Optional Practical Training

Eligibility Apply Approved

What is Optional Practical Training (OPT)?

Optional Practical Training (OPT) allows F-1 students 12 months of full-time, practical work experience in their field of study per degree level. Code of Federal Regulations (CFR): 8 CFR 214.2 (f)(10).

OPT is temporary employment that is directly related to an F-1 student’s major area of study.  There are different types of OPT available to students.

Types of OPT

Type OPT STEM OPT Cap Gap OPT
What Temporary practical training directly related to a student’s major area of study. Temporary extension of previously granted practical training directly related to a student’s major areas of study in a STEM field. Temporary extension of previously granted practical training directly related to a student’s major areas of study while an H-1B application is pending.
Who OPT is available for students engaged in post-secondary schools or at conservatories. The STEM OPT Extension is for students who majored in designated Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) degrees approved by DHS. Cap-Gap OPT is for students whose prospective employers filed a qualifying H-1B cap subject petition and whose OPT will end before the H-1B status begins.
When OPT employment authorization may be granted pre-completion (part-time while school is in session or full-time during winter or summer breaks) or post-completion (full-time after the completion of studies). Students apply for the STEM OPT Extension after they have been approved for Post Completion OPT. The earliest to apply for STEM OPT is 90 days before the end of the OPT listed on the EAD. The deadline to apply for STEM OPT is the end date on the OPT EAD. The cap-gap extension is available to students who, as of April 1st were either on approved OPT or in the 60-day grace period and have a pending or approved change-of-status October 1st H-1B petition with USCIS that was filed by their employer prior to the expiration of their OPT.
Duration Twelve months of regular OPT is available for each higher level of study. For example, a student may have 12 months for a bachelor’s degree and another 12 months for a master’s degree. This type of OPT is a 24-month extension of OPT and can only be used at a maximum of two degree levels. For example, if a student uses STEM OPT at the bachelor’s and master’s levels, they may not use STEM OPT at the doctoral level. Cap Gap OPT ends on October 1 when the H-1B change of status goes into effect.

 

OPT Eligibility

F-1 students who have been enrolled in full-time (or approved Reduced Course Load) degree status for a minimum of one academic year (two consecutive semesters) in valid non-immigration status may be eligible to apply for OPT. If you have questions about your eligibility to apply for OPT, meet with an ISSS Advisor.

Any proposed OPT employment must directly relate to the student’s field of study to be eligible for OPT.

Important Notes for OPT

  • While on OPT, you are no longer eligible for student health insurance after August of your graduation year. You may want to enroll in your employer’s insurance benefit or seek individual options.

Note: Check with Student Health Services to find out when your Marymount student health insurance coverage will end. ISSS does not handle student health insurance. Therefore, any questions regarding student health insurance should be directed to Student Health Services.

  • After you successfully complete OPT, you have a 60-day grace period. During that time, you may apply for change of status, transfer your record electronically to another SEVP-approved school, or prepare to leave the United States.
  • When you leave the United States, make sure to use an official port of departure to exit the U.S. Allow time at airports and land crossings to complete an exit interview, even if traveling to Mexico or Canada, if you are subject to Special Registration.
  • If you leave the U.S. before your OPT ends, please communicate with the ISSS office, so that your SEVIS record may be properly reported as completed, so that you have a clean record for future visas applications.

Steps to Apply for OPT

Step 1: Attend an OPT workshop prior to submitting your OPT I-20 request.

All students interested in applying for OPT must attend an ISSS hosted OPT workshop within 6 months of submitting the OPT I-20 request. Check the International Student Services page on MU Engage for upcoming workshop information.

Step 2: Request the OPT recommended I-20 from ISSS

  1. Log in to the ISSS Portal.
  2. Proceed to Tab 4.
  3. Scroll down and click on OPT I-20 Request.
  4. Complete the online request form, including: read the information, take the quiz, fill out the questionnaire, and include the name and email address of your Academic Advisor.

Step 3: Academic Approval

Your Academic Advisor will review your academic eligibility and confirm your expected graduation date. Note: Once your request is approved by your Academic Advisor, the online form will automatically be forwarded to an ISSS Advisor for further review and processing.

