Changing Major or Program

I'm an undergraduate student. How do I change my major field of study?
"Major field of study" is one of those things that must be reported to SEVIS. As soon as you have consulted advisors and made the decision to change, go to the Advising Resource Center to report that change. Sit down with your new principal advisor and work out a program of study, semester-by-semester, that shows the entire plan for your new degree program.

Bring that new degree program (signed by the new advisor) to the OIEP to ask that the change be reported in SEVIS. One of the points of discussion will be the possibility that you will need more time to complete the new program than was originally allotted on your I-20 (F1 students) or DS-2019 (J1 students). Another subject will be the financial support you may need to continue beyond the completion date that was originally estimated. You will be issued a new I-20/DS-2019 when the change is reported to SEVIS.

I'm a graduate student. How do I change my major field of study?
This can be a little more complicated, since the decision will involve your original department, your new department, and the Graduate Office. However, if all works out and you do change your major, work out a program of study with your new advisor, one that shows a semester-by-semester plan for your new degree.

Bring that new study program (signed by your new advisor) and all funding documentation to the OIEP to ask that the change be reported to SEVIS. As with undergraduates, the issues of time-to-completion and financial support will need to be discussed. Your new I-20/DS-2019 will reflect the change of major and any changes in program completion date and financial support.

I want to move from the BS level to the MS level (or MS to PhD). What do I do?
You must first apply for and be accepted into the MS or PhD program of your choice, then find sufficient funding to meet Tech's estimate of your costs for the academic year or a full calendar year. Once accepted and funded, you will be issued a new I-20/DS-2019 through the SEVIS system, with updated major field of study, completion date, and financial information.

A word of caution:
It is best to make changes in major or level before the end date on your I-20 or DS-2019. But also remember that the end date on your papers is no longer operative if you finish your study program earlier than that date.

Warning to F1 students about changing educational levels:
If you complete your study program early, your standard 60-day" grace period" begins on that completion date, not on the later I-20 stop date. To change levels, you must be issued a new I-20 for the new program before the 60 days expire.