Optional Practical Training (OPT)
- What is OPT
OPT is a chance for F-1 students to get practical experience in your field of study. At each higher level of study (except English language learning) you are allowed 12 months of Optional Practical Training authorized by US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS).
OPT can happen during your studies (“pre-completion”), or after you complete your degree (“post-completion”) or while writing a thesis or dissertation (also “post-post completion”), and the 12 months can be broken up into multiple periods. We usually recommend waiting until the end of your studies, since there is a substantial cost to the application, and a long wait for approval.
Some students in Science, Engineering, Technology, and Math (STEM) fields may be eligible for an additional two-year STEM Extension OPT period.
- When can I apply
F-1 students who have been enrolled for a full academic year in valid status (this may include starting out in another status that permits full time enrollment) or who will have been enrolled a full year by the requested start date are eligible to apply.
For post-completion OPT, undergraduate students can apply no more than 90 days before the last day of final exams in their last term.
For post-completion OPT Graduate and doctoral students may apply no more than 90 days before completing all course work, even if they still need to complete a thesis or dissertation after course work is complete. For students enrolled in thesis or dissertation credits who expect to defend during their final term should discuss the “completion date” with their immigration advisor.
USCIS must receive and acknowledge your application by the 60th day after your last day of exams or program completion.
- When does OPT end
Although you are allotted 12 months of OPT authorizations, post completion OPT must end no more than 14 months after your program of studies or “end date”. Applying late may mean that you receive less than 12 full months of training authorization.
OPT also ends if you accrue 90 days or more of unemployment time during post-completion OPT.
- Do I have to use all 12 months at once
No. You may split your 12 months per level into parts, however, each time you will have to pay separate application fees and wait until USCIS makes a decision. USCIS often takes 3 months or more to make a decision, so it is usually to your benefit not to break up your time too much.
If you apply for part time, pre-completion OPT, the time counts at half the rate as full time (6 months of part time OPT counts as 3 months of your 12 allowed at each level).
However, you know you are going to go on to a second degree at the same level and want to have practical training for both, you may want to consider applying for only part of your time for the first degree. You can then use the remainder for your second degree at the same level. However, if you go on to a higher level, the time used at the lower level is no longer available to you.
- If I want to use pre-completion OPT, how does that work
You may use OPT:
- during your annual vacation and other times when school is not in session if you are currently enrolled, eligible, and intend to register for the next semester.
- while school is in session, provided that practical training does not exceed 20 hours per week.
However, it is important to remember that it takes several months for USCIS to approve OPT applications, so you will want to plan well in advance if you intend to take advantage of the opportunity during your studies.
- Is OPT the same as a work visa or a green card
No. Students who participate in OPT remain F-1 students for the duration of OPT. You will still need to maintain contact with ISSS, report your activities, have a valid F-1 visa to come into the US if you travel while you are on OPT, and a signature on your OPT I-20.
Because it is attached to your F-1 student status, it is important to remember that all of your employment activities during OPT must be directly related to your major area of studies. You cannot supplement your employment with other jobs, like driving for Uber or Lyft.
- When can I start OPT employment
Students doing pre-completion OPT can start anytime after receiving the authorization from USCIS if they have been enrolled full time for an academic year. Employment must end by the last day of authorization.
Student on post-completion OPT pick a requested start date between 1 and 60 days after completion, but may only begin working after the work authorization is received and the start date on the card has been reached.
- Can I work full time on OPT
Students on pre-completion OPT must be authorized for part time OPT (no more than 20 hours per week) if school is in session, but may request full time authorization (anything more than 20 hours per week) during official breaks. These are separate authorizations, so timing is critical.
Students on post-completion OPT are required to apply for “full time” authorization, and must be actively engaged in an “employment” activity related to their studies more than 20 hours a week. There is no upper limi9t to the number of hours you may work during post-completion OPT.
No more than 90 days of unemployment (including holidays and weekends) is allowed during post-completion OPT, so finding “employment” related to your studies is critical to maintaining your status.
