On September 14, a judge issued an injunction to the federal government’s newly proposed
rule to end the duration of status in response to a lawsuit filed by several parties.
This means that the duration of status regulations remain in place for now but this
may change at any point. We will try to update the website when new information becomes
available. However, please be aware that the information below is relevant to the
duration of status regulations (not the end of duration of status regulations) and
this information may no longer be relevant if the regulations change.
Post Completion Optional Practical Training provides students up to 12 months eligibility
to work in the United States in a job that is directly related to their major area
of study. Students can work for any employer, anywhere in the United States and do
not need a job offer to apply for the OPT work authorization through the United States
Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). But, you must choose a field of study
(which of your majors) you plan to work in and this information will be written on
the I-20 recommending you for OPT.
Before You Apply
There are many rules and requirements that must be met in order to stay in status
while doing OPT. One of the best ways to learn about OPT is to review the information
provided by the United States Department of Homeland Security Study in the States
website:
After you have reviewed the information provided, you are ready to get started on
the OPT application process.
Eligibility
In order to be eligible to apply for OPT, you must meet the following criteria:
You must be in valid F-1 visa status.
You must have been enrolled full-time in an academic program for at least one academic
year (two semesters) before beginning OPT.
Your academic advisor will need to certify your expected date of completion (see the
Academic Advisor Recommendation Form below).
You must not have already used 12 months of full-time CPT (part-time does not count).
You must submit your application while you are still in the United States. You are
not eligible to apply for OPT if you have already graduated and have left the United
States. (This includes short trips to Canada, Mexico or the Caribbean)
If you choose to apply for OPT before graduation, you should make sure that you are
certain that you will graduate. You may be unable to return to classes in a later
term. You should notify GEO immediately if you will not graduate.
OPT Rules
You MUST have an OPT EAD Card in your hands and the start date has occurred before
beginning work.
You can only work between the start and end dates listed on your OPT EAD Card.
You may not begin working before the start date on your EAD Card (even if you have
received your EAD card).
You may not continue to work after the end date on your EAD card.
If you failed to meet your graduation requirements, please contact GEO as soon as
possible to explore your options.
You must work at least 20 hours per week while on OPT. If you work less than 20 hours
per week you are accumulating “unemployment” in the eyes of DHS. If you accrue more
than 90 days of unemployment, you will be out-of-status.
Choose a start date for your OPT Work Authorization to begin. You can choose any date
between your program completion date and 60 days after. Since the End of Duration
of Status regulations are not currently in effect, students may select an OPT start date within 60 days of their program completion date. However,
the legal situation could change. Because of this uncertainty, students may want to select an OPT start date within 30 days of the program completion date. The
timing may help avoid problems if the End of Duration of Status regulations take effect
while the OPT application is being prepared.
Complete the following forms. You must schedule an OPT information meeting with GEO
in order to receive these forms. Please email GEO at [email protected] to schedule
an OPT information meeting.
Notify GEO and the Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP) Portal of any changes
to your employment and contact information within 10 days of the change by updating
this information through your SEVP OPT portal: https://sevp.ice.gov/opt/#/login
You will be given SEVP OPT Portal access if you are approved for OPT. Please notify
GEO immediately if you have any difficulties updating your information through the
SEVP OPT portal. There can be significant immigration consequences if you do not update
changes to your employment and contact information within a timely manner.
You are responsible for ensuring that any employment you accept is directly related
to your major field of study and appropriate for your degree level. Employment on
OPT may be paid or unpaid (i.e. unpaid internship or volunteering.)
If you have a pending OPT application and wish to change your address, you cannot
update your address through the SEVP OPT portal because you do not have access to
it yet. You will need to update your address both with USCIS and GEO separately within
10 days of the change.
If you change your employment information while on OPT and would like a new I-20 printed,
please email GEO at [email protected] to request one.
90-Day Unemployment Allowance: If you accrue more than 90-days of unemployment, you will be out-of-status and risk
your SEVIS record being automatically terminated. You must be working at least 20
hours per week while on OPT for the work to be counted as “employment” for immigration
purposes. If you work less than 20 hours per week, you are accumulating “unemployment”
in the eyes of DHS.
Plan to further your studies? Your OPT authorization will automatically be terminated
if you transfer to another school in the United States or start a new course of study.
Contact ISS and we can transfer your SEVIS record to that new school.
Remember to also update your last day of employment using your SEVP Portal.
You may submit your application to USCIS up to 90 days before but no later than 60
days after your program completion date. However, the legal situation could change.
If the End of Duration of Status regulations takes effect, students will need to submit
their application and have it received by USCIS within 30 days of their program completion
date. Because of this uncertainty, students may want to apply for OPT within 30 days
of their program completion date. The timing may help avoid problems if the End of
Duration of Status regulations take effect while the OPT application is being prepared.
Here’s a helpful tool to help you determine a date.
A student becomes eligible for another 12 months of Optional Practical Training when
they change higher educational levels. (i.e., 12 months of OPT after a bachelor’s
degree, another 12 months after a master’s degree, another 12 months after a doctoral
degree).
Some students in the science, technology, engineering, and mathematics fields may
apply for an additional 24-month STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics)
extension.
Students approved for OPT have access, though limited, to information in their SEVIS
record. The SEVP Portal allows students on authorized OPT to make the following updates:
U.S. living and mailing address
Physical home address
Telephone number
Employment information (for post-completion OPT only)
Students on authorized STEM OPT do not have access to update employment information,
only an ISS staff member can update this information in SEVIS
Once OPT has been approved, students will receive an email from [email protected] to the email listed in their SEVIS record that will guide students on how to create
their SEVP Portal account.
IMPORTANT: Any changes must be reported within 10 days. Failure to do so may result
in negative consequences imposed by the Department of Homeland Security.
After completing your time in OPT, you again have a 60-day grace period. However,
the legal situation could change. Because of this uncertainty, students may want to
behave as if there is a 30-day grace period. The timing may help avoid problems if
the End of Duration of Status regulations take effect.
During this time, these are some options to consider:
Prepare to leave the United States. You cannot leave and re-enter with your F-1
Obtain a SEVIS transfer to another school with the new school’s Transfer Pending I-20.
You will need to work with your new school to complete any necessary additional paperwork
in order to maintain your status.
Remember to also update your last day of employment using your SEVP Portal
Because of this uncertainty, students may want to behave as if there is a 30-day grace period.