Employment After Graduation: Optional Practical Training (OPT)

F-1 international students have the opportunity to participate in Optional Practical Training after they graduate. This authorizes students to work in the U.S. for one year after graduation in a job related to their major. Students who graduated with a STEM degree are eligible to apply for an additional two years of OPT. While a Designated School Official (DSO) recommends OPT in SEVIS, it is the student who applies for the work permit with the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Service (USCIS). If the application is approved, USCIS will issue an Employment Authorization Document (EAD) for OPT. The student must not begin working before the start date on the EAD card.

Students may submit their application to USCIS 90 days before graduation and up to 60 days after. Any application that arrives before the 90 days or after the 60 days will be automatically denied by USCIS. A student has 30 days from the time that the OPT I-20 is created to submit the application to USCIS.

To be eligible to apply for OPT you must:

• Have been a full-time student for one academic year (two semesters),
• You have not been authorized for more than 364 days of full-time CPT, and
• You will meet all graduation requirements, including any internships when you apply for OPT.

• Form G-1145 (recommended),
• Form I-765,
• Filing fee of $410 (money order, cashier’s check, or personal check is preferred) payable to U.S. Department of Homeland Security (spelled out),
• Copy of new Form I-20 (includes OPT recommendation, provided by International Services),
• Two passport-style photos,
• Copy of I-94,
• Copy of Passport,
• Copy of Visa,
• Copy of any previous EAD (Employment Authorization Document) cards, and
• SEVIS CPT Printout (provided by International Services).

1. Fill out the OPT Request e-form on Sunapsis and begin gathering documents required for the application to USCIS. In the application, you will include your desired start date for OPT. This date must be after graduation but cannot be more than 60 days after graduation.
2. Once submitted, an email will be sent to your academic advisor to confirm that you will be graduating the semester that you are requesting OPT.
3. International Services will process your application and create a new I-20 that requests OPT authorization.
4. You may request to review your OPT application with a DSO.
5. The I-20 and OPT application must reach USCIS within 30 days of the creation of the I-20 or the application will be denied. You will mail the I-20 along with all other required documents to USCIS.
6. A couple of weeks after you have mailed your application you should receive Form I-797 Receipt Notice stating that USCIS has received your application.
7. USCIS will either approve your application, deny your application, reject your application if something was wrong with the original application (you would be allowed to resubmit your application), or request additional evidence/information.
8. If the application is approved, you will be mailed your EAD. You may not begin working until the start date on the EAD.

OPT Employment Timeline

• 1-2 Weeks
  Receipt: About 1-2 weeks after you submit your OPT application, you will receive a receipt notice from USCIS.
• After Submission
  Request: Some students may receive a Request for Information. Please contact International Services ASAP if this happens to you.
• 3-5 Months
  Decision: USCIS will make a decision and will either approve or deny your OPT request. If USCIS decides to approve your application, you will receive an approval notice from USCIS.
• After Approval
  EAD Card: Shortly after you receive an approval notice, you will receive your employment authorization document (EAD Card).
• After EAD Card Date
  Employment: You may not begin working until you reach the date listed on your EAD card. You must report your employment to International Services within 10 days of starting.

(OPT Employment Timeline Graphic Download)

• All jobs must be related to your major. You are not permitted to work in jobs that relate to your minor.
• You must work more than 20 hours per week.
• You can have multiple jobs as long as the combined hours add up to more than 20 hours per week.
• If you cannot find a paid job, you may volunteer in a position related to your major for more than 20 hours per week, and it will count as days of employment.
• You may be self-employed but should have a business license for authentication.

Possible types of OPT employment situations may include:

• Employment through an agency: you may work for a staffing/employment agency at other companies where they send you.
• Self-employed business: you may start a licensed business and be self-employed.
• Short-term multiple employers: musicians and other performing artists may work for multiple short-term employers (gigs).
• Work for hire: you contract work for another company; this is commonly known as 1099 contract work.
• Regular employment: you work for an established business or organization.

You are required to report to International Services:

• Within 10 days of any change in employment or personal address,
• 6 months after your OPT has started, and
• 12 months after your OPT has begun.

When there are any changes in your employment or address including, but not limited to, a change in your job title or description or change in employer, you must fill out the OPT Employment Update on Sunapsis. You may use the SEVIS Portal to report employment if you would like. However, you are still required to report to International Services even if you reported changes directly to SEVIS.