Step 4: ISSS will issue your OPT I-20

  1. ISSS will only review or issue your OPT Recommended I-20 after ISSS has received approval from your Academic Advisor. Please note that this process may take up to 10 business days.
  2. If the ISSS Advisor has questions or needs more information, they will contact you via your Marymount student email account.
  3. Once issued, ISSS will upload the OPT Recommended I-20 to the Documents section within Tab 4 of your ISSS Portal. You will be notified via your Marymount student email account.

Step 5: Gather Required Supporting Documents (may be done at the same time as steps 3-4)

  1. Gather the documents that are required for your OPT application to USCIS:
    1. Passport style photographs
    2. Scanned copy of your most recent valid passport identification/photo page
    3. Scanned copy of your most recent F-1 visa or Change of Status Approval Notice, if you changed your status inside the U.S.
    4. Most recent I-94
    5. Scanned copies of all previous I-20s
    6. Scanned copy of OPT Recommended I-20 issued by ISSS
  2. Organize and save these documents in an easily accessed place on your computer.

Step 6: Complete the I-765 Application

  1. Create a MyUSCIS online account to ease the application process.
  2. Follow the ISSS instructional video for a step-by-step guide to fill in the online I-765 form.
  3. DO NOT PAY THE FEE YET. DO NOT CLICK SUBMIT YET. (See Step 7 below.)

Step 7: Application Review

  1. Watch the ISSS instructional video (see step 6 above) to ensure that you completed the application correctly. You may request an appointment with an ISSS Advisor to review your application prior to payment and submission. Please note that a review by an ISSS Advisor does not guarantee that you completed your application correctly or that your application will be approved by USCIS.
  2. Make sure that you have your OPT Recommended I-20 attached before you pay and submit the application online to USCIS.

Note: If you pay and submit your application and then are rejected for failing to attach required documents or for missing information, USCIS will not refund your money and you may miss out on the opportunity to re-apply. Be sure to review your application very carefully before paying and submitting.

Step 8: Submit Your I-765 Application to USCIS

    1. Make any ISSS Advisor suggested corrections to your online I-765 and supporting documents.
    2. Finalize the online I-765 application.
    3. Pay the fee and submit.
    4. You should immediately receive a Receipt Notice of Action.
    5. Report your OPT Application Receipt number to ISSS by logging in to the ISSS Portal, navigating to Tab 4, and clicking OPT/STEM OPT Receipt Number request.

OPT Timeline

Pre-Completion OPT

A qualified student may apply for pre-completion OPT up to 90 days prior to their desired start date, but not more than 90 days prior to completing one full academic year in the US.

Post-Completion OPT

  • A qualified student may apply for post-completion OPT up to 90 days prior to the completion of all degree requirements and up to 60 days following degree completion.
  • The OPT start date must fall between the date on which the student completes all degree requirements and the 60th subsequent day.
  • A student does not need to have a job starting exactly on the requested start date, but the selected date will be noted on the Employment Authorization Document (EAD) card. Students will only be allowed to work between the dates noted on the EAD card.
  • Please note that your OPT application must be received by USCIS within 30 days of the OPT Recommended I-20 issue date.

Optional Practical Training

USCIS Processing Times

USCIS processing times can vary. Always check the official USCIS website for the current processing time. Check the processing time using the following information:

  • Form: I-765
  • Form Category: Based on a request by a qualified F-1 academic student [(c)(3)]
  • Field Office of Service Center: Potomac Service Center

OPT Pending

Notice of Action: Form I-797

You should immediately receive a Form I-797 Notice of Action. This will prove that you have an application pending with USCIS. This Notice of Action will include a receipt.

  • At any time, you may use this number to check your case status on the USCIS online account you created.
  • Upload the Form I-797 Notice of Action to your ISSS portal, Tab 4.

Travel

ISSS advises against traveling out of the U.S. while your OPT application is in pending status. You may not be able to re-enter the U.S. after the Completion Date on your I-20 unless you have an approved EAD card.

If you feel that you must travel during this time, please talk to an ISSS Advisor before making final plans.

Timeline & Working

The USCIS application adjudication process may take 3 to 5 months. It is important to plan accordingly.

