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When Can I Apply for Optional Practical Training (OPT)?
Travel While on Post-Completion Optional Practical Training (OPT)
Curricular Practical Training For International Undergraduate Students with F-1 Status
When Can I Apply For Optional Practical Training (OPT)?
UNDERGRADUATESOptional Practical Training (OPT) is a temporary employment authorization issued to pursue employment in your field of study for the purpose of gaining practical experience. OPT may be authorized to an F-1 student who has been lawfully admitted and enrolled on a full-time basis for one academic year.
Students may receive 12 months of practical training for each academic level (Bachelor’s, Master’s and Doctorate). Students may apply for OPT directly related to their major field of study in the following cases:
- After completion of the course of study. Application for OPT in this case can be submitted up to 90 days before the completion of the program or up to 60 days after the program completion date. The OPT must begin within 60 days of graduation (which is equivalent to the completion of your program requirements) and must be completed no later than 14 months after graduation. We encourage you to submit your application in a timely manner.
- During the student’s annual (summer) vacation as long as the student intends to register for the next semester. It is advisable to have a job offer at the time of application as well as allow for sufficient time for the USCIS to process the application (allow 90 days). The job may be full or part time. Undergraduate students should consider curricular practical training for this purpose.
There are certain exceptions for unusual circumstances. Please see your international advisor if you have questions!
If you meet these qualifications, you can proceed with the application for OPT. Upon completion of all the attached forms, an international student advisor will review your application and decide to either recommend or not recommend your application for submission to the USCIS for approval. The international student advisor must issue you a new SEVIS I-20 to indicate their recommendation and complete the process.
Please note that your OPT will be terminated if/when you transfer to another school or enroll in another degree program.
Travel While on Post-Completion Optional Practical Training (OPT)
Can I re-enter the U.S. if my request for OPT is pending?
Yes, you may reenter to search for employment. You should carry your I-765 (OPT) receipt notice with you while traveling. You should also have a valid passport/visa AND have a recent travel signature on your I-20. There are risks to leaving the U.S. after graduation but before OPT approval because the date of approval is impossible to predict and may occur without your immediate knowledge.
Can I reenter the U.S. if I left while on OPT?
If your OPT has been approved and you depart before you get a job, your OPT ends and you cannot re-enter. If you have a job, you may travel and re-enter to resume work at the same job. You should carry an updated letter verifying your employment and job duties with you. You should also have a valid passport/visa AND have a recent travel signature on your I-20.
PLEASE NOTE THAT EVEN IF YOU HAVE TIMELY FILED YOUR OPT APPLICATION, THERE MAY STILL BE RISKS TO TRAVELING WITH A PENDING APPLICATION. CONSULAR/BORDER POST OFFICIALS HAVE BEEN INFORMED OF THESE CHANGES, BUT THIS DOES NOT GUARANTEE YOUR ADMISSION.
This information was provided by The Department of Homeland Security’s Student and Exchange Visitor Program office (SEVP) and the NAFSA Practice Advisory 2005-A retrieved from www.nafsa.org
STEM Extension of OPT
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security has announced major changes to Post-Completion OPT for F-1 students in certain academic fields. The new regulation is effective immediately. The new OPT rule includes:
The current 12-month limit on OPT will be extended by 17 months for a total of 29 months for certain STEM (see below) degree holders ONLY.
PLEASE NOTE THAT THERE CAN BE NO TRAVEL OUTSIDE THE U.S. DURING STEM EXTENSION!
STEM is an acronym for:
- Science
- Technology
- Engineering
- Mathematics
STEM Fields include:
- Actuarial Science
- Computer Science Applications
- Engineering
- Engineering Technologies
- Biological and Biomedical Sciences
- Mathematics and Statistics
- Military Technologies
- Physical Sciences
- Science Technologies
- Medical Scientist (MS, PhD)
OPT Extension Requirements:
- The student must be currently authorized for a 12-month period of OPT and working for a U.S. employer in a job directly related to the student's field of study.
- The student must have successfully completed a bachelor's, master's or doctoral degree in a field on the DHS STEM Designated Degree Program list, from a SEVIS-certified U.S. college or university.
- At the time of application for the 17-month extension, the student must have a job offer or be employed by an employer registered with the E-Verify federal employment verification system.
- The student must not have previously received a 17-month OPT extension after earning a STEM degree. Only one 17-month OPT extension is allowed.
- The student must apply for the 17-month extension through his/her former school's International Student Office. The Designated School Official must recommend the extension and issue a new I-20 with the recommendation noted on the I-20.
