如下:Continuing Students (F-1, F-3, M-1 or M-3) not in the United States If you are a continuing student who has been out of the United States for less than five months and maintained your status prior to leaving the United States, do not pay the SEVIS I-901 fee. If you are a continuing student who has been out of the United States for more than five months, maintained your status prior to leaving the United States, and have been participating in authorized overseas study, do not pay the SEVIS I-901 fee. If you are a student who has been out of the United States for more than five months and have not participated in authorized overseas study, you are no longer considered a continuing student by DHS. You need a new initial Form I-20 from a school and you need to pay the SEVIS I-901 fee. If you are a student who did not maintain status or you completed a previous program, you are no longer considered a continuing student by DHS. You need a new initial Form I-20 from a school and you need to pay the SEVIS I-901 fee.
Continuing student
For purposes of nonimmigrant status, a continuing student is one who has not completed, or terminated, a program of study and has maintained status. Continuing students may, under certain circumstances, transfer schools while continuing to maintain status. F-1 and F-3 students may also change their level of study while continuing to maintain status.