No public rule has been finalized or taken effect yet for these proposed changes to U.S. student visas, but a mid‑November 2025 draft signals a major policy shift that could impact F‑1, J‑1, and M‑1 students as early as 2026 if approved. The draft focuses on tighter control over how long students can stay, how they use work programs like OPT and CPT, and how closely schools and federal systems track academic progress.
Big picture: what is changing
The proposal would replace the long‑standing “duration of status” model with a fixed four‑year limit for most student and exchange categories, including F‑1 degree seekers, J‑1 exchange visitors, and M‑1 vocational students. Instead of remaining in the U.S. as long as they stayed in good academic standing, students would be admitted only through the end date of their program, capped at four years, and then required to apply for extensions with detailed proof of ongoing progress and funding.
Officials promoting the rule frame it as a way to reduce visa abuse, tighten national‑security screening, and give immigration authorities clearer end dates for each student’s stay. Critics in higher education warn that layering fixed deadlines and more paperwork onto already complex programs could discourage international enrollment and strain university compliance offices.
Impact on F‑1: OPT, CPT, and timelines
For F‑1 students, one of the most sensitive issues is how the draft treats work options such as Optional Practical Training (OPT) and Curricular Practical Training (CPT). The proposal preserves OPT and STEM OPT in principle but would tie them more tightly to the new fixed‑term stay, changing how long a student can remain in the U.S. before, during, and after training. Advocates say this is meant to prevent long, loosely monitored work periods, while students fear that stricter timelines will make it harder to secure early‑career roles in fields where hiring cycles and training windows are already competitive, especially STEM and finance.
The draft also targets “day‑one CPT” practices, where some institutions allowed students to start work authorization almost immediately after beginning a program. Education analysts note that closing this option would remove a work‑study lifeline many students have used to afford tuition and living costs, especially in high‑cost metro areas.
J‑1 and M‑1: research and vocational training
J‑1 exchange visitors—including research scholars, fellows, and students—would also shift to fixed‑date entries under the proposal, with stay lengths pegged to program categories but still subject to the four‑year ceiling. Universities collaborating on multi‑year research projects worry that shorter or more rigid J‑1 timelines, plus added documentation, could slow or complicate international partnerships that depend on long‑term lab and field work.
For M‑1 vocational students in technical programs such as aviation, mechanical trades, and workforce training, the four‑year cap would come with tighter extension standards tied to measurable academic progress. Schools running these programs say that any added complexity or uncertainty around extensions may deter students who choose hands‑on training paths specifically because of their direct links to jobs and real‑time industry experience.
Four‑year cap and why it matters
The universal four‑year ceiling is the centerpiece of the draft and the reason many in academia describe it as one of the biggest student‑visa overhauls in decades. While shorter undergraduate programs might fit comfortably within four years, long medical degrees and PhD programs often extend far beyond that, meaning students in those tracks would almost certainly have to file at least one extension, complete with transcripts, supervisor letters, and updated financial proofs.
Experts caution that applying a hard four‑year limit without flexible, predictable exemptions could inject uncertainty into long‑term study plans, especially for lab‑based and dissertation‑heavy PhDs. Student advocates argue that frequent extension filings increase the risk that minor paperwork delays could accidentally push otherwise compliant students into technical violations or gaps in status.
Timeline, verification, and what students can do
Policy trackers note that DHS and related agencies are working on a 2026 window for possible implementation, assuming the draft clears the rulemaking process and a final rule is published after public comments. Until that happens, current and prospective students remain under existing rules, and any social‑media claims about confirmed start dates or new mandatory student fees should be treated as speculation unless they appear in official U.S. government channels.
Advisers recommend that students take low‑risk, proactive steps that would help under both current and future systems: filing OPT applications as soon as they are eligible, maintaining accurate SEVIS records, keeping passports and financial documents current, and saving evidence of academic progress for potential extension requests. Universities and counseling groups also stress that for legally binding updates, students should rely only on federal immigration agencies or licensed professionals—not rumor threads or viral posts—and that planning early for documentation can reduce stress if the proposed rule ultimately moves forward.