S3 Blog: You're Admitted: The Order of Next Steps (and Three Things Not to Do Yet)

Admission means the school accepted you academically. It does not authorize you to work, and it is not an I-20. The usual order is: verify the letter, read the conditions, pay the deposit through the official channel, complete I-20 requirements, plan your immigration step (SEVIS transfer, change of status or visa), enroll, and then request CPT from the school’s DSO. Map your dates before you pay, release or resign.

The moment of admission is when students make hasty, self-directed moves: releasing their SEVIS record, paying whoever asks, or leaving a job. Each of these can be difficult to undo.

Your journey from here
Admission → Verify offer → Conditions → Deposit → I-20 documents → Immigration/SEVIS planning → Enrollment → CPT authorization

Conditional vs. final admission
• Conditional admission: you are accepted, but something is still required, such as final transcripts, proof of degree, English evidence or financial documents. If the condition is not met by the deadline, the offer can be withdrawn.
• Final (full) admission: the school lists no outstanding academic conditions.
Either way, admission is separate from the I-20, which the school issues after it receives what it needs.

Step by step
1. Verify the letter. Confirm it came from the school’s official domain or from your applicant portal. Check your name, program, intake and campus or format. If anything looks off, contact the school using contact details from its official website, not the email itself. (See Article 13.)
2. Read the conditions and deadlines. Write down every date: deposit, documents, registration.
3. Pay the deposit only through the official channel. Ask what it covers and whether it is refundable. If you are still choosing between schools, ask how deposits work before you pay (see Article 5).
4. Complete the I-20 requirements. The school will list them. They commonly include financial documents, a passport copy, and, for transfer students, your current I-20 and a transfer-in form. Requirements and timing vary by school.
5. Plan your immigration step. See the table below.
6. Enroll and register. Complete orientation and registration. For students transferring, the transfer-in school’s DSO expects you to register and report within 15 days of the program start date on the new I-20.
7. Request CPT from the new school’s DSO. Provide whatever the school requires (often an employer document). Begin work only on or after the authorized start date shown on your I-20.

Three things NOT to do yet
⚠️ 1. DO NOT ASSUME ADMISSION MEANS CPT AUTHORIZATION CPT is authorized by the school’s DSO on your I-20, after the school has your record and its CPT requirements are met. Admission or a pending request does not authorize work.
⚠️ 2. DO NOT RELEASE YOUR SEVIS RECORD JUST BECAUSE YOU WERE ADMITTED Choosing a release date ends what your current school authorizes on that date, including OPT. Agree the date with both DSOs and your consultant first (see Article 4).
⚠️ 3. DO NOT RESIGN OR MAKE MAJOR STATUS DECISIONS BEFORE YOUR DATES ARE MAPPED Leaving a job, letting a grace period run, or paying a deposit before you know your dates can create gaps. Confirm requirements with the DSOs, and, for change of status, with USCIS guidance or an attorney.

Checklist: after admission
• Verify the admission letter
• Review the conditions
• Confirm program and intake
• Pay the deposit through the official channel
• Complete I-20 requirements
• Coordinate with the DSO(s)
• Map the SEVIS transfer or change-of-status timing
• Understand the CPT authorization process
• Confirm class and on-site attendance requirements

Bottom line
Verify, read, deposit through the official channel, then build the immigration timeline with both DSOs and your consultant before you pay, release or resign.