Please consult with an OISS Advisor for the best plan of action. It may be best to return to your home country to change your status, because it can take 10-12 months for the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) to process a change of status application from within the U.S.

• If your current status does not permit full-time study, you will not be eligible to enroll as a full-time student at UNH until you have received a change of status approval from USCIS.
• If you have been offered a graduate assistantship and your current immigration status does not permit employment, you will not be able to accept the offer until your immigration status has changed.

For information regarding a change of status from within the U.S., go to: https://www.uscis.gov/i-539.  Please contact OISS before pursuing this option.