Optional Practical Training

Please watch the pre-recorded OPT Webinar if you will be applying for OPT. It is about one hour long. You will receive detailed instructions for applying for OPT and maintaining your F-1 student status while on OPT. You can also view individual sections of the webinar below.

• OPT Eligibility Overview and Application Timeline (11 minutes)
• Application Process (9 minutes)
• How to Submit USCIS Online OPT Application (21 minutes)
• OPT Application FAQs (5 minutes)
• After Applying for OPT—What's Next? (5 minutes)
• Maintaining F-1 Status Once Approved for OPT (15 minutes)
• After OPT (7 minutes)

Please see the links below for application resources.

• OPT Webinar Full Video (1 hour and 13 minutes)
• OPT Presentation Slides
• OPT Webinar Supplement—Premium Processing Video (23 minutes)
• OPT Webinar Supplement—Premium Processing Slides
• USCIS Photo Requirements
• Health Insurance for Students on OPT

If you have questions about the application after watching the webinar, you can get them answered by attending an OPT Live Advising Session (sessions are advertised in our newsletters and on Instagram), emailing [email protected], or making an appointment with an advisor through Starfish.

• You have completed two semesters of full-time study in the United States in active immigration status.
• Time spent in the United States studying full-time in a non-immigrant status other than F-1 may qualify if you have maintained a non-immigrant status that permits full-time study and you have been approved for a change of status with USCIS to F-1 at the time you plan to begin OPT.
• If you have departed the United States to obtain the F-1 visa and return on an initial I-20, you must complete the two semesters before you can qualify for OPT.
• Have valid F-1 status at the time of your application.
• You have not accrued 12 months or more of full-time CPT employment.
• You have not previously been approved for OPT at your current degree level.
• You must be graduating in the semester in which you apply (only for Post-Completion OPT).
• You must be continuing enrollment at The New School in the following fall or spring semester (only for Pre-Completion OPT with full-time work authorization).
• You must receive an I-20 OPT recommendation from ISSS before submitting an application to USCIS.
• You must be in the United States to submit an application to USCIS.
• You do not need to have an employment offer to apply for OPT.
• You must file the Post-Completion OPT application with USCIS within your application window of up to 90 days before the program end date and up to 60 days after the program end date (only for Post-Completion OPT).
• You must file the Pre-Completion OPT application with USCIs within 90 days before your requested employment start date (only for Pre-Completion OPT).

1. View the OPT webinar (link in above section).
2. Confirm that you are graduating and submit an application to graduate (for Post-Completion OPT).
3. Gather your application documents.
4. Submit the OPT Request form in iGlobal.
5. ISSS will issue you a new I-20 and email you instructions on what to do next.  
6. After receiving your new I-20 with OPT recommendation from ISSS, submit your application to USCIS online within 29 days after the date the I-20 is issued or the end of your grace period, whichever is sooner.
7. Wait for the application to be processed by USCIS. The historical average time for processing OPT applications by USCIS is two to three months. The time for individual processing may vary and could be anywhere from two to five months. Our office has experienced a processing time of around three months or less for most students.
   
   To learn more about the USCIS Premium Processing service, allowing the processing of an OPT application in no more than 30 calendar days, please view the OPT Webinar Supplement for Premium Processing (link in section above).
8. Get your EAD (Employment Authorization Document) card from USCIS.
9. Start working and report your employment!

When filing online, you should receive a receipt notice and case number instantly after submission and then should receive a physical copy of the receipt notice in the mail within two weeks. This notice shows that your application has been received by USCIS. The notice will include your case number. You can check your case status with that number on the USCIS website.

After submission of your application, you should receive an approval notice and EAD card within two to three months.

At any time, if you need to change your U.S. mailing address with USCIS, please complete the USCIS change of address form online using your application receipt number and update your address in your MyUSCIS account profile information. Doing this will update your mailing address in the USCIS system. We would also recommend calling USCIS a few days after submitting the request to ensure that the address was successfully updated. Finally, please update your address with the U.S. Post Service, so that your mail will be forwarded to your new address. 

If you receive a request for evidence letter (RFE), a rejection notice, or a denial notice, please contact ISSS immediately to speak with an advisor.

Common Reasons for Receiving an RFE

• The passport photo image did not meet the necessary standard.
• Additional details of enrollment status are needed.
• Additional information regarding past employment or prior status is needed.

