Optional Practical Training

Employment Authorization for F-1 Students

International students in F-1 status are eligible in most circumstances to obtain employment authorization for Optional Practical Training (OPT). OPT is a benefit of the F-1 status and is a form of work authorization that allows F-1 international students to engage in “temporary employment for practical training directly related to the student’s major area of study.” Employment for OPT is optional and is therefore not required for completion of the student’s academic program or stated educational objective. A student is eligible for a total of twelve (12) months of OPT at each educational level (bachelor’s, master’s, etc.) and is not required to have a job offer to apply. OPT may be authorized before or after the completion of the student’s educational program and may be authorized for full-time or part-time employment depending on the situation.

Types of OPT

Current immigration regulations separate OPT into three types, standard pre-completion OPT, standard post-completion OPT, and an additional 17-month extension of post-completion OPT for which only certain students are eligible. Each type of OPT is described below and requires a separate application and approval by USCIS.

Pre-completion OPT
● May be authorized only for students with program requirements or coursework remaining for degree completion.
● May be authorized only for part-time employment (20 hours or less per week) during regular fall and spring semesters.
Exception: Students who have completed all program requirements except for thesis or dissertation may be authorized for full-time OPT during any semester as long as student continues to make normal academic progress.
● May be authorized full-time or part-time during summer vacation.
● Authorization for pre-completion OPT must end on or before program completion date on I-20.

Post-completion OPT
● May be authorized only for full-time employment after the completion of program requirements.
● Authorization for standard post-completion OPT must end within 14 months of program completion date on I-20.

17-month STEM Extension
● Student must have earned degree for which current OPT was authorized in one of the designated STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) fields. The ISO has a complete list of eligible STEM degree programs.
● May be authorized only to students with current post-completion OPT authorization.
● May be authorized only for full-time employment after the completion of program requirements and current OPT.
● Authorization ends 17 months after end of initial period of standard post-completion OPT.
● Job offer required from employer enrolled in E-Verify system. All employers during STEM extension must use E-Verify.
● Application must be received by USCIS prior to end of initial period of post-completion OPT.

Eligibility Requirements

To be eligible for employment authorization for pre-completion or standard post-completion Optional Practical Training, all of the following conditions must be met:

● Employment must be directly related to the student’s major area of study.
● Student must have been lawfully enrolled full-time at a service-approved institution for at least one academic year.
-Students previously enrolled in another immigration status may count lawful full-time enrollment toward this requirement. For example, a student enrolled for one academic year in H-4 status who changes immigration status to F-1 would meet this eligibility requirement immediately and would not be required to wait an additional academic year.
● Student must be maintaining lawful F-1 status.
● OPT is not employer-specific; no offer of employment is required to apply.
● Students may be authorized for part-time or full-time employment according to the limitations described above.
● Qualified students may be authorized for a total of 12 months of OPT at each progressively higher educational level.
Example 1: A master’s degree student who is authorized for four months of full-time pre-completion OPT is eligible for only 8 months of post-completion OPT upon completion of the program.
Example 2: A master’s degree student who was authorized for 12 months of full-time OPT during a previous master’s program is ineligible for OPT in any subsequent master’s program.
● Part-time OPT is deducted from the aggregate total at one half the full-time rate.
Example: A student who uses four months of part-time pre-completion OPT is eligible for 10 additional months.
● A student who has engaged in 12 months or more of full-time CPT is ineligible for OPT at the same academic level.  

Application Process

To apply for employment authorization for Optional Practical Training, students should complete the following steps:

● Attend an OPT Information Session presented by the Notre Dame Immigration Services Office.
OPT Information Sessions are offered throughout the year and are announced in the ISO weekly email to international students and posted on the ISO web site. OPT application packets are distributed only to students who attend an OPT information session or who complete an individual information session with an ISO advisor.
● Make an OPT appointment with an ISO advisor.
● Complete and submit an OPT application packet and review that application with an ISO advisor.
● Obtain a new I-20 endorsed for OPT from the ISO—usually issued on the business day following the OPT appointment.
● Mail complete application to USCIS so that application is received by USCIS:
- No earlier than 90 days prior to the program completion date on the student’s form I-20.
- No later than the end of the 60-day grace period following the program completion date on the student’s form I-20.
- No later than 30 days after I-20 is endorsed for OPT by an ISO advisor.
● The current USCIS filing fee is $340.00.
● The current USCIS processing time is 2-3 months.
● Employment authorization is in the form of an Employment Authorization Document (EAD) issued to student by USCIS.

OPT employment may not begin until student receives EAD and start date has passed.

Student should provide a copy of the EAD to the Notre Dame Immigration Services Office upon receipt.

Student Responsibilities During OPT

Students authorized for OPT remain in F-1 status and must continue to abide by certain F-1 regulations to maintain lawful immigration status and employment authorization. F-1 students must continue to meet the following requirements while authorized for OPT:
● Continue to enroll in a full course of study as required during the fall and spring semesters. *Pre-completion OPT only.
● Continue to report U.S. address to the Notre Dame Immigration Services Office within 10 days of the change.
● Report the name and address of your U.S. employer, any changes in name and address of the employer and any interruptions in employment to the Immigration Services Office within 10 days.
● Accrue no more than an aggregate total of 90 days of unemployment during standard post-completion OPT.
● Be aware of the affect that transferring schools or beginning study in another program has on OPT authorization:
Transfer to another U.S. institution automatically terminates OPT employment authorization on the SEVIS transfer release date, regardless of the end date shown on the student’s EAD.
Beginning study at another educational level automatically terminates OPT employment authorization on the SEVIS registration date in the new program, regardless of the end date shown on the student’s EAD.
● Notify the ISO immediately if your immigration status changes and provide documentation by fax or email.
● Notify the ISO if you permanently depart the U.S. before your OPT ends.

Travel During OPT

Students who have applied for or are approved for OPT remain in F-1 status. Students on pre-completion OPT follow the same travel procedures as other enrolled F-1 students. Students on post-completion OPT should follow these guidelines:

● Before I-20 program end date: No change; may travel and re-enter according to regular F-1 travel guidelines.
● After I-20 program end date but before OPT application: Departure from U.S. completes F-1 status.
● After I-20 program end date but before EAD start date: May return to U.S. to “search for employment.” In addition to a valid passport and F-1 visa, student must have:
-I-20 endorsed by a DSO on page three within the preceding 6 months
-Unexpired EAD for post-completion OPT
● After I-20 program end date and after EAD start date: May return to U.S. to “resume employment.” In addition to a valid passport and F-1 visa, student must have:
-I-20 endorsed by a DSO on page three within the preceding 6 months
-Unexpired EAD for post-completion OPT
-Written offer or verification of employment from U.S. employer that includes the employment start date

H-1b Cap-Gap Extension

Students with a timely filed cap-subject H-1b petition automatically qualify for an extension of F-1 status and, in some cases, OPT employment. Cap-gap extensions of status and employment authorization are granted automatically and do not require any action on the part of the student. However, a student may request a new I-20 indicating that a cap-gap extension has been granted by providing the ISO with a copy of the H-1b receipt or approval notice, as required.