On 4/18/08 USCIS released an Update regarding the opportunity for F-1 students to request a change of status. U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced that it would allow F-1 students who are the beneficiaries of selected H-1B petitions for fiscal year (FY) 2009 to request a change of status in lieu of Consular notification. Please click here for the Update.