美高梅官网

OPT Seminar

Through this seminar, you will learn more about Optional Practical Training (OPT) and the STEM OPT extension. You will also find helpful videos to help you fill out forms related to the process.

There are many rules and issues surrounding your OPT employment that you must understand.

  • All employment must be within your field of study and appropriate to your degree level.聽
  • You must be employed at least 20 hours a week while on聽OPT.
  • You can work for multiple employers.
  • Volunteer positions are permitted while on the 12-month OPT period.

Students on the STEM OPT extension have additional requirements they must follow.

Seminar Contents

Initial 12-Month Application

There are two categories of optional聽practical training available for the聽initial 12-month聽OPT聽period one is聽called pre-completion聽OPT聽and聽the other is post-completion OPT.

Pre-Completion OPT

Pre-completion OPT takes place during your program of study. It can be full- or part-time work, depending on the following聽circumstances:聽

  • part-time while school is in session, not to exceed 20 hours per week聽
  • full- or part-time during your annual vacation and at other times when school is not in session
  • if you are in a masters or doctoral program, you can work on a full- or part-time basis after completing all course requirements for the degree excluding a thesis or the聽equivalent

Pre-completion聽OPT has some limitations.

  • You can only apply for up to one year of pre-completion OPT, or for the amount of聽time remaining to complete your program of study.
  • If you have less than one year until graduation, you may have to apply for聽OPTmultiple time times--once for pre-completion聽OPT,聽once for post-completion聽OPT and a third time if you wish to apply for the 24-month STEM OPT extension.聽
  • You can only work part-time on pre-completion聽OPT except during scheduled breaks or when all coursework requirements are completed.

Post-Completion OPT

Post-completion OPT takes place after completion of the degree or all degree聽requirements excluding a thesis or dissertation. Post-completion聽OPT聽must be full-time,聽over 20 hours a week.

To apply for聽post-completion OPT, you need to聽know your program聽completion date.聽Program聽completion dates based on semester end聽dates can be found on the聽Office of the Registrar website.

  • Undergraduate students
    • the last day of the term of聽your final semester of study. There is no聽flexibility with this date.
  • Graduate students
    • the last day of the聽term聽of your final semester of study聽OR聽
    • the聽date that all requirements have been聽completed聽OR聽
    • the date that all聽coursework for the degree聽(excluding a聽thesis or dissertation)聽was completed

We recommend choosing a date that will help you avoid having to file聽two聽OPT聽applications;聽one for pre-completion and聽one for post-completion.聽

Having an聽earlier graduation date will only affect聽your ability to work on campus. Once the聽end date on your I-20 is reached, you cannot work on campus.

When to Apply

Knowing when to apply for your optional聽practical training is very important.

  • Pre-completion OPT: apply 90 days before the聽expected start date聽of the employment
  • Post-completion OPT: apply no earlier than 90 days prior to your graduation date and no later than 60 days after聽the program end date.聽

Homeland Security聽will take聽90 days聽or more聽to process聽your application. The longer you wait to聽apply, the less likely it is that you聽will receive your EAD when you want or聽need it.聽

Application Process

First you will need an OPT recommendation from 美高梅官网 International Services on your I-20. You will request this recommendation using an eForm on iBearcatsGlobal.

If approved, 美高梅官网 International聽processes your OPT I-20 and mail it to you for a signature. You will then complete an online application with USCIS for an employment authorization document, or EAD card.

iBearcatsGlobal eForm

To聽apply for the initial聽12-month OPT period, submit the 12-month聽optional practical training request聽eForm in the聽iBearcatsglobal聽system first.

Read the eForm's instructions. They will provide you with complete details about all the information and documents you need to complete your request. You can also for step-by-step instructions on completing the form.

Use the links at the bottom of the eForm to print required materials and receive further instructions and guidance about OPT.

Once you've submitted the form, follow up with your academic advisor. 美高梅官网 International will not, and sometimes advisors ignore the email and the requests.

Once your academic advisor certifies the program completion date, 美高梅官网 International Services will process your OPT request within five business days.