In most cases, as long as a student responds to the RFE in a timely and proper manner, the application will continue to be processed and approved by USCIS. Students who file the application online with USCIS will be able to see RFE notices in their MyUSCIS account portal and respond to the RFE notice with their supporting evidence online through their account.

Common Reasons for a Rejection or Denial Notice

• The student applied online with USCIS before receiving an I-20 with OPT recommendation from ISSS.
• The student applied online with USCIS and did not sign or did not include an I-20 with OPT recommendation from ISSS.
• Payment of the application fee was not successful.
• The application to USCIS was submitted more than 29 days after the date the I-20 with OPT recommendations from ISSS was issued.
• The application to USCIS was submitted after the end of the student’s grace period.

In most cases, a student may still be eligible to re-apply for OPT upon receiving a rejection or denial notice as long as they are still within the OPT application period and have maintained F-1 status. However, before attempting to re-apply online with USCIS, the student must submit a new OPT Request in iGlobal and be issued a new I-20 with OPT recommendation from ISSS.

Changes to OPT Employment Dates
Students indicate their requested OPT start date when submitting the OPT Request Form in iGlobal to ISSS. 

Students applying for Pre-Completion OPT must indicate their requested OPT start date, which cannot be more than 90 days in the future at the time of submitting the request, and indicate their requested OPT end date, which can be up to 12 months following the requested OPT start date. ISSS will issue the I-20 with OPT recommendation using the dates requested by the student in the OPT Request Form in iGlobal.

For Post-Completion OPT, students may request a start date of any day within the 60-day grace period following their I-20 program end date and will be recommended by ISSS for 12 months of OPT starting from their requested OPT start date. If the student has already used any Pre-Completion OPT, ISSS will deduct any pre-completion employment time from the 12 months of OPT when issuing the student’s I-20 with OPT recommendation.

If a student receives an I-20 with OPT recommendation from ISSS, would like to change their requested start date or end date, and has not yet submitted the OPT application online to USCIS, the student may contact ISSS to have their OPT start date or end date changed. Once the student has submitted the OPT application online to USCIS, the requested OPT start and end dates cannot be changed by ISSS. If USCIS is processing an OPT application after the requested OPT start date, the OPT start date usually is changed to the date that USCIS processes the application. The approved OPT start date and end date from USCIS cannot be changed by ISSS and will be authorized at the sole discretion of USCIS.

Canceling an OPT Application
After receiving the I-20 with OPT recommendation, a student may decide to cancel or withdraw their application. The status of the OPT application with USCIS will determine the next steps.

• If the application has not yet been submitted online to USCIS, inform ISSS that you will no longer apply for OPT, and the OPT recommendation on your SEVIS record will be canceled. Do not apply or submit any further information to USCIS.
• If the application is pending with USCIS, contact USCIS directly to request that your application be withdrawn. Your application cannot be withdrawn by ISSS at this point in the process. To withdraw your application with USCIS, type a letter and hand-sign it explaining the situation and formally requesting a withdrawal of your application. Be sure to reference your application case number (it typically starts with IOE if you applied online) and include your contact details, including your full name, return U.S. mailing address, U.S. phone number, and email address, in your letter. Also be sure to ask USCIS to inform you if it has received your withdrawal request (though USCIS will likely not provide this information). Then upload this letter to your MyUSCIS account in the "Additional Unsolicited Evidence" section of your pending OPT application record and also send a secure message to USCIS through the inbox in your MyUSCIS account menu to notify USCIS that you are requesting a withdrawal of your application. In the message to USCIS, mention that you are requesting that your application be withdrawn and have updated your withdrawal letter as evidence in your pending application record in your account. Also be sure to include in the message your application case number (it typically starts with IOE if you applied online and can be found on your I-797 receipt notice) to reference your pending application record. Note: it may take a few weeks or longer for the withdrawal to be processed, and you will not be refunded the application fee. Once the application is withdrawn, you may apply again for OPT at your current education level (e.g., associate's, bachelor's, master's, PhD) if you wish and if you are still eligible.
• If OPT has been approved, the application and OPT authorization can no longer be canceled or withdrawn. Students who have been approved for Pre-Completion OPT and will no longer pursue it forfeit any unused Pre-Completion OPT employment time that has been authorized but may still apply for Post-Completion OPT, if desired, for any part of the 12 months of OPT employment time that was not included in the authorized Pre-Completion OPT employment period. Students who have been approved for Post-Completion OPT and will no longer pursue it or will end their pursuit before their OPT end date can submit the Cancel/End Early OPT Authorization Request to ISSS to have their SEVIS record completed and OPT authorization ended. Once the record is completed, the student may no longer apply again for Post-Completion OPT at the current educational level, and the student’s F-1 status is ended. Students no longer pursuing Post-Completion OPT or ending it early are advised to leave the United States before their F-1 status ends.

