American English Language School

If you are in the United States on a B-2 visitor visa and thinking about studying English, one date should be on your calendar: September 15, 2026 . That is when a new DHS rule replaces "duration of status" for F-1 students with a fixed period of admission — and it changes what a change of status approval actually gives you. Why the timing matters A change of status approval is itself an admission decision. If USCIS approves your Form I-539 before September 15, you still receive duration of status, and transition provisions generally let you continue to the program end date on your I-20. You also keep the 60-day grace period instead of the new 30 days, and any English study completed before that date does not count toward the new 24-month ESL limit. If your approval lands on or after September 15, your I-797 approval notice will carry a new I-94 with a fixed end date. That date, not your I-20, governs how long you may stay — and overstaying it can start unlawful presence ...