Post Completion Optional Practical Training

DEFINITION

Optional Practical Training (OPT) is a temporary job training opportunity that must be directly related to an F-1 student's major area of study. It is intended to provide a student with practical experience in his or her field of study upon completion of a degree program. Students may be eligible for an extension of their OPT, known as the STEM OPT 24-Month Extension if they have received a degree in a recognized STEM field and have completed their Post-Completion Optional Practical Training period of up to 12-months. 

All OPT and STEM OPT Recommendation Requests can be found in your ISSS Gateway Portal. Complete the required information on the request. For questions regarding the application of the OPT/STEM OPT process, review the information on this webpage and then contact your international advisor. If you are unsure of who your assigned international advisor is, please see the advising-staff-directory.

How to file the I-765 for Post Completion OPT and the 24-Month STEM OPT Extension. 

I-765 for Post-Completion OPT Filing Online Instructions

I-765 for the STEM OPT 24-Month Extension Online Filing Instructions

Things to Note

  • You may submit your Post-Completion OPT application packet to the USCIS as early as 90 days before your academic program end date. 
  • The latest date the USCIS will accept your Post-Completion OPT application is 60 days after your academic program end date.  Your academic program end date will be determined by your academic level and degree type, as listed below.
  • As a reminder, you may not continue working on-campus, as a graduate teaching assistant, as a graduate research assistant, or on CPT after your program end date.

Determining your Program End Date Based on Your Specific Program

  • Undergraduate Students your program end date will be the last day of the graduating semester based on the Registrar’s Office academic calendar. 
  • Master’s Students Without Thesis your program end date will be the last day of the graduating semester based on the Registrar’s Office academic calendar.
  • Master’s Students With Thesis- The latter of either your estimated date of final library copy submission or last day of graduate assistantship, if applicable.
  • Doctorate Students-The latter of either your estimated date of final library copy submission or last day of graduate assistantship, if applicable.

Selecting your OPT Start Date

When selecting the request dates for your Post-Completion OPT, you may not select a start date before or on your program end date, or more than 60 days after your program end date.  Also, the end date of your Post-Completion OPT cannot be later than 14 months after your program end date. 

Please note, the requested dates of Post-Completion OPT will be considered by the USCIS but cannot always be fulfilled.  The USCIS may authorize Post-Completion OPT for dates later than requested or for less than 12 months, but will not authorize Post-Completion OPT for dates earlier than requested.

Our office requires a minimum of 10 business days to process all employment-based requests, including Post-Completion OPT and STEM OPT.  Please allow yourself sufficient time to receive your Post-Completion recommendation I-20 and to complete your Post-Completion OPT application.  As a reminder, you must file your application with the USCIS within 30 days of the date that your International Advisor enters the recommendation for Post-Completion OPT into your SEVIS record. 

1) To begin the OPT Recommendation Process, login to your ISSS Gateway Portal. After logging in, go to the request center tab. On the request center tab you will find the OPT Recommendation Request, complete as much information as you can. See the OPT Recommendation Request Instructions

2) Pay the $200 Post-Completion OPT administrative fee. Note that no refunds will be processed for selecting the incorrect fee or canceling the request after it has been made. The payment can be made online on our Marketplace.  A receipt will be emailed to the email listed after payment has been made. You will need to upload this receipt as part of the OPT Recommendation Request. Use the file upload to upload the receipt confirmation. 

Please understand, we will not process incomplete forms or accept applications without all of the necessary forms and signatures included.  Students filing online may also submit a digital draft of their Form I-765 for review.  Students filing by mail may also submit their completed Forms G-1145 and I-765 for review. 

3) Once your forms, Joe’SS record, and SEVIS record have been reviewed and any necessary corrections have been made, we will add a recommendation for Post-Completion OPT in your SEVIS record.  A new I-20 (recommendation I-20) will be generated for you during this process. You will receive an email from your international advisor confirming that the recommendation has been processed. 

4) The Post-Completion recommendation I-20 will be emailed to you for your use when submitting your Post-Completion OPT application to the USCIS.  Please print the I-20 and hand-sign and date page 1 in blue ink.  You will also be provided instructions on how to receive your original I-20.

5) Complete and file your Post-Completion OPT application using the appropriately provided Post-Completion OPT Filing guide.  Once the USCIS has received your application, online or by mail, you will be issued a Form I-797c, Notice of Action letter which will serve as your application receipt.  Please allow 10 – 14 days for the letter to be mailed to your provided address by the USCIS.

You may NOT begin employment, paid or voluntary, before receiving your EAD card from the USCIS or before the start date listed on your EAD card. 

