Optional Practical Training (OPT) is temporary employment authorization for international students in F-1 status, that allows you to have a job, internship, or volunteer work that directly relates to your major field of study.
听To request OPT authorization, you听must submit an application to the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), accompanied by a fee of $410; the application has a processing time that can take several months. Before filing an OPT application with USCIS, you听must first receive an I-20 recommending OPT from ISSS. This is very important! If you submit the USCIS online application before receiving the I-20 recommending OPT from ISSS, the OPT application will be denied, as the regulations require the recommendation be entered into SEVIS prior to the OPT filing.听听听
Note: You must submit your application to USCIS within 30 days of the ISSS signature date on the recommending I-20 if you are applying for Pre- or Post-completion OPT.听
Types of OPT Authorization:
The benefit of Pre-Completion OPT is that it allows you to request off-campus work authorization prior to graduating, if you have听completed at least 1 academic year (Fall and Spring semesters, summer does not count) in valid non-immigrant status in the U.S. Time spent authorized for Pre-Completion OPT will reduce some of the time available for Post-Completion OPT. Students who are eligible for Curricular Practical Training (CPT) often prefer CPT over Pre-Completion OPT.听
- Make a or come to the ISSS office during walk-in advising hours to discuss if Pre-Completion OPT or CPT is better for you.听
You are eligible to apply for Post-Completion OPT after you have completed all degree requirements or after completion of all coursework (excluding thesis or dissertation credits). Post-Completion OPT allows for up to 12 months of work authorization in the United States. The first day that you can apply for post-completion OPT is 90 days before your last date of enrollment in your final semester. The last day you can apply is 60 days after your last day of enrollment. Do not delay and plan ahead! If you want to apply for post-completion OPT, we recommend applying early to increase your chances of getting approved for your requested start date. ISSS recommends that master's thesis students and Ph.D. students reach out to ISSS to discuss the timing of their Post-Completion OPT application prior to the semester in which they plan to defend their thesis/dissertation.
A 24-month extension of Post-Completion OPT is available if you who have earned certain and the听employer is enrolled in the . You can request the STEM OPT Extension no more than 90 days before the end of their Post-Completion OPT period. You need an I-20 from ISSS recommending the STEM OPT Extension before you file the STEM OPT application with USCIS. The extension is not automatically granted.听
ISSS Workshops and Advising:
ISSS offers comprehensive online workshops for Pre-Completion, Post-Completion, and STEM OPT Extensions. These workshops discuss eligibility, the application process, and other important information. The workshops do not require registration; just click on the Zoom link at the time of the workshop.
Visit the ISSS Advising Services webpage for ISSS walk-in advising hours, to schedule a remote advising appointment, or for ISSS office contact information.