OPT: Optional Practical Training

Optional Practical Training permits F-1 students to engage in employment that is related to their field of study, but which is not integral to their curriculum (as defined under CPT);

Students authorized for OPT remain in F-1 status, their SEVIS record remains active, and they are required to report any changes in address, interruptions in employment, or the stoppage of OPT before the expiration of the authorization to the OIS.

To be eligible for OPT, the student must:

  • Be in valid F-1 immigration status.
      
  • Have completed at least one academic year (two semesters) of full-time study in the United States and be in good academic standing.

F-1 students are eligible for 12 months of OPT at each successively higher level.  F-1 students who have used 12 months of full-time CPT are no longer eligible for OPT. 

Four types of OPT available:

  1. Pre-completion OPT: Employment starting BEFORE the completion of the degree.  F-1 students maintain full-time enrollment during the academic year and are allowed to work 20 hours per week during the school year and full-time during summer vacation.  
     
  2. Post-completion OPT: Employment starting AFTER the completion of all requirements for the degree, or after completion of all required coursework--excluding thesis or dissertation. 
     
  3. STEM Extension: A one time 17-month extension of post-completion OPT for students who earned degrees in qualifying Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) fields and whose employer while on OPT is registered with E-Verify. OPT STEM Extension Request Form (pdf)
     
  4. Cap-Gap Extension: For F-1 students presently on OPT who are beneficiaries of a pending or approved H-1B petition who are working for a cap-subject employer with an October 1 start date of H-1B status.  This extends OPT authorization and F-1 status to September 30th of the year when your H-1B will start. 

Click here for the Application Process

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 or she advances to a higher educational level.

Employment While On OPT

  • While on OPT, F-1 students may only work in positions related to their major field of study.
     
  • Employment is only permitted upon receiving the OPT card (Employment Authorization Document—EAD), and only during the dates listed on the card.
     
  • After you complete your degree, you may not work on-campus until you have received your OPT card and the start date on your card is current. At that time, you may resume working on-campus, provided that the work is in your field of study.
     
  • OPT allows students to work in more than one job, provided that all jobs are in the major field of study.
     
  • There are no maximum limits on the number of hours per week that a student can work while on OPT, but students must work at least 21 hours per week while on OPT.
  • During standard post-completion OPT, a student may not be unemployed for more than 90 days. If a student receives a 17-month STEM OPT extension, the limit on unemployment is raised to a total of no more than 120 days, applied to the entire 29-month period of post-completion OPT.