USCIS Application for Employment Authorization (I-765)

To formally apply for OPT, you will use the I-765 Application for Employment Authorization, which can be completed online. When approved, you will receive an employment authorization document (EAD card), which allows you to work.

The online I-765 is linked on the聽12-month OPT request聽eForm and found on the USCIS website.聽

Make sure the online I-765 form is completed correctly and the right documents are uploaded. Our office has produced a video with step-by-step instructions for filling out the I-765 online.

Plan ahead! USCIS must receive your application within聽30聽days of the OPT recommendation put on your I-20 by 美高梅官网 international services and no later than聽60 days from your program completion date.

If your application is not received by the USCIS within聽30 days your OPT request will be denied and there are no appeals.聽

Once you submit your stem OPT application online you will be able to print a receipt notice. However, USCIS will also mail you a paper receipt notice about one month after submission.聽

The processing time for OPT EAD cards is 90 -120 days. If you move while your application is pending, you must change your address with USCIS聽using your online account. If you do not update your address, you will not receive your EAD聽card and will be unable to work.

Once received, provide a copy of the card to 美高梅官网 International Services in iBearcatsglobal. Login, select the biographical information section from the menu and upload the copy using the update immigration and visa documents聽eForm.

STEM OPT Extension

The STEM OPT聽extension is an opportunity聽to gain an additional 24 months of work聽experience to complement your academic聽studies, if your field of study is on聽the Department of聽Homeland Security's approved list of science, technology, engineering or mathematics disciplines.

You must work a full-time job, at least 20 hours per week, while on the STEM OPT extension.聽

Eligible聽F-1 students can receive a 24-month (two year) extension of their OPT period if they complete a bachelor's聽degree or higher in a science, technology, engineering or mathematics (STEM) degree program accept employment with an employer which is enrolled in the e-verify employment verification program.

Students must complete a bachelor's聽degree or higher in a STEM field.聽A聽complete聽list of STEM fields can be found on the聽STEM OPT request聽eForm in iBearcatsGlobal. Compare the major聽indicated on your I-20 to that list to determine if聽your major qualifies.

To apply for the STEM OPT extension, you must meet the聽following criteria:聽

  • You must聽already be on optional practical training based on a STEM OPT-eligible聽degree, or have completed a stem eligible聽degree from an accredited聽SEVP-certified institution within the past 10聽years.
  • You must have fewer than 90 days of unemployment during your initial聽12-month OPT聽period.聽
  • You must be聽employed by or have a job offer from an聽employer who is registered in E-Verify.

  • You must not have used聽two periods of the聽24-month聽STEM OPT聽extension previously.

You must accept employment with an employer who is enrolled in .聽E-Verify聽is a free聽internet-based system operated by the聽USCIS in partnership with the Social聽Security Administration which determines聽a new聽employee's聽eligibility to work.

As聽a student employee, you cannot be聽the sole proprietor of the employing聽business. You may also not be employed聽through a temp agency or consulting firm聽that provides labor for hire or other聽relationships that do not constitute a聽bona fide employer-employee relationship.

STEM OPT Application

To apply for the聽STEM OPT聽extension, you will need to complete several documents and fill out forms through iBearcatsGlobal and USCIS.聽

You must apply for the stem聽OPT聽extension in the 90 days prior to the聽expiration of your current EAD card and聽no later than the date that your current聽EAD card expires.聽We recommend applying as early as possible once聽your聽90-day聽window has begun.聽

You are permitted to continue working聽for 180 days while your STEM OPT聽application is聽pending, provided you have a聽valid application receipt from the Department of聽Homeland Security.

iBearcatsGlobal eForm

All students must submit the 24-month STEM OPT using iBearcatsGlobal.聽The eForm聽requires you to submit several documents, including your transcript聽and the聽I-983 training plan.

I-983 Training form

One of the forms you need to complete and聽upload as part of聽your STEM OPT application is the聽I-983 training plan.聽Together, you and your employer will describe the goals and objectives for your employment.

The I-983 is linked at the bottom of the 24-month STEM OPT eForm in iBearcatsGlobal. We have also linked step-by-step instructions on the eForm.