Note: If a student is applying for Post-Completion OPT and finds out while applying that they will have further program requirements other than thesis or dissertation defense requirements to complete for their degree (e.g., making up a course in their final semester), the student must notify ISSS and will need to withdraw or cancel the OPT application before it is approved by USCIS and submit an Extension of I-20 request to ISSS to extend their I-20 program end date. Once the application has been canceled or withdrawn, the student may re-apply for Post-Completion OPT starting 90 days before their new I-20 program end date. 

If USCIS has already approved the Post-Completion OPT application but the student has further program requirements to complete, the student must notify ISSS and should also submit an Extension of I-20 request to ISSS. The student will then be issued an updated I-20 showing their new program end date. The student will be eligible to work only part-time (up to 20 hours per week) while enrolled in courses to complete the requirements for their program and more than 20 hours per week during class breaks and vacation periods. After successful completion of all the degree program requirements, the student must resume working full-time (more than 20 hours per week) for the remainder of their OPT authorization period.

An Employment Authorization Document (EAD) card is the physical evidence that an individual is allowed to work in the United States for a specific time period and that a student’s OPT has been adjudicated and approved by USCIS. Students should keep this card safe and make sure there are no errors on it.

Card Corrections—Typographic Error by USCIS
If you received an EAD card that contains incorrect information because of a USCIS error (e.g., a typo in the name or an incorrect birth date), you may need to return the card with supporting documentation to get it corrected by USCIS. USCIS will issue a corrected EAD card within 30 to 45 days of receiving the EAD card that contains the error.

Before following the instructions below to have your EAD card corrected, be sure that:

• You have made a photocopy of the card.
• You have already provided the card for your employment hiring process or SSN application, if applicable.
• You do not have any international travel plans in the next one to two months while waiting for the replacement card. If you plan to travel, please be sure to consult with ISSS regarding the risks of doing so.

Instructions for having an EAD card corrected:

1. Review the USCIS Instructions for Card Corrections.
2. Meet with an ISSS advisor to determine what supporting evidence you need for your EAD card correction.
3. For minor errors that do not need supporting evidence, go to the USCIS e-request page to submit a Typographic Error service request. After submitting your request, you should receive an email notice from USCIS with further instructions and will need to mail your EAD card to the USCIS card correction facility address given on the USCIS website. When submitting the service request online, you will need to fill out the following:
   
   • Receipt number: the case receipt number from your OPT application, typically starting with "IOE"
   • Form number: I-765
   • Form subtype: I-765—based on a request by a qualified F-1 academic student (c)(3)
   • Mailing address: the U.S. mailing address where you would like the replacement EAD card to be sent
   • In response to the question "What has the Typographic Error?" reply "Employment Authorization Card."
4. For errors that need supporting evidence, you will be required to mail your EAD card and appropriate supporting documentation to the USCIS card correction facility address given on the USCIS website.
   • For example, EAD cards showing OPT authorization start or end dates outside of eligible OPT employment authorization periods will need minimum supporting documentation of a letter of explanation and the initial I-20 OPT recommendation issued by ISSS. Please contact ISSS to review this requirement further before mailing back your EAD card.
5. ISSS advises that you use trackable mail service to ensure delivery when mailing your EAD card to USCIS. In your mailing, be sure to include a letter of explanation detailing your EAD card error, a request for card correction, your email and phone contact details, and the U.S. mailing address where USCIS should send your corrected EAD card. Once your card has been returned to the USCIS Service Center, your new card should be issued and mailed to you within about 30 to 45 days. If you have questions about the instructions you receive from USCIS or the process for EAD card corrections, please contact ISSS.

Note: If USCIS determines that the card contains incorrect information that is not due to an error by USCIS, they will return the original card instead of issuing a corrected one. If this occurs, you must request a Replacement EAD (see below) and repay the USCIS I-765 filing fee.

