Transfers to/from Another U.S.A. School
If you an F-1 or J-1 student at another school in the U.S. and wish to transfer to Calvin Seminary, you may return to your home country and return to the U.S. with a new I-20 or DS-2019 from Calvin Seminary or you may transfer from your current school to Calvin Seminary without leaving the U.S. If you wish to transfer without leaving the U.S., please fill out the Transfer to Calvin Theological Seminary form listed below as a pdf file and send it to the Dean of Students Office.
If you are an F-1 student, the Designated School Official (DSO) at your current school needs to transfer you in SEVIS from your current school to Calvin Seminary before the end of the 60-day grace period which follows the completion date of your program or expiration date on your I-20, whichever is earlier.
If you are a J-1 student, you need to discuss your plan to transfer to Calvin Seminary with the Exchange Visitor (J) Progam Responsible Officer (RO) or Alternate Responsible Officer (ARO) of both schools, make a definite decision to transfer, and make sure that all parties involved have agreed on the date of transfer, which must occur before the DS-2019 expiration date. (There is no grace period as there is in the F status.) Ask the RO or ARO at your current school to consult with the RO or ARO (Richard Sytsma or Ina De Moor) at Calvin Seminary about the date.
If you have transferred to Calvin Seminary from another U.S. school, for example, another college (including Calvin College) or seminary, you must bring to the assistant in the office of the Dean of Students and International Student Advisor your current Form I-20 or Form DS-2019 within the first 15 days of classes in order to have the transfer registered properly in SEVIS. This is absolutely critical to ensure that everything is in order with your immigration documentation.
If you were not in full time studies at your previous college or seminary immediately prior to your registering at Calvin Seminary (ignoring the vacation period), or if you are no longer in F-1 or J-1 status for some other reason you must apply to the Department of Homeland Security - Bureau of Citizenship and Immigration Services for reinstatement. Form I-539 and information for this procedure are available in the office of the Dean of Students and International Student Advisor. There is a fee of $200 involved, and the school cannot guarantee that reinstatement will indeed be granted.
If at some point in the future, you wish to transfer to another U.S. school, whether that be for the same educational program you are pursuing here or for an additional program, you should consult with the office of the Dean of Students and International Student Advisor as soon as your decision is made. A release date must be entered into SEVIS so your SEVIS record can be transferred to your new school so they can issue you a new I-20 or DS-2019. When transferring as an F-1 student to another school, you must enroll within 5 months of "transfer out" date or end date on your current Form I-20, whichever is earlier.
Transfer to Calvin Theological Seminary form (pdf)
Transfer out of Calvin Theological Seminary form (pdf)