Once your application for Post-Completion OPT has been approved, you will be provided with instructions on employment requirements and reporting, as well as how to maintain your SEVIS status. Additional guidance and assistance on the Post-Completion OPT program can be found at the following sites:

USCIS- OPT for F-1 Students

Study in the States- Training Opportunities in the United States

Study in the States- SEVP Portal

USCIS Check Case Processing Times

USCIS Check Case Status

Requirements

There are additional requirements for STEM OPT that do not apply to Post-Completion OPT (OPT).  Failure to adhere to STEM OPT requirements may negatively impact your SEVIS status.  Please keep the following requirements in mind as you apply for STEM OPT: 

  • Your degree must be in a STEM-approved major. To determine if your major qualifies for STEM OPT, please visit STEM OPT Eligible CIP Codes.
  • The STEM OPT position must be full-time and wage-earning
  • The STEM OPT employer must have a registered E-Verify account with the Department of Homeland Security
  • A Form I-983 training plan must be submitted to your International Advisor for each STEM OPT employer and/or employment change.
  • Any employer or employment changes must be reported to your International Advisor within 10 days of the change
  • Employment verification reporting and evaluations must be completed and submitted to your International Advisor at scheduled intervals 
  • See the Form I-983 Instructions for more assistance with the training plan. 

Deadlines

There are strict deadlines that must be followed when applying for STEM OPT.  Applications filed outside of the deadlines or with expired forms will likely be denied by the USCIS.  Please keep the following processing times and deadlines in mind as you apply for STEM OPT:

  • The earliest date the USCIS will accept your STEM OPT application and I-765 fee is 90 days before the expiration date listed on your current OPT EAD card
  • The latest date the USCIS will accept your STEM OPT application and I-765 fee is on the expiration date of your current OPT EAD card
  • You may not apply for STEM OPT after the expiration date of your current OPT EAD card 
  • The USCIS must receive your STEM OPT recommendation I-20 no later than 60 days after the STEM OPT recommendation was made in your SEVIS record by your International Advisor.  This date may be different than the date your I-20 was issued.
  • We require a minimum of 10 business days to process OPT/STEM OPT requests once the necessary forms have been received.  Please allow sufficient time to receive your STEM OPT recommendation I-20 and to file your STEM OPT application.
  • If your OPT authorization expires while your timely filed STEM OPT application is still pending, the USCIS will automatically extend your OPT authorization for 180 days.  This automatic 180-day extension ceases once the USCIS adjudicates your STEM OPT application. 

Application Filing Options and Steps

You must receive a STEM OPT recommendation I-20 from your International Advisor before filing your application. Follow these steps below to complete the request for the STEM OPT 24-Month Extension. 

1) To begin the STEM OPT 24-Month Extension Recommendation Process, login to your ISSS Gateway Portal. After logging in, go to the request center tab. On the request center tab you will find the STEM OPT Recommendation Request, complete as much information as you can.

Pay the $300 STEM OPT 24-Month Extension administrative fee.  The payment can be made online at Marketplace.  A receipt will be generated at the end of the transaction and sent to you via email. You will need to be submit this on the file upload section of the request in your ISSS Gateway Portal.

2)  Complete the required Form I-983 and the required information on the STEM OPT Recommendation Request. For additional instructions see this link. STEM OPT Recommendation Process Instructions                                                                                           

3) Submit the STEM OPT Recommendation Form, Form G-1145 (only if filing by mail), Form I-765 (only if filing by mail), Form I-983, and Marketplace receipt to your International Advisor through the Request Center.  Students filing online may also submit a draft of their digital Form I-765 for review in advance.  Incomplete forms and/or applications without all of the necessary forms and signatures will not be accepted or processed. 

4) A recommendation for STEM OPT will be made in your SEVIS record and a new I-20 issued.  This will be your STEM OPT recommendation I-20 that must be filed with your STEM OPT application.  The STEM OPT recommendation I-20 will be emailed to you, please print the I-20 and hand-sign and date page 1 in blue ink. 

5) Schedule an advising appointment with your International Advisor at Advising-by-Appointment to review your STEM OPT application and materials.

6) Complete and file your STEM OPT application using the appropriate guidance provided on STEM OPT filing.

Additional Resources

If you have any questions about STEM OPT, please contact your International Advisor.  Additional guidance and assistance for the STEM OPT program can be found at the following sites:

Study in the States STEM OPT Hub

USCIS OPT Extension for STEM Students

USCIS Check Case Status using the receipt number listed in your Form I-797c, Notice of Action

USCIS Check Case Processing Times for Form I-765 processing at the Potomac Service Center

 

Students may work as volunteers or unpaid interns, if this practice does not violate any labor laws, this includes employment where paid work should be received. Generally, if another person is being paid for the same position, it should not be reported as a voluntary position for OPT.

