OPT Information
If you are a student on an F-1 Visa and will be completing a course of study, you may be eligible for 12 months of employment through Optional Practical Training (OPT). Unlike CPT, OPT does not require a job offer to apply. Students on an F-1 Visa are eligible to apply for 12 months of OPT for each level of higher education they complete.
OPT Eligibility
If you meet the following requirements, you are eligible for OPT:
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You have been a full-time F-1 student in good standing for at least 1 full academic year.
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You are currently maintaining F-1 status.
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​Your proposed work is directly related to your major area of study. If you are starting a business, the majority of the work you perform must be directly related to your major area of study.
Pre-Completion vs. Post-Completion OPT
An F-1 student may be authorized up to a total of 12 months of full-time practical training at each educational level (e.g., undergraduate, graduate, and post-graduate).
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If the student chooses to engage in pre-completion OPT, he or she may not work more than 20 hours per week while school is in session but may work full-time during his or her annual vacation and other times when the school is not in session.
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If a student engages in pre-completion OPT, the student’s eligible period of post-completion OPT will be reduced when he or she graduates.
Students who graduate with a qualified Science, Technology, Engineering or Mathematics (STEM) degree, and are currently in an approved post-completion OPT period based on a designated STEM degree may apply for a 24-month STEM extension of their post-completion OPT.
When to apply for OPT
Applications for OPT can be submitted up to 90 days prior to the completion of your program but must be received by USCIS no later than 60 days after the completion of your program.
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It takes approximately 90 days for USCIS to process OPT applications. In general, it is recommended that you apply for OPT as close as possible to 90 days prior to the completion of your program.
Because your 12 months of OPT must be completed within 14 months of the completion of your academic program, applying early is the best way to prevent you from losing any of your 12 months of OPT eligibility.
How to Apply for OPT?
OPT employment authorization is granted by the United States Customs and Immigration Services (USCIS). To apply for OPT you must:
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