Summer Break after changing schools - F-1 Visa

[bviana 0]

I entered the US with a F-1 visa on September of 2019 and I originally came for a graduate program. Classes started last Fall and the school had a quarter system. After completing the first quarter there, I decided to transfer to an undergraduate program at a new school, which has a semester based system. I got my I-20 transferred between the two schools and started at the new school in January of 2020.

I just found out that there's not going to be enough classes available for me to enroll full time next semester (summer) and my advisor said it's ok for me to take the summer semester off and go back to school next fall. The problem is this school doesn't have a lot of experience with international students, which makes me feel a little insecure about his advising.

 

I know I'm allowed to take an annual vacation after completing an academic year, but does the quarter term I completed at the previous school count towards this time? And can I stay in the US during the break or do I have to go back to my home country until fall? 

 

Also, to make it a little more complicated, I have tickets booked to visit my home country for 2 weeks in May. I bought them before I knew I was not going to be taking classes over the summer. Do you think I'll have issues re-entering the US?

[HSsweethearts4E 117]

13 hours ago, bviana said:

I entered the US with a F-1 visa on September of 2019 and I originally came for a graduate program. Classes started last Fall and the school had a quarter system. After completing the first quarter there, I decided to transfer to an undergraduate program at a new school, which has a semester based system. I got my I-20 transferred between the two schools and started at the new school in January of 2020.

I just found out that there's not going to be enough classes available for me to enroll full time next semester (summer) and my advisor said it's ok for me to take the summer semester off and go back to school next fall. The problem is this school doesn't have a lot of experience with international students, which makes me feel a little insecure about his advising.

 

I know I'm allowed to take an annual vacation after completing an academic year, but does the quarter term I completed at the previous school count towards this time? And can I stay in the US during the break or do I have to go back to my home country until fall? 

 

Also, to make it a little more complicated, I have tickets booked to visit my home country for 2 weeks in May. I bought them before I knew I was not going to be taking classes over the summer. Do you think I'll have issues re-entering the US?

I doubt you'll have any issues, the full-time requirement is only for fall and spring, you are allowed to take summers off or even take just 1 class or 2 during the summer. I did and had 0 issues. I always went home for the whole summer and once even took an online class while at home. Except for 1 year, where I did spend the summer here. (Which yes you can do)

 

(This is all for undergrad; i have no experience with grad)

Edited February 17, 2020 by HSsweethearts4E

[bviana 0]

53 minutes ago, HSsweethearts4E said:

I doubt you'll have any issues, the full-time requirement is only for fall and spring, you are allowed to take summers off or even take just 1 class or 2 during the summer. I did and had 0 issues. I always went home for the whole summer and once even took an online class while at home. Except for 1 year, where I did spend the summer here. (Which yes you can do)

 

(This is all for undergrad; i have no experience with grad)

Thank you so much for sharing your experience!

 

I think I'm mostly worried about the fact that I completed only 1 quarter term at the previous school and now I'm completing the first semester at the new school and I don't know if this is gonna be enough to consider that I completed the full academic year required by the government before I have the right of taking the annual vacation...