- What counts as employment during OPT
- Regular paid employment in a position directly related to your program of study that equals 20 or more hours per week. This may be for multiple employers at the same time
- Multiple short term employers (“gig” work). SEVP guidance says "Students, such as musicians and other performing artists, may work for multiple short term employers (gigs). The student should [report] all gigs, the dates and duration” during OPT, and be sure that the total hours (include rehearsals) is over 20 hours per week to be considered “employed”.
- Work for hire, or 1099 employment” where you perform a service based on a contractual relationship rather than an employment relationship.
- Self-employed business owner. Per SEVP, "Students on OPT may start a business and be self-employed. The student should be able to prove that he or she has the proper business licenses and is actively engaged in a business related to his or her degree program." No self employment is allowed for STEM OPT.
- Employment through an agency. According to SEVP "Students on post-completion OPT must be able to provide evidence showing they worked an average of at least 20 hours per week while employed by the agency." There are serious limits on agency employment for STEM OPT.
- Volunteers or unpaid interns: SEVP guidance says "Students may work as volunteers or unpaid interns, where this practice does not violate any labor laws. The work should be at least 20 hours per week for students on post-completion OPT. A student should be able to provide evidence, acquired from the student's employer, to verify that he or she engaged in at least 20 hours per week during the period of employment."
You may also combine some or all of the above kinds of employment, concurrently or sequentially during authorized periods of pre-completion or post-completion OPT, but the rules for STEM extensions are very different.
Any or all “employment” activities like those listed above must be directly related to your major area of study and should be appropriate to your degree level. You will be required report how your activities are related to your studies when you report your employment to the Department of Homeland Security, so it is important that you be able to directly explain how your job relates to your major classes.
Volunteer activities that are not related to your studies should not be related as “employment” during OPT.
- Is pre-completion OPT the same as CPT (Curricular Practical Training)
No. If you qualify for CPT, it is usually more beneficial than trying to apply for pre-completion OPT. The advantage of OPT is that you are not limited to a single employer or activity during your authorization, but you do pay for the application fees and must wait until authorization is granted (3 months or more) before you start working, so by the time you know you want OPT, the job offer may be gone.
CPT is directly tied to your studies (for credit or required by your program), but there is no additional cost for the application (if you are in a class you pay tuition), and the authorization is done by ISSS staff, so it’s available much more quickly. However, you are strictly limited to the authorized employer, activity, and dates.
- How do I apply for OPT
AFTER you complete the OPT request in the Global portal:
Online Application with USCISWe are now recommending you use USCIS online application, since students are finding it faster and easier to file, and approvals come more quickly with an online application. It is important to include the correct I-20 endorsed for OPT at the time of filing (a special I-20 has to be issued to recommend OPT, which we issue after we review your request and documents and verify your eligibility). Failure to have the OPT endorsement from OGE prior to filing will result in denial (and no refunds are available). The required supporting documentation is also simpler when you file the online form. If you decide you want to use the online filing, please use the "View draft snapshot" function to get a draft for us to review BEFORE you submit.
Do not submit your final I-765 request to USCIS online or pay the fee with pay.gov until you have reviewed your application with our office and received your OPT recommendation I-20 and added it to your online application. You must complete your submission within 30 days, including the new I-20, within 30 days of the I-20 being issued (regardless of when you actually get it). You may be denied for submitting without the OPT recommendation I-20 or for submitting too long after the I-20 was issued. Refunds of your application fee are not available for denied applications. If a denial comes before the end of your 60 grace period, you may reapply, but if you are denied after the end of your grace period, there is no appeal.
If you choose to use the online I-765, we recommend reviewing the USCIS webinar https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iWAqJF_AK0I and the follow up questions and answers from the CIS Ombudsman's office.
Paper Application with USCIS
Several documents are required for your OPT application, and it is more complicated than the online version. Forms must be typed in, printed out, signed and sent by paper mail to US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). OGE's administrative fee must also be paid in advance to UNC.
