On September 14, 2026, the Massachusetts District Court blocked the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) F-1 Duration of Status Rule from going into effect on September 15th. Please note that this is not a permanent elimination of the below proposed regulations that were scheduled to go into effect on 09/15/26. Our recommendation is for you to continue planning with the assumption that below proposed rules could eventually take place in their original form. For your reference, this is the link to the original Federal Register regulations published on 07/15/26 with the effective date of 09/15/26. Also check a Summary of the new regulations, that were scheduled to go into effect on 09/15/26, on the DHS Study in the States website. We will update the content of our website once the federal court block is resolved. Read all emails from iss@lesley.edu to stay informed, and contact iss@lesley.edu with specific questions. Please note that the information provided is subject to change and may evolve in response to developments in the immigration landscape. As such, it should not be considered static or permanent.
The Lesley Office of International Student Services (ISS) provides specialized services to international students wishing to study in F-1 status. ISS collaborates with administrative and academic departments to create a welcoming and inclusive campus environment. The office is here to support students from the admissions process through graduation, and beyond. Check the menu options on this page for information on how to apply for the Lesley Form I-20 and all F-1 compliance related information, for incoming and current international student support. Contact iss@lesley.edu with all F-1/I-20-related questions.
International students on the Lesley Form I-20/F-1 sponsorship must always comply with the F-1 regulations. The Lesley I-20 only permits academic study of Lesley University coursework. It does not permit coursework outside of Lesley, including that from online schools.
International students not sponsored by the Lesley F-1 program should consult with their immigration attorney on compliance questions specific to their status. It is the international student’s responsibility to maintain legal non-immigrant status. Contact iss@lesley.edu if you need general immigration resource information.
International Admissions, for Admissions questions, contact admissions@lesley.edu, for undergraduate students and luadmissions@lesley.edu for graduate students.
For Study Abroad questions, contact advising@lesley.edu.