- The student applies for the extension using Form I-765 with fee (currently $340.00) to the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services Processing Center.
- The student must file the extension application in a timely manner which is generally 90 days before the current OPT expires.
- A student who files the application timely may continue employment while the extension application is pending, until a final decision is made, or for 180 days, whichever comes first.
- The employer must agree to report the termination or departure of the student to the International Student Office of the student's former school, or through any other process chosen by the Dept. of Homeland Security.
- The student must also agree to provide a report every six months to the International Student Office of his/her former school. The report should include:
- Change of name
- Change of residential or mailing address
- Name and address of employer
- Change in the name or address of employer
- When employment changes or terminates
What is E-verify?
E-Verify is an Internet-based system operated by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security in partnership with the Social Security Administration. The program allows participated employers to electronically verify the employment eligibility of their newly hired employees.
An employer's registration in E-Verify is free and voluntary and at the discretion of the employer.
OPT Extension Application Form
Curricular Practical Training
For International Undergraduate Students with F-1 Status
Undergraduates holding F-1 visa status whose work will be an integral or important part of their curriculum may apply to the Cranwell International Center for employment authorization. The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Service classifies such employment as Curricular Practical Training (CPT).
At Virginia Tech, such employment authorization may be for:
- Cooperative Education through the Office of Career Services, Career Services Building
- A departmental internship, or
- An activity that is an important part of a course requirement, a thesis, or a dissertation.
Please read the information below carefully. You should contact the Cranwell International Center if you have questions, or if you have employment opportunities that do not meet Curricular Practical Training requirements.
Employment Limitations:
There are no limitations on the amount of Curricular Practical Training F-1 students can receive, as long as each authorization meets U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Service requirements. However, students will lose their eligibility for the one year of Optional Practical Training (OPT) if they work one year or more of full-time Curricular Practical Training during their studies in all academic programs under F-1 status.
Part-time Curricular Practical Training is employment for 20 hours or less per week. If student’s work exceed that limit, the work will be unauthorized. There is no limitation on the length of time you may participate in part-time Curricular Practical Training, but you must be simultaneously enrolled full-time in school in order to maintain lawful F-1 status.
Full-time Curricular Practical Training is employment for more than 20 hours per week
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services regulations require that you obtain employment authorization before beginning work. Failure to do so is a serious violation of your status.
General Eligibility Requirements:
- The employment must be directly related to your field of study.
- The employment must be an integral part of a course for which you receive academic credit. The course must be listed in the University’s Schedule of Classes, and a faculty member must be assigned as a course instructor.
- You must be enrolled full time and be maintaining F-1 status.
Note: Students who have worked without authorization or who are not authorized to study at Virginia Tech in the current program of study or who have not been continuously full-time are considered “out-of-status” and are ineligible for employment.
- You must have been full-time for the previous academic year (summer session may be counted as a semester if you were enrolled full-time during that period.)
Application Procedures:
For co-op employment- Work must be part of academic program
- Need to have a job offer in writing indicating name and location of employer, beginning and ending dates of employment, and a summary of job duties.
- Completed one academic year of academic program as a full-time student
- Must have documentation from Career Services
- Valid Virginia Tech I-20
- Bring all documents to the Cranwell International Center for work authorization BEFORE beginning employment.
For Departmental Internship (available only in departments which have established program requirements.)
- Work must be part of academic program
- Need to have a job offer in writing indicating name and location of employer, beginning and ending dates of employment, summary of job duties and beginning and ending dates of employment.
- Letter from faculty member assigned as the course instructor indicating name of course, course number and company the student will be employed with
- Completed one academic year of academic program as a full-time student
- Valid Virginia Tech I-20
- Bring all documents to the Cranwell International Center for work authorization BEFORE beginning employment.
The Cranwell International Center will review the student’s eligibility and if appropriate criteria are met, the Designated Signature Official will authorize the employment by issuing a new SEVIS I-20. This authorization is valid only for the specified employer, the employment dates and the number of hours of work per week
Employer Eligibility Verification
When you begin work, you and your employer must complete a form entitled “Employment Eligibility Verification” (Form I-9) which the employer will retain. The I-9 form must be updated each time you receive renewal of your work permission.
Social Security and Other Taxes:
In general F-1 students who have been in the United States less than five years are exempt from Social Security (F.I.C.A.) taxes. Your earnings are subject to applicable federal, state and local taxes. Students must file a tax return on or before April 15 each year, which will determine if any of the withheld taxes can be refunded to you. It is the responsibility of each F-1 visa holder to file federal and state taxes each year even if there is no employment.
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