DHS Finalizes New Duration of Status Rule that Limits International Students’ Stay in U.S.

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security finalized a rule, currently available as a public inspection document, ending the decades-old “duration of status” policy, which allowed international students to remain in the U.S. for as long as their program of study lasted. The new rule caps their stay at four years, unless they get an extension, and will also limit students’ ability to change majors and transfer institutions once in the country. DHS has held that the old policy let students avoid interacting with immigration officials indefinitely, thereby raising overstay and security concerns. However, critics of the new rule note that almost all Ph.D. programs and many bachelor’s degrees take longer than four years to complete, and students on post-graduation optional practical training typically stay longer than four years, too. Students already in the U.S. can remain through their current program for up to four additional years, and the rule takes effect September 15, 2026, reports Inside Higher Ed. The official document will be published on July 17, 2026.