Replacement of a Damaged, Lost, or Stolen Card
If you need a replacement EAD card (if, for example, the original card was lost, stolen, or destroyed or it included an error made by the applicant), you will need to file a new I-765 application and repay the USCIS I-765 fee to the service center on the USCIS website. You will need to select the same OPT eligibility category on the I-765 that you previously applied for (e.g., Pre-Completion OPT [c(3)(A)] or Post-Completion OPT [c(3)(B)]) and indicate that this is an application for a replacement of an EAD card. You must also indicate that you previously completed the Form I-765 and must upload the following documents with the application:

1. A copy of your current passport and F-1 visa
2. Your most recent I-94 record
3. A copy of your approved OPT I-20
   • If you do not have an I-20 that lists OPT as approved, please request a reprint of your I-20 on iGlobal so that we can provide you with one.
4. A copy of your EAD card (if you have one)
   • If you do not have a copy, you can upload a letter indicating the reason you do not have one.
   • If the card was stolen, please include a police report as evidence.
   • If there was an error on your card that you need to have corrected for the replacement card, please include a letter explaining the correction that needs to be made as evidence.
5. Copies of any I-20s showing prior CPT and OPT
6. A new passport-style photo

You can also provide additional details in the “Additional Information” section of the I-765 form if you have further information regarding your EAD card you would like to include or details you have provided to apply for your replacement EAD card.

Once you submit your application, you will receive a receipt notice and case tracking number. USCIS reports an average processing time of two to three months. You can present the receipt notice, if needed, to your employer for I-9 hiring purposes. Please be aware that when you are filing online for the new EAD, your answers will go directly to USCIS and ISSS cannot check them. Please ensure that you answer the questions accurately and triple-check your application for errors and typos before submission. After you complete these steps, you can use the receipt notice you receive from the U.S. government for your replacement application as an I-9 document for up to 90 days of employment. See the USCIS I-9 Receipt webpage for more details. However, we advise you not to travel internationally while waiting for a replacement EAD card.

Undelivered EAD Card
If the case status on USCIS shows that your EAD card was mailed but you never received it, it is possible that it was undeliverable or was lost by the United States Postal Service (USPS). Check the delivery status of your card on the USCIS E-Request page by selecting the option "Did not receive card by mail."

If your case status shows that the card was undeliverable, the USPS may have returned the EAD to USCIS. Follow the instructions in the online USCIS case status for requesting that USCIS resend the card to you.

If your case status shows the card was delivered but it has not been delivered to you by USPS, you are advised to:

1. Check with USCIS to obtain the tracking number for the card. The tracking information should show up in your MyUSCIS account if the card was mailed.
2. Check the tracking number with the USPS. If it shows as delivered, contact the USPS to see if it can locate the mail for you. If not, you will likely need to apply for a replacement card. If the USPS is responsible for the loss of the card, you will need to obtain an official letter on letterhead from that USPS office stating that. You may be able to have USCIS issue a new replacement EAD card to you at no additional cost by contacting USCIS and providing this information. 
   
   

Once you have been approved for OPT, complete the following next steps:

• Look over your EAD card after you receive it in the mail.
• Upload a copy of your EAD card to ISSS through an Updated Document Upload in iGlobal.
• After you are approved for OPT, you can request an extension of your health insurance for your Post-Completion OPT period with United Health Plans if you qualify. You will receive an email from United Health Plans on how to extend your health insurance coverage if you qualify.
• Report all of your employment on OPT in the SEVP OPT Portal within ten days of any changes to your employment.
• You can engage only in employment that is directly related to your field of study.
• You cannot exceed a maximum of 90 days of unemployment on Post-Completion OPT.
• Work must total more than 20 hours per week through one or more combined employment activities on Post-Completion OPT. (See employment types listed below on this page.)
  

Once approved for OPT, students must report in the SEVP OPT Portal all of their OPT employment within ten days of any employment changes.

Please read the Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP) Portal Student User Guide regarding how to create an SEVP OPT Portal account and report employment activities during a period of approved Post-Completion OPT. All students who have been approved for OPT by USCIS and have reached the OPT start date on their EAD Card will receive an email invitation from SEVP to set up their SEVP OPT Portal account.

If you have been approved for OPT and do not receive the SEVP email within five days after your OPT start date, have been locked out of your portal account, or received a notice from SEVP to contact your Designated School Official (DSO) for portal access, please submit the ISSS OPT Portal Reset request form for further assistance.

When you report your employment in the SEVP OPT Portal, you will need to enter the following information:

• Self Employed Check box
  • Click this box only if you are self-employed. The portal will then enter your name in the Employer Name section.
• Employer Name
• Employer Address
  • Must be a U.S.-based address
• Job Title
• Full-Time/Part-Time
  • Use the drop-down list to select full-time (more than 20 hours per week) or part-time (20 hours or less per week) to describe your employment hours.
• Employment Start Date
  • Start dates cannot be before the start date on your OPT authorization.
• Employment End Date
  • End date cannot be reported after the end date of your OPT authorization.
• Relation to Field of Study
  • Explain how the job related to the degree that qualified you for this practical training experience.