When you submit your initial STEM OPT聽request, the evaluation聽sections will be left blank.

At the 12-month聽mark of your STEM OPT聽period

  • complete the first evaluation section
  • submit it to聽美高梅官网 International Services using the I-983 Training Plan for STEM OPT Extension eForm within 10 days

At the end of your STEM OPT period

  • complete the final evaluation section
  • submit it to 美高梅官网聽International聽Services using the I-983 Training Plan for STEM OPT Extension eForm within 10 days

One of the forms that you're going to need to complete and upload as part of the STEM OPT request is the I-983 training plan. The document is linked as a fillable form at the bottom of the 24-month STEM OPT request form. Instructions for completing the I-983 form are also linked. Most sections of the I-983 are self-explanatory, but we have linked a sample I-983 in the eForm that you can use as a guide.

Work with your employer closely to completing the form. You will also use your I-20 form for key information to complete the I-983.

  1. The 美高梅官网鈥檚 SEVIS school code is on the I-20. It begins with CLE 214F. There will be a different number based on whether you're on Main Campus, 美高梅官网 Blue Ash or 美高梅官网 Clermont.
  2. You鈥檙e going to be asked for the contact information of a Designated School Official. You may use the name of the Designated School Official found on your I-20 under the 鈥淪chool official to contact upon arrival.鈥� You may also use our office phone number, 513-556-4278, and our generic email, international.services@uc.edu, as the contact information for your DSO.
  3. Your SEVIS number begins with the letter N and is found on your I-20.
  4. You will be asked for the CIP code for your major. Under the program of study section of your I-20, you will find the name and the key CIP code under the heading 鈥淢ajor.鈥� It is a six-digit number that has a period in it.
  5. When asked if your application is based on a prior degree, you will most likely be checking 鈥渘o.鈥� You would only check yes if the STEM OPT application you are going to make is based on a degree you obtained prior to the degree that you used for your current OPT period.

Sign and date the form.

Sections 3 and 4 of the I-983 training plan must be completed by your employer. Review that section to make sure it is fully completed, including the employer ID number. The employer can list your salary either on a monthly or yearly basis. They can also add additional compensation like medical benefits and potential bonuses. The employer must also sign the form under Section 4.

Section 5 of the form I-983 training plan is to be completed by both you and the employer. It's going to ask for information about you and your employer. It will also ask you and the employer to describe the goals and objectives for your stem OPT employment and how the employer is going to oversee your training, including how you will be measured and assessed in terms of meeting those goals.

美高梅官网 International Services has a sample I-983 linked at the bottom of the STEM OPT request eForm that provides some example language for this section of the form.

Section 6 will ask the employer to certify all the statements added to the training plan.聽

A聽new I-983聽training plan聽is required each time a material change聽occurs in your employment. A聽material聽change includes:

  • any change of employer聽or employer identification number,聽
  • any聽reduction in compensation from the聽amount previously reported on the聽training plan that is not a result of a聽reduction in hours worked,聽
  • any聽significant decrease in hours per week聽that a student works and聽
  • any decrease in聽hours below the twenty hour per week聽minimum required to be on the stem聽OPT聽extension

The new training plan must be聽submitted to 美高梅官网 International Services聽within ten days of material changes.

USCIS Application for Employment Authorization (I-765)

To formally apply for OPT, you will use the I-765 Application for Employment Authorization, which can be completed online. When approved, you will receive an employment authorization document (EAD card), which allows you to work.

The online I-765 is linked on the聽12-month OPT request聽eForm and found on the USCIS website.聽

Make sure the online I-765 form is completed correctly and the right documents are uploaded. Our office has produced a video with step-by-step instructions for filling out the I-765 online.

While on OPT

While you are on OPT, you are still an F-1 student and are subject to additional reporting requirements and you must submit extra documentation including attestations from your employer.聽 This includes:聽

  • You are required to keep 美高梅官网 International Services up to date with the name and address of your employer and your personal address. You must update any changes within 10 days.
  • You must notify 美高梅官网 International Services if you decide to stop optional practical training and leave the U.S. permanently.
  • You must complete a mandatory reporting check in every six months.

