Optional Practical Training
Optional Practical Training (OPT) for students on F-1 visas provides up to 12 months of off-campus employment authorization. Employment must be directly related to the student’s major and can occur either during the student's academic program (Pre-completion OPT) or after graduation (Post-completion OPT). Students with majors in the STEM fields (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) are eligible to apply for a 24-month STEM OPT Extension at the end of their Post-completion OPT, for a total of 36 months of OPT work authorization.
Here are some helpful reminders when applying for OPT:
For ESR Students:
Here are some helpful reminders when applying for OPT:
- Students are eligible for 12 months of OPT at each educational level (Associate’s, Bachelor’s, etc.).
- Students who complete a total of 12 months or more of full-time CPT are no longer eligible for Optional Practical Training (OPT); this includes practical training after graduation.
- An application is required. There is a $470 application fee, and USCIS can take 3 - 5 months to adjudicate OPT applications (although early online applications tend to get adjudicated faster, applications submitted late in the season will likely take 3+ months).
- There is now an online version of the OPT application (I-765). Check out our OPT Online Application Guide for more details. Online processing times usually take 1-2 months when submitted early, but as usual, applications submitted late in the season will likely be waiting 3 or more months.
- OPT can be (a) Part-time or full-time during the student’s annual vacation and at other times when school is not in session, if the student intends to register for the next term or session; (b) Part-time while school is in session; or (c) Full-time (over 20 hours) after completion of the course of study.
- A 24-month STEM extension is possible for students who majored in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics fields. This is available only twice in a student’s lifetime. This application must be submitted within the 90 days before post-completion OPT ends and requires students to either be already employed or have an offer of employment with an E-Verify employer who will assist them in completing the form I-983 (must be submitted to an international student adviser before they can issue the I-20 with the STEM OPT Request).
- Students on OPT must report the following within 10 days of the change:
- Contact Information Updates: Address, Email & Phone Number. Use this link to update CGE with your contact information updates.
- Employment Updates: You must report any paid or unpaid positions to your international student advisers so they can update this information in SEVIS. For undergraduates, you can use the OPT Employment request in Terra Dotta to update your employment. For ESR students, please use this link.
- Travel Plans: If you plan to leave the country, your travel signatures while on OPT are only valid for 6 months. Please consult with an international student adviser about any travel plans.
To be eligible for OPT, you must meet the following requirements:
1.) You must be in valid F-1 status.
2.) You must have been enrolled for two consecutive semesters immediately prior to the proposed OPT period.
3.) Your major must be declared with the Registrar’s Office and any employment must be directly related to your major. You are not required to have an offer of employment prior to applying for OPT as OPT is general work authorization and is not tied to a specific job.
4.) You must not have used 12 or more months of full-time CPT or Pre-completion OPT.
5.) You must be physically present in the U.S. when you submit a Post-completion OPT application during the grace period (or it must be submitted before your program end date if you are out of the country on an off-campus program).
1.) You must be in valid F-1 status.
2.) You must have been enrolled for two consecutive semesters immediately prior to the proposed OPT period.
3.) Your major must be declared with the Registrar’s Office and any employment must be directly related to your major. You are not required to have an offer of employment prior to applying for OPT as OPT is general work authorization and is not tied to a specific job.
4.) You must not have used 12 or more months of full-time CPT or Pre-completion OPT.
5.) You must be physically present in the U.S. when you submit a Post-completion OPT application during the grace period (or it must be submitted before your program end date if you are out of the country on an off-campus program).
For Undergraduates and GPE students:
To apply for OPT, please go to the Request Center after logging into Terra Dotta to begin the OPT Request with our office so that we can produce the I-20 you will need to submit with your application.
Make an appointment with an international student advisor to review your I-765. You can choose to mail your application use the online version of the OPT application.
To apply for OPT, please go to the Request Center after logging into Terra Dotta to begin the OPT Request with our office so that we can produce the I-20 you will need to submit with your application.
Make an appointment with an international student advisor to review your I-765. You can choose to mail your application use the online version of the OPT application.
- If you plan to apply online, visit my.uscis.gov to create an account from which you can complete your I-765 before or during the appointment.
- Check out our OPT Online Application Guide for step-by-step instructions.
For ESR Students:
Request an I-20 with the official OPT Request from an international student adviser using this link. Make an appointment with an international student adviser to complete and review your I-765. You can choose to mail your application or use the online version of the OPT application but the online version is recommended. You will need to obtain and sign the new I-20 with the OPT Request on it to include with your application from an international student adviser before submitting your OPT request.
- If you plan to apply online, visit my.uscis.gov to create an account from which you can complete your I-765 before or during the appointment.
- Check out our OPT Online Application Guide for step-by-step instructions.
Determining when to apply for OPT, and understanding the deadlines associated, are very important as you begin the application process. Here are some reminders as you begin the OPT application process:
1.) A student’s 12 months of OPT must be completed within 14 months of their Program End Date. Meet with an International Student Adviser to discuss your actual Program End Date (which must be accurately recorded on your Form I-20).
2.) Students can apply for Post-completion OPT no more than 90 days before their Program End Date and no more than 60 days after their Program End Date.
3.) The entire OPT application, including a new Form I-20 indicating OPT recommendation, must be submitted to USCIS no more than 30 days after the OPT recommendation has been submitted in SEVIS.
4.) The expected USCIS processing time for an OPT application is 3 - 5 months for paper applications, 1-2 months for online.
5.) Graduates with Post-completion OPT are allowed up to 90 days of unemployment.
6.) Graduates volunteering for at least 20 supervised hours per week in their major field do not accrue days of unemployment if they report their volunteer experience to an International Student Adviser. Self-employment is also an option for post-completion OPT. Unemployment is not counted until the Start Date on the Employment Authorization Document (EAD).
7.) Employment can begin only on or after the OPT Start Date listed on the EAD.
1.) A student’s 12 months of OPT must be completed within 14 months of their Program End Date. Meet with an International Student Adviser to discuss your actual Program End Date (which must be accurately recorded on your Form I-20).
2.) Students can apply for Post-completion OPT no more than 90 days before their Program End Date and no more than 60 days after their Program End Date.
3.) The entire OPT application, including a new Form I-20 indicating OPT recommendation, must be submitted to USCIS no more than 30 days after the OPT recommendation has been submitted in SEVIS.
4.) The expected USCIS processing time for an OPT application is 3 - 5 months for paper applications, 1-2 months for online.
5.) Graduates with Post-completion OPT are allowed up to 90 days of unemployment.
6.) Graduates volunteering for at least 20 supervised hours per week in their major field do not accrue days of unemployment if they report their volunteer experience to an International Student Adviser. Self-employment is also an option for post-completion OPT. Unemployment is not counted until the Start Date on the Employment Authorization Document (EAD).
7.) Employment can begin only on or after the OPT Start Date listed on the EAD.