The work should be at least 20 hours per week for students on post-completion OPT and most directly relate to the student's major. A student should be able to provide evidence, acquired from the student's employer, to verify that he or she worked at least 20 hours per week during the period of employment.

Volunteer positions that are not directly related to your course of study do not qualify as optional practical training (OPT) and must not be listed as OPT employment. Reporting non-qualifying volunteer opportunities as OPT employment will be deemed a violation of your reporting requirements and subject you to removal from the United States.

In addition, non-qualifying volunteer positions do not stop the accrual of unemployment which is limited to a total of 90 days during OPT. Accordingly, if you have been unemployed for more than 90 days, you must leave the United States or be subject to removal even if you have volunteered while unemployed.

What happens if a student reports employment falsely or does not meet the correct reporting requirements?

A student may be denied future immigration benefits that rely on the student's valid F-1 status if DHS determines that the student exceeded the limitations on authorized unemployment.

Additionally, ICE/SEVP may examine SEVIS data for an individual, a selected group, or all students on post-completion OPT and terminate a student's record if it fails to show the student maintained the proper period of employment. In such cases, the student will be allowed to show that he or she complied with all OPT requirements, including maintaining employment.

Students are encouraged to report changes in employment to their DSO as soon as possible. SEVP recommends that students report changes within 10 business days of the change to avoid situations where a DHS official may determine the student is out of status.

OPT Employment Options

  • You may only start working once you have your EAD in your possession and you have reached the start date on the card. Email confirmation or receipt notices from USCIS will not suffice as evidence of work authorization. You may only work within the dates printed on the card.
  • Your job must be directly related to your academic field of study. You are not permitted to work on or off campus after your I-20 program completion date unless the job directly relates to your field and falls within the dates on your EAD. You will need to prepare a short statement drawing a logical connection between your studies and employment.
  • Employment must be a minimum of 20 hours per week, paid or unpaid, to maintain legal F-1 OPT status. You should retain evidence from your employer(s) to verify that you are working at least 20 hours per week.
  • Limitation on unemployment for Post-Completion OPT: Once your post-completion OPT period starts, you may not accrue more than a total of 90 days of unemployment within the dates on your EAD. You need to begin your employment and and report your employment by submitting an OPT update to OISS in order to stop the unemployment clock in SEVIS. Time spent outside the United States, if not employed by a U.S. employer, is counted towards the 90-day period of unemployment. 

Multiple Employers: You may work for more than one employer, but all employment must be related to your degree program.

Contract Work, Consulting, or Work for Hire: Commonly referred to as 1099 or independent contractor employment, where an individual performs a service based on a contractual relationship rather than an employment relationship. If you work for hire, keep documents showing the duration of the contract periods and the name and address of the contracting company.

Self-employment: Only permitted on OPT, not STEM OPT. You may start a business and be self-employed. You should be able to prove that you have the proper business licenses and are actively engaged in a business related to your degree program.

It is important to keep records of your employment history while on OPT. You may need to present them as evidence when entering the U.S., or as proof of maintaining lawful status should you apply for future immigration benefits.

Examples of records to keep:

  • offer letters
  • contracts
  • payroll stubs
  • letters describing volunteer activity and hours
  • EAD cards, even when OPT has ended

STEM OPT Reporting: Understanding the Evaluations

STEM OPT Reporting Requirements

Students who have been authorized for STEM OPT are expected to complete evaluations and employment reporting at specific intervals during their 24 months of employment.

All STEM OPT Students should report their evaluations via their ISSS Gateway Portal by using the STEM Report Participation Request on the Request Center Tab. 

Based on your STEM OPT employment authorization start date you will have the following tasks to complete:

Semi-Annual Reporting

The 6-Month and 18-Month Reports

  • 6-Month Reporting is to assure that your information does not need to be updated. It is to check your current employer has not changed. Any material changes should be reported on a new Form I-983 to your International Advisor. 
  • 18-Month Reporting is to assure that after you have completed your evaluation at the 12-month mark there have been no changes to your employment information. It is to check your current employer has not changed. Any material changes should be reported on a new Form I-983 to your International Advisor. 

Annual Reporting

The 12-Month and 24-Month Reports

  • 12-month Reporting is to evaluate your current Practical Training with your employer a Form I-983 will need to be submitted with the top section of Page 5.  
  • 24-Month Reporting is to evaluate your completion of your Practical Training. Is is referred to as your final reporting requirement. You will need to submit your Form I-983 with all sections completed including the bottom section of page 5.