You also need to know the ways in which your OPT can be invalidated or canceled. Your OPT will be cancelled or invalidated if you obtain a new I-20 to start a new program of study, request a transfer of your SEVIS record to a new school, you change your immigration status to something other than F1, you enter the U.S. using a status other than F1, or if you violate your F1 immigration status including not following the reporting requirements for your evaluations, change of address change or聽Employer.

If your immigration status changes while you are on OPT (it's聽very typical to change status to H-1B for example), you must inform 美高梅官网 International Services immediately by submitting your immigration status change documents electronically using the聽iBearcatsglobal聽system.

You may travel outside the US while your application is pending and once it is approved. You will need the following聽in order to聽re-enter the US:

  1. an unexpired聽passport
  2. an unexpired F1 visa stamp (unless you are visa exempt)聽
  3. page two of your I-20 form signed for travel within the past six聽months聽
  4. your OPT employment authorization document or the receipt of still pending聽
  5. proof of employment: a letter or a paycheck

If your visa has聽expired, you will need to apply for a new one at a US consulate or embassy to obtain a new visa stamp.聽

  1. an unexpired聽passport
  2. page two of your I-20 form signed for travel within the past six聽months聽
  3. your OPT employment authorization document or the receipt of still pending聽
  4. proof of employment: a letter or a paycheck, with your salary noted

Consult with 美高梅官网 International Services prior to travel. Submit the Travel Signature聽eForm聽in聽iBearcatsGlobal if you need a travel signature on your I-20.聽

There are limits on how long you can remain in the US while unemployed.聽

  • Students聽on the 12-month聽OPT聽period聽can be unemployed for an aggregate of聽90聽days.
  • Students on the 24-month聽OPT聽extension can be unemployed for an聽aggregate of聽150聽days.

You are required to tell 美高梅官网 International Services about any loss of employment while on OPT, and to keep the name and address of your employer up to date. If we do not have the SEVIS system updated with the name and address of your employer, you will accumulate unemployment time.

If you have reached the maximum for your OPT category, your F-1 status is violated.

You are authorized to work until the expiration date on your EAD card. You then have a 60-day grace period after that date to聽

  • get a new I-20 to pursue a new degree
  • change your visa status to something other than F-1
  • leave the country

The number of people who can obtain the H-1B status is regulated by a numerical limit, or 鈥渃ap鈥�, each fiscal year.聽If a person's H-1B is subject to the cap, and if that person's OPT expires before September 30, the time in between the EAD expiration and October 1 is called the 鈥渃ap gap.鈥� Cap gap relief聽extends your F-1 status and employment eligibility during the gap between your OPT period and H-1B employment.

This rule applies to all students on optional practical training, including those on the STEM OPT extension. If you meet all of the following eligibility criteria, you may be able to utilize cap gap relief.

  1. You have properly maintained F-1 status
  2. Your employment is subject to the H-1B cap
  3. Your employer filed an H-1B petition for 鈥淐hange of Status鈥� on or after April 1
  4. Your EAD expires between April 1 and September 30
  5. The H-1B petition was filed before your EAD expired

To request a cap gap I-20, you need to provide 美高梅官网 International Services with proof of a pending or approved H-1B petition using the Cap Gap I-20聽eform聽in iBearcatsglobal. We will then prepare an I-20 to indicate your continued employment authorization.

If your H-1B petition is denied or revoked, your work authorization automatically terminates and your 60-day grace period starts on that date.

All international students are required to file their United States taxes annually through the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). Knowing the rules could help save you money.

  • Both state and federal taxes are due April 15th each year.聽
  • 美高梅官网 International Services has free access to an online tax assistance software for international students. Instructions for using the system will be available on our tax website beginning in February each year.
  • Until you have been in the United States for all or part of five years, your employer should not withhold Social Security or Medicare taxes from your paycheck. Make sure you bring this to their attention. You can refer them to IRS publications 519 and 901 when necessary.聽
  • All or part of your salary may be exempt from federal taxation based on tax treaties between the US and your country of residence. A complete list of tax treaties is linked on the OPT request聽eForm.