For more information about the SEVP OPT Portal, please see:

• SEVP OPT Portal Student User Guide
• Navigate the SEVP Portal
• How to Update Employment Information in the SEVP Portal

If you would like an updated I-20 showing your employment details after reporting your employment in the portal, please submit an I-20 Reprint Request in iGlobal.

If you do not successfully report an employment change within ten days of the change to the SEVP OPT Portal, you can instead submit an OPT Employment Report in iGlobal, and ISSS will update the employment on your record and issue you an updated I-20. Please be advised that ISSS cannot update employment details on your record after your OPT employment authorization end date.

The purpose of OPT is for you to get practical experience related to your studies. The U.S. government uses the terms practical training or employment to describe this. The word "employment" may be confusing, because unpaid activity also counts as practical training on OPT. All employment during OPT must fulfill all of these conditions:

• Relate to your field of study
• Be with a U.S.-based employer

• Total more than 20 hours per week through one or more combined employment activities

The following are approved types of employment activities on OPT:

• Multiple employers. A student may work for more than one employer, but all employment must be related to the student’s degree program and, for Pre-Completion OPT, cannot exceed the allowed per-week cumulative hours.  
• Short-term multiple employers (performing artists). A student such as a musician or other performing artist may work for multiple short term employers (gigs). The student should maintain a list of all gigs and their dates and duration.  
• Work for hire. Also commonly referred to as 1099 employment, this form of employment involves an individual performing a service based on a contractual relationship rather than an employment relationship. If asked by DHS, the student must be prepared to provide evidence showing the duration of the contract period and the name and address of the contracting company.  
• Self-employed business owner. A student on OPT may start a business and be self-employed. The student must be able to prove that they have the proper business licenses and are actively engaged in a business related to the student’s degree program.  
• Employment through an agency or consulting firm. A student on Post-Completion OPT must be able to provide evidence showing that they worked an average of at least 20 hours per week while employed by the agency. 
• Paid employment. A student may work part-time or full-time.  

• Unpaid employment. A student may work as a volunteer or unpaid intern if this practice does not violate any labor laws. 

As noted above, one of the pathways to employment for OPT and beyond is to start your own business. ISSS has partnered with the Center for Student Success—Career Services to provide you with resources and information on how to set up a business. For more details, see Entrepreneurship on the Career Services website.

You may travel internationally once your OPT is approved. In order to re-enter the United States, you will need:

• A passport (valid for at least six months)
• An unexpired F-1 visa (unless you are Canadian)
• Your most recent I-20 with a valid travel signature (travel signatures are valid for only six months on Post-Completion OPT)
• An EAD card
• Proof or a letter of employment 

If you are traveling during Pre-Completion OPT, you are also advised to carry with you evidence of your ongoing enrollment at The New School, such as an Enrollment Verification Letter.

Do not enter the United States in a different status. If your F-1 visa has expired, you will need to renew it when you travel to re-enter the United States in F-1 status. 

Please be aware that traveling internationally when your Post-Completion OPT application is still in pending status is a risk, and ISSS does not recommend it. For more information, please see our High-Risk Travel Periods page.

OPT done before completion of the course of study is called Pre-Completion OPT. Since OPT is counted cumulatively and 12 total months of OPT are available, any Pre-Completion OPT done before a degree is completed will count against that 12-month total and reduce time available for Post-Completion OPT after the degree is awarded.

A student who still has coursework remaining to complete their educational objective or degree program is limited to 20 hours per week of Pre-Completion OPT while school is in session. Students can, however, apply for full-time OPT during their annual vacation and official school breaks. This means that a student must have at least one semester (fall or spring) of future enrollment to be eligible for full-time work authorization on Pre-Completion OPT and cannot be authorized for full-time work authorization through Pre-Completion OPT in their final semester of study. 

If you are interested in Pre-Completion OPT, especially during your final semester of study, please speak with an ISSS advisor. It is possible that CPT authorization can be used instead of Pre-Completion OPT, so it is best to discuss all options with an ISSS advisor.

If a student has completed all coursework except thesis or dissertation, they can apply for either Pre-Completion or Post-Completion OPT. However, a student applying for Post-Completion OPT will have their I-20 program end date moved up. Please discuss the situation with an ISSS advisor.