S2 Q&A I'm on a J-1 visa — can I change status to F-1 to enroll in a Day 1 CPT program?

 Often yes, through a change of status on Form I-539 filed with USCIS - but not always. J-1 holders who are subject to the two-year home-residency requirement (without a waiver), and J-1s who came for graduate medical training, cannot change status inside the US, so our senior admission consultant checks your DS-2019 and visa before anything is filed. Meanwhile I can check which partners allow Day-1 CPT after a change of status.