What happens when I switch to student visa after 6 years of H1b?

[zuberi]

As I am aware, after working in the U.S. for 6 years (or the date stamped on my I-94) under H1b, you need to leave and stay outside for 1 year and then come back.
Does this mean you must stay outside of the U.S.? Or can you stay with a different visa during that 1 year?
For example, let's say after I ran out of my 6 year period here I decided to enroll in a university. So I will switch from H1B to a student visa.
And after 2~4 years I will graduate. What happens when I graduate? Do I still need to go back to my country and stay outside for 1 year? Or does this get canceled out?

[raghvi]

As I am aware, after working in the U.S. for 6 years (or the date stamped on my I-94) under H1b, you need to leave and stay outside for 1 year and then come back.
Does this mean you must stay outside of the U.S.? Or can you stay with a different visa during that 1 year?
For example, let's say after I ran out of my 6 year period here I decided to enroll in a university. So I will switch from H1B to a student visa.
And after 2~4 years I will graduate. What happens when I graduate? Do I still need to go back to my country and stay outside for 1 year? Or does this get canceled out?

One must stay outside US. Even if you get on to a student visa, eventually you will have to convert to H1 to work, at that time they will not give you an H1 for 3 years as you haven't been outside US for 1 full Year. Its advisable to totally avoid visiting US during that 1 Year period. this is my opinion not legal advice.