about the extension of employment authorization for Nepali F-1 students or read the full notice on the Federal Register. (posted: Jan. 2017)
• Form I-17 Filing Evidence - SEVP instituted a requirement for schools to submit minimal evidence upon filing a Form I-17, “Petition for Approval of School Attendance by Nonimmigrant Student,” and any updates to the Form I-17 Petition. Please visit the Schools section of ICE.gov/SEVP for more information.
• SEVP is sending “Intent to Terminate” notices to nonimmigrant students (F-1/M-1), exchange visitors (J-1) and dependents (F-2/M-2/J-2) who havefailed to comply with the Form I-515A, “Notice to Student or Exchange Visitor,” directive by the specified deadline. Recipients of the “Intent to Terminate” notices have 14 days, as of the date the notice is sent, to respond to the Form I-515A. Failure to comply will result in the termination of their SEVIS record. For more information, download the Form I-515A Noncompliance Termination Procedure and visit Study in the States.
• A new Trends and Improvements section on Study in the States has been launched to make it easier for SEVP stakeholders to track and monitor the government’s progress on feedback received from the academic community. Users can access the new section through the Conferences page of the Study in the States website. If stakeholders have issues they would like to include in the Trends and Improvements section, please email SEVP@ice.dhs.gov.
• The U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) 24-month optional practical training (OPT) extension for F-1 students with science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) degrees went into effect May 10, 2016. The new regulations also enhance federal oversight of STEM OPT. This rule replaced the previous 17-month STEM OPT extension. For more information on the new rule, visit the STEM OPT Hub on Study in the States.
• The Student and Exchange Visitor Program Response Center and the Student and Exchange Visitor Information System Help Desk have merged to enhance customer service.
• School Search Tool: Visit the Study in the States School Search Tool to find the most up-to-date list of Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP)-certified schools and programs eligible to enroll F-1 and M-1 students in the United States.