  • You may check the current processing times on the USCIS website.
  • Students can check the status of their application anytime through the USCIS account where they submitted the application.
  • Students can interview for jobs during this time, but they are not allowed to start work until they have the EAD in hand and it is on or after the start date listed on the EAD card.
  • After 3 to 5 months, the student should receive a Form I-797 Notice of Action approval letter and, shortly after that, the student should receive the Employment Authorization Document (EAD card).
  • It is the student’s responsibility to check their EAD for errors and, if any, contact an ISSS Advisor.

OPT Approved

While on OPT, you are still responsible for maintaining F-1 status. Also, Marymount University will still be maintaining your SEVIS / I-20 record.

You are obligated by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security to:

1.  Provide ISSS with a copy of your EAD

You must have your EAD card when you start working and you cannot start working before the start date printed in the card.

Submit a copy of your EAD to ISSS to receive an updated I-20:

  1. Log in to the ISSS Portal.
  2. Navigate to Tab 4.
  3. Click OPT Card (EAD) Upload.

Double check the information printed on your EAD to ensure there are no mistakes. If you see a mistake on your EAD, contact an ISSS Advisor immediately.

2.  Report Any Employment or Personal Information Changes within 10 days of a change
  • Report any and all (and any new) employment you undertake while on OPT. Report your employer’s name, address, your employment start and end dates, and hours worked per week as well as subsequent changes.
  • Report any updates to your address, phone number, email, or name.

There are two ways to report:

In the ISSS Portal, proceed to Tab 4:

  • To report Employment: Select the OPT – STEM OPT Employer Reporting request.
  • To report Personal Contact Information: Select the Contact Information Update request.

In the SEVP Portal:

  1. Set up your SEVP Portal: On the date your EAD card employment eligibility starts, DHS’s Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP) will send a link to your email address on record to invite you to create an SEVP Portal Account. The email will be sent from . Please always check your Spam, Junk, or Trash folders to see if this email gets redirected. The link will automatically expire if you do not set up your SEVP account in time.
  2. Once you have set up your SEVP account, log in to your SEVP portal account and enter your employer and job information or any other personal information change.

If the ISSS portal or your SEVP account are blocked, please contact to request a password reset by an ISSS Advisor.

 3.  Engage only in appropriate types of work

Employment must be related to your field of study as listed on your I-20.  You are required to provide ISSS with a brief written description of how employment relates to your major. This explanation will be uploaded by the ISSS Advisor to your SEVIS record. Note: Work based on a student’s minor field of study is not accepted for OPT employment purposes.

Types of work that are valid as employment while on OPT:

  • Regular paid employment at least 20 hours per week. (You may work for multiple employers if it is directly related to your program of study.)
  • Short-term multiple employments such as in the music and art field.
  • Work for hire or provide services by contractual relationships.
  • Self-employed business owner. You must work full time and show evidence of business licenses.
  • Employment through an agency.
  • Volunteer or unpaid internship for at least 20 hours a week in a position related to your field of study. This can be counted as “employment”. Document your volunteer position, responsibilities, and dates and report it to ISSS to avoid accumulating days towards the 90-day unemployment limit.
4.  Report periods of unemployment

There are limits on unemployment. Students may have up to 90 days of accrued unemployment during post-completion OPT. If this is exceeded the student is considered to have violated their immigration status.

Failure to report employment will put your F-1 status at risk. When a student reaches the 90-days unemployment limit, SEVP may automatically terminate the SEVIS record.

5.  Get approval for travel

ISSS cautions against travel while your OPT application is pending.  After you receive your valid EAD card, you may plan travel out of the U.S.

  • Make sure that your I-20 is signed for travel within 6 months (this is called travel endorsement)
  • If you need a new travel signature, submit your request through the ISSS portal. (Travel endorsement is valid for 6 months while on OPT.)
  • Make sure your passport is valid at least 6 months into the future.
  • Make sure that your F-1 visa stamp is valid. If your visa is not valid for re-entry, plan accordingly to renew your visa at a U.S. Embassy or consulate office.

Carry the following documents with you to be inspected upon your re-entry to the U.S.:

  • Valid Passport
  • Valid F-1 Visa
  • Most current I-20 with valid travel endorsement
  • Valid EAD card
  • Proof of employment, such as an offer letter

 

 

 

10/02/2024