OPT and STEM OPT

OPT is employment authorization for F-1 students that bridges study and career. It is not a separate visa - it is an extension of F-1 status permitting work directly related to your major.

• Typically 12 months of authorization.
• Every job must relate directly to your major.
• School sponsorship continues, and all F-1 regulations still apply.

1. 1

   Pre-completion OPT

   Part-time while classes are in session, full-time during official vacation periods.

2. 2

   Post-completion OPT

   The common one: full-time work after program completion.

3. 3

   STEM extension

   An additional 24 months for qualifying degrees, for 36 months in total.

Two strategic points: 12 months of OPT is available at each educational level, and no job offer is required to apply.

Post-completion OPT requires: valid F-1 status at filing; one full academic year of full-time study completed; a degree completed or nearing completion at an SEVP-certified school; no disqualification from 12 or more months of full-time CPT at the same level; and physical presence in the U.S. when you file.

The STEM extension additionally requires: a degree on the DHS STEM Designated Degree Program List (a prior U.S. STEM degree within the last 10 years may qualify); an employer enrolled in E-Verify before you file; a Form I-983 training plan; and a bona fide employer-employee relationship - self-employment does not qualify.

1. 1

   The CPT audit

   12 or more months of full-time CPT at your current degree level triggers denial. Only full-time counts, and SEVIS cross-references cumulative CPT across schools at the same level.

2. 2

   Direct relationship

   RFEs may demand explicit links between your coursework and your duties. Broad majors such as Business or Computer Science see denials where the role reads as generic.

3. 3

   Procedural causes

   Violating the 30-day rule, filing from abroad, prior status violations, or using an outdated form edition.

4. 4

   STEM I-983 scrutiny

   Generic training plans are denied. Quantifiable learning objectives are expected, and E-Verify enrollment must precede filing.

Adjudication trends shift; treat any claim about what officers are doing this year - including ours - as something to confirm with counsel or your DSO rather than as settled fact.

Report within 10 days: any name or address change; any job start, end or employer detail change. On STEM OPT, material changes to the I-983 require a new form.

STEM validation: confirm your record's accuracy every 6 months, and file self-evaluations at 12 and 24 months.

Travel documents: passport valid 6+ months, F-1 visa stamp, OPT I-20 with a travel signature less than 6 months old, valid EAD, and proof of employment.

You have a 60-day grace period to transition. Decide before it starts, not during it.

Cap-Gap applies if your employer filed a cap-subject H-1B requesting a change of status before your OPT expired. If it was received before your EAD expiry, work authorization extends to 30 September. If it was filed during the grace period, status extends but there is no work authorization until the H-1B begins. Cap-Gap terminates on denial, withdrawal or rejection - verify the mechanics for your exact filing, as this is intricate and consequential.

Integral CPT as the contingency path: it lets you keep working without a significant gap, maintains F-1 status, and keeps you eligible for future H-1B lotteries. You must be admitted before the 60-day grace period ends, and releasing your SEVIS record terminates the prior OPT.

• O-1 for candidates with a documented record of achievement.
• Cap-exempt H-1B with a university, affiliated non-profit or research organization.
• B-1/B-2 for lawful presence only - it carries no work authorization.