What happens when an international student drops out of college?

As international students, we all hope to finish our studies and build successful careers afterwards.

What happens when an international student drops out of college?

When you drop out of college as an international student, you’ll lose your student status and be out of status.

Your student visa will be cancelled as you no longer remain enrolled in your program to maintain your visa status.

You’ll be offered a short grace period (usually between 15-60 days, depending on the country’s immigration laws) to either leave or switch to another visa type.

If at the end of the grace period, you’re still in the country without resolving your status, you’ll be forced out – deported and subsequently banned from entering the country for a period between 1 – 10 years or for life.

Read also: Which countries can I visit with a UK student visa?

In addition, if you’re on any financial aid like scholarships or grants, you’ll lose the aid.

Some scholarships and grants can request repayment because dropping out means you can’t complete the term or program as stipulated in the award terms.

Common scenarios when an international student drops out of college

Upon dropping out, you’ll:

• Lose your visa status: As an international student, you’re required to be enrolled full-time in your program to maintain your student visa.

Dropping out of college means you no longer meet this condition.

In this case, your school will notify immigration authorities, and you’ll be asked to leave the country immediately.

• Get a grace period: Some countries, like the U.S., will give you a grace period.

Within this time, you’re expected to leave or change your visa type if you’re eligible for a switch.

In the U.S., for instance, the grace period for F-1 visa holders is 15-60 days, depending on the situation.

• Be deported: If you’re still in the country after your grace period, and you haven’t changed your visa status, you’ll be deported.

Deportation comes with other punishments like a ban on re-entering the country in the future.

• Re-enrollment: After dropping out, it’s very unlikely that the same school will accept you again in the future.

It will be difficult for you to come back or get admission to another institution in the same country, especially if you have violated your visa terms.

• Lose funds: When you drop out, the fees you paid and expenses you already made will be gone.

You’ll also lose any funding you have currently ongoing.

If you received a loan, like a student loan or other financial obligations, you have to pay it back.

• Future visa applications: Dropping out of college will make it harder for you to get future visas to the same country for academic purposes.

Immigration authorities will scrutinize your past visa compliance when you apply for another visa, whether it’s a student visa or another type.

What happens to my student visa if I drop out?

When you drop out, your school will notify the immigration authorities of your change in enrollment status.

Then the immigration authorities will cancel your student visa.

Read also: What happens if you fail your visa interview?

Once cancelled, your visa will be invalid and can’t be used to enter the issuing country anymore.

What should I do if I want to drop out of college?

If you want to drop out of college, first speak with your academic advisor or a counsellor to know if it’s the right step to take and check your other options.

Inform the college and immigration authorities about your decision, as dropping out will affect your visa status if you’re an international student.

Read also: Which countries can I visit with a UK student visa?

It would help if you also had a plan, whether it’s returning home, transferring schools, or pursuing other opportunities.

Before dropping out of college, inform your college, do not just wake up and stop attending classes. Notify your school’s international student office of your intention to drop out.

One of the reasons to involve your school when dropping out is to keep your options open.

Read also: How early can you enter the UK on a student visa?

Should you want to return, you’ll be eligible to continue in the same college.

Maybe even continue from where you left it.

What can I do if I drop out of university?

The following options are available to students who drop out of college

1. Go for vocational training: If I were to drop out of college, I wouldn’t mind going for vocational and technical training programs.

I’ll choose a training program related to my career goals.

Fields like healthcare, IT, hospitality, and skilled trades are all great.

Read also: How early can I travel to Australia after being granted a student visa 500?

You can finish most of this training in a shorter period which makes it attractive.

2. You can go for alternative education: This is a good option if you drop out of college due to finance or other impediments that won’t interfere with alternative learning.

Start with alternative learning like online courses, or community college programs.

These options will not be as good as what you have in college but they are also great.

With them, you can learn specific skills without the commitment of full-time programs.

3. Transfer to another institution: In some cases, (which depends on the country you are studying in and your reason for dropping out), you can transfer to another college or university.

4. Explore entrepreneurship and startups: If you have business ideas, you can choose to explore entrepreneurship after dropping out of college.

You can work on your startup projects, work with a mentor, and, in some countries, apply for entrepreneur visas to establish and grow your business.

5. Volunteer and gap year programs: You can take a gap year to engage in volunteer work, cultural exchange programs, or internships that will help you gain valuable experiences.

Read also: What happens when an international student gets deported from Canada?

When you volunteer, you contribute to society while developing soft skills that are highly valued by employers.

6. You can apply for a different visa: Depending on the country’s immigration laws, go for other visa options after dropping out.

You can transition to a work visa or dependent visa if you have an established relationship with a resident or citizen in your host country.

FAQs

What happens if an international student is out of status?

If you’re out of status as an international student, it means you no longer meet the rules of your visa.

This can happen if you stop attending classes, don’t stay enrolled full-time, or break any visa conditions.

As a result, you lose the right to stay in the country legally, and renewing or changing your visa will become difficult.

You must leave the country immediately as being out of status while still in the country will affect your ability to get future visas – you can be banned.

Read also: Universities that Accept 2.5 GPA for Masters in Canada

To fix this, you need to quickly work with your school to see if you can reinstate your status.

Can international students withdraw?

If there is a valid reason, an international student can withdraw from their studies by notifying the school authorities.

Upon completing the withdrawal process, the student will lose their status and need to leave the country.

What are the consequences of dropping out of college in the UK?

The UK is not different from every other country, once you drop out of college, your UK student visa will be cancelled and you’ll lose your student status and have to leave the UK within a specified period, usually less than 60 days.

Is there a grace period for F-1 out of status?

Of course, there is usually a 15-day (or more) grace period for F-1 students if they drop out or otherwise fall out of status.

Within this grace period, you’re expected to prepare and leave the UK or sort out your visa status.

What happens to my student visa if I drop out of the UK?

If you drop out of your studies in the UK, your school will notify the Home Office that you’re no longer enrolled in school.

Once this happens, your visa will be cancelled, and you’ll be given a specified number of days to leave the UK.

Once you drop out, you have to leave the UK.

Can an F-1 student take a semester off?

F-1 students can take a semester off, but it must be authorized by your school and your leave must be temporary and for a compelling reason.

Read also: How to withdraw Canada visa application.

Without your school’s authorization, you can’t take a semester off as an F-1 student.

Dropping out of college is undoubtedly challenging. When you drop out, you’ll lose your student status and either leave the country or switch visas and remain in the country.