- Completed and signed Form I-765
- Form G-1145
- USCIS Fee -check or money order payable to: "U.S. Department of Homeland Security"
- Copy of your I-94 Arrival/Departure Record (either a printout from the website or a photocopy of a paper form stapled in your passport), and/or I-797A Notice of Action granting F-1 status
- Copy of your current, valid passport information page (and signature page if different)
- Two new, passport style photographs, taken within the last 30 days
- Copy of your most recent US visa (even if it is not F-1 or if it is expired)
- Copy of any previous I-765 EAD cards (if you have had previous OPT, Economic Hardship, or other work authorization from USCIS)
- Copy of a new OPT recommendation I-20, you will receive after meeting with your immigration advisor and providing all of your other documents for review
- Printout of your SEVIS employment history, you will receive after meeting with your immigration advisor and providing all of your other documents for review
When you have done as much as you can on your own, you will complete the UNC Global request online, and upload your documents for your immigration advisor to view. When your advisor is satisfied that your documents are complete and correct they can issue a new "OPT Recommended" I-20 for you, a copy of which goes into your packet for USCIS.
You must submit and USCIS must receive and receipt your application within 30 days of your OPT I-20 endorsement, including the new I-20, within 30 days of the I-20 being issued (regardless of when you actually get it). You may be denied for submitting without the OPT recommendation I-20 or for submitting too long after the I-20 was issued. Refunds of your application fee are not available for denied applications. If a denial comes before the end of your 60 grace period, you may reapply, but if you are denied after the end of your grace period, there is no appeal.
- When should my "start date" be
Choosing your start date for OPT can be difficult. No matter when you apply, you must select a start date that is within the 60 days after you finish your studies. Remember that you cannot start employment until you have the card in hand AND have reached your employment start date, but you also cannot accrue more than 90 days of unemployment during your authorized OPT period.
If you apply early and know that you have a job waiting for you, you may want to select a date early in that 60 day window. If you apply late, or think it’s going to take a long time to find a job, then you might want to pick a later start date.
Students who apply early but are not sure about their job prospects often pick a date in the middle.
- The I-765 looks scary-- how do I fill it out
You should carefully read the USCIS instructions, but we have also made some tips and sample I-765 forms for you to look at.
- What should my final packet have when I mail it
- Application fee (be sure you make the check or money order to US Department of Homeland Security, that it is dated and signed, we also suggest you annotate with "OPT" and your SEVIS N number
- Completed G-1145
- I-765 – be sure ALL pages are complete (check page 7), and included, be sure you’ve signed it in black ink!
- Copy of new I-20 with DSO endorsement for OPT, issued within the past 30 days – keep the original with you (be sure to sign it before making a copy)
- Printout of most recent I-94 or copy of I-94 paper card (front & back)
- Copy of passport information page (and update/modification/extension pages, if applicable)
- Copy of current or most recent student visa or change of status notice
- Passport photos (less than 30 days old with name and SEVIS ID number on the back), in a small envelope or passport photo holder taped closed on the three open sides, so that your photos cannot fall out,
- SEVIS employment page or copies of previous Forms I-20 (information pages only) ONLY if they include employment information, with the newest first working backwards to the oldest, making sure that each I-20 both pages
- Copy of previous EAD(s), if ever issued
- ISSS cover letter/checklist (if you have completed your application with an ISSS advisor)
- Where do I send my application when it's ready
Make a copy before shipping, and get it all in the mail (or by a courier) immediately since it must be received by USCIS no more than 30 days after OPT has been recommended in the SEVIS system. We strongly recommend using a courier or some other form of traceable service. eShip Global offers a discount on many carriers for UNC students, but you are not required to use their services.
All OPT applications (as of January 8, 2021) should be sent to the USCIS Chicago Lockbox. We recommend sending by courier requiring signature (FedEx, UPS, DHL):
USCIS
Attn: I-765 C03
131 South Dearborn - 3rd Floor
Chicago, IL 60603-5517If sending by US Postal Service:
USCIS
PO Box 805373
Chicago, IL 60680 - Okay, I applied. Now what
USCIS can take a while to make a decision. You can remain in the United States, while you wait for your card, even if you have passed the end of your 60 day grace period.
You remain an F-1 "student" during OPT, and have reporting requirements to maintain your F-1 status.
Please make sure you update Ursa with a personal "preferred" email. Because you will lose access to your BearMail account about 6 months after you finish your studies, and CIE still needs to be able to contact you.
