CCA Transition FAQs for F-1 Nonimmigrants
Frequently Asked Questions for currently enrolled F-1 students
Updated March 13, 2026
Q. What happens to my F-1 SEVIS record with news of this change for CCA?
A. CCA continues to have approval to host F-1 international students. There is no impact on your SEVIS record or ability to maintain F-1 status while CCA is open.
Q: I am a current F-1 student that will complete all of my degree requirements by June 2027. Can I still apply for OPT?
A: Yes. You will be eligible to apply for post-completion OPT, provided you meet standard F-1 OPT eligibility criteria. The ISS team at CCA will assist you with this process. As always, ISS recommends applying for post-completion OPT as early as possible to avoid processing delays by USCIS.
CCA has secured an agreement with a fellow AICAD school to take over the administration and continued oversight of SEVIS records for CCA alumni who are on OPT at the time of CCA’s closure.
Please visit the ISS Applying for OPT page for more information.
Q. I am a currently enrolled F-1 international student who wants to transfer from CCA to another SEVIS approved school in the US. What should I do?
A. You must request that International Student Services (ISS) release your SEVIS record to your new school. More information can be found on the SEVIS Transfer Information page on CCA Portal: Transferring F-1 SEVIS record out of CCA
The timeline to transfer with an active SEVIS record is something students should discuss with ISS, so please schedule an appointment to review all information.
Q. I am a currently enrolled F-1 international student wishing to withdraw from CCA classes and depart the United States (not transferring to a US based school). What should I do?
A. F-1 students must be enrolled full-time each academic semester to maintain nonimmigrant status. If you are deciding to withdraw from CCA classes and leave the US once the semester has started, withdrawing from classes means that you cannot maintain your F-1 status in the United States since you aren't enrolled full-time. ISS will need to terminate your F-1 SEVIS record within 15 days of the withdrawal from CCA classes. You should make plans to depart the US before the end of that 15 day period to avoid any undue hardship with future immigration requests.
Please schedule an appointment to discuss more about your situation.
Q : Why can’t F-1 students change their major to the new BA in Art and Design?
A : CCA was recently approved to offer this new BA degree program by our primary accreditor, WASC, to provide students with an alternative pathway to complete their degrees. However, before enrolling F-1 students, all new degree programs require approval by the Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP). Unfortunately, the current timeline for SEVP review of a new degree program is 18 to 24 months. So, this new program cannot be approved to enroll our F-1 students before CCA closes after the 2026 - 2027 academic year.
Frequently Asked Questions for F-1 alums on active OPT / STEM OPT
Q. I am a CCA alum on OPT/ STEM OPT. What happens to my SEVIS record and current employment authorization?
A. CCA has secured an agreement with a fellow AICAD school to take over the administration and continued oversight of SEVIS records for CCA alumni who are on active OPT or active STEM OPT in June 2027. We have confirmed with SEVP that this agreement meets their current policy for allowing F-1 students on active OPT and active STEM OPT to meet their STEM OPT reporting requirements and continue to maintain their work authorization status without interruption.
As we get closer to CCA’s closure date, if you do not want your CCA SEVIS record moved to the AICAD partner school, you must inform ISS, and we will follow up with you directly about your plans and next steps.
For more information, visit :