Optional Practical Training (OPT) is a period during which undergraduate and graduate students with F-1 status who have completed or have been pursuing their degrees for one academic year are permitted by the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) to work for one year on a student visa towards getting practical training to complement their education.
On April 2, 2008, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Michael Chertoff announced a 17-month extension to the OPT for students in qualifying STEM fields. To be eligible for the 12-month permit, any degree in any field of studies is valid. For the 17-month OPT extension, a student must have received a science, technology, engineering, or mathematics degree as listed on the USCIS website.
On May 31, 2008, the Immigration Reform Law
Institute filed a lawsuit in federal court on behalf of various organizations and individuals challenging the validity of the 17 month OPT extension. A similar lawsuit in November 2014 challenging the STEM extension was successful, with the Court giving the US government up to February 12, 2016 to formulate new rules. The deadline was subsequently extended by three months.
On March 11, 2016, the Department of Homeland Security published a final rule allowing certain F-1 students who receive science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) degrees, and who meet other specified requirements, to apply for a 24-month extension of their post-completion OPT, giving STEM graduates a total of 36 months of OPT. The 24-month extension will replace the 17-month STEM OPT extension previously available to STEM students (see 73 FR 18944). Eligible students may begin applying for a 24-month STEM OPT extension on May 10, 2016.
There also exists a post-completion Optional Practical Training option for students on M-1 visas, but it is significantly more restrictive than that for F-1 students. Unless otherwise specified, Optional Practical Training is understood to refer to Optional Practical Training for F-1 students.
Information in this section relates to standard Optional Practical Training (OPT). The following sections describe in detail the requirements for each level of the application process:
Applying for Optional Practical Training
OPT Online Workshop
After You Have Applied for Optional Practical Training
While You Are On Optional Practical Training
OPT STEM Extension
CAP GAP
The following information is a short description and general criteria to consider before applying for OPT.
Definition
OPT is defined in the Federal Regulations as temporary employment directly related to a student’s field of study. During OPT, a student remains in F-1 status. The end result of the OPT request process is an Employment Authorization Document (EAD) issued by United States Citizenship and Immigrations Services (USCIS).
Eligibility Criteria
To be eligible for OPT, the student must:
Be in legal F-1 immigration status
Be a full-time student for at least one academic year
Have U-M approved health insurance
Note: Post-completion OPT applications are typically denied by USCIS if the Level of Education indicated in item #4 on the I-20 is “non-degree.”
Maximum Length
The standard OPT period is a cumulative maximum of 12 months.
Part-time OPT is deducted from the 12-month limit at 50%.
An F-1 may become eligible for another 12 months of OPT if he/she advances to a higher educational level.
Some students may be eligible for an extension of their OPT based on a STEM degree.