Graduation and Your Immigration Status

As an international student considering graduation, please take the following information into consideration before you graduate, at the graduation ceremony and after graduation.

If you plan on working in the U.S. after graduation, you should apply for Optional Practical Training (OPT). For more information concerning OPT, visit the Optional Practical Training pages.

If you plan on starting another degree at Texas A&M following your graduation, please visit the Change of Degree Level section.

If you plan on starting another degree at another university after graduation, please visit the Transfer Forms section and fill out the Transfer-Out Form.

If you do not plan to work in the US, change degree level, or go to another school after graduation AND you have maintained your F-1 status, then you have 60 days to remain in the U.S. AFTER graduation.

If you plan on working in the U.S. after graduation, you should apply for Academic Training. For more information, please visit the Academic Training section.

If you plan on starting another degree at Texas A&M or another university after graduation, please meet with an ISS advisor prior to graduation.

If you do not plan on working in the U.S. or starting another degree after graduation AND you have maintained your J-1 status, then you have 30 days to remain in the U.S. AFTER graduation. Please inform ISS when you will leave the U.S.

We are pleased to congratulate all the international students graduating and let you know that there is a tradition that started in Spring 2007 graduation ceremony: flags representing the countries of students enrolled at Texas A&M University are displayed as decorations in the Reed Arena hallways through which all the guests coming to graduation will have to pass in order to enter the seating area.

The flags have been selected for display based on the population of enrolled students and their countries of citizenship as indicated in their official enrollment records and the passports under which they are studying at Texas A&M. The placement of flags in Reed Arena has been determined by using alphabetical order and maximizing the use of the limited spaces available to display them. Please refer to the Spring 09 Graduation Flag List to see which flags will be displayed in May 2009 Graduation.

If you have any questions about the use of flags at the graduation ceremony, please direct them to the Director for International Outreach, Ms. Linda Edwards, at l-edwards@tamu.edu or 979-862-6700 or Reed Arena Event Manager, Brian Megrath, at 979-862-7334.

While you are in the U.S. after graduation, you need to keep your physical U.S. address up-to-date with the Department of Homeland Security. If you move, you need to up date your address within 10 days. Please refer to Updating Your Address section for more information.