Optional Practical Training

Optional Practical Training (OPT) must be directly related to students' field of study and is limited to a maximum of 12 full months for each educational degree. Students generally begin OPT after completing their program of study, but some also engage in OPT before completing their program.

For students participating in OPT after they complete their program, this is called Post-Completion OPT, and is the most commonly used OPT. If a student is interested in participating in OPT before they complete their program, this is called Pre-Completion OPT. In either situation, OPT is limited to a maximum of 12 months. Therefore, if a student did three months of Pre-Completion OPT during their program, they could only complete nine months of Post-Completion OPT.

• Qualifying for OPT
  • You can apply if you have completed at least one full academic year and will be graduating (for post-completion OPT).
  • Any paid and unpaid jobs related to your degree may be eligible for OPT.
  • The employment must be for more than 20 hours. It may consist of one job or several jobs totaling more than 20 hours.

  Please review the list of types of employment here to see which you can participate in.

• Applying for OPT
  1. Attend an OPT workshop, at which you will pick up the OPT application and required documents. Attending an OPT workshop is mandatory. Please sign up for the OPT workshop online at NarwhalNation.
  2. Prepare the required documents and submit them to ISSS to have your application reviewed.
  3. Pick up your application from ISSS and submit it to USCIS within 30 days of the date the I-20 was issued.
• After You Submit Your OPT Application

  You should receive a receipt notice within two weeks. This notice shows that your application has been received by USCIS. The notice will include your case number. You can check your case status with that number on the USCIS website.

  After you get the receipt notice, you will receive either an approval notice or a request for evidence letter (RFE). If you receive an RFE or anything else that is not an approval notice, please contact ISSS immediately to speak with an advisor.

• Maintaining Your Visa Status on OPT

  Once you have been approved for OPT, complete the following next steps:

  • Look over your EAD card after you receive it in the mail.
  • Upload a copy of your EAD card to ISSS through an Updated Document Upload in iGlobal.
  • Report all of your employment on OPT through either an iGlobal request or the SEVP portal. Remember that you can engage only in employment that is directly related to your field of study. You have a maximum of 90 days of unemployment on OPT.
  • Once you are approved for OPT, you can request to have your health insurance extended for your post-completion OPT period.

   

• International Travel on OPT

  You may travel internationally once your OPT is approved. In order to re-enter the United States, you will need:

  • A passport (valid for at least six months)
  • An unexpired F-1 visa
  • Your most recent I-20 with a valid travel signature (travel signatures are valid for only six months on OPT)
  • An EAD card
  • Proof/letter of employment 

  Do NOT enter the United States in a different status. If your F-1 visa has expired, you need a new one to enter the United States. 

  Please be aware that traveling internationally when your OPT is still in pending status is a risk and ISSS does not recommend it. For more information, please see our High-Risk Travel Periods page.

• Entrepreneurship on OPT

  One pathway to employment for OPT and beyond is to start your own business. ISSS has partnered with the Center for Student Success – Career Services to provide you with resources and information on how to set up a business. For more details, see Entrepreneurship on the Career Services website.

• Pre-Completion OPT

  OPT before completion of the course of study is commonly called Pre-Completion OPT. Since OPT is counted cumulatively and 12 total months of OPT are available, any Pre-Completion OPT done before a degree is completed will count against that 12-month total and reduce time available for Post-Completion OPT after the degree is awarded.

  A student who still has coursework remaining to complete their educational objective or degree program is limited to 20 hours per week of Pre-Completion OPT while school is in session. Students can, however, apply for full-time OPT during their annual vacation, and during other official school breaks.

  If you are interesting in Pre-Completion OPT, please speak with an ISSS Advisor. It is possible that CPT authorization can be used instead of Pre-Completion OPT and it is best to discuss all options with an ISSS Advisor.

• Students on Thesis or Dissertation

  If a student has completed all coursework except thesis or dissertation, they can apply for either pre-completion or post-completion OPT. However, to apply for post-completion OPT the student will have their I-20 program end date shortened. Please discuss the situation with an ISSS Advisor.