What is Optional Practical Training (OPT)?

Optional Practical Training (OPT) is defined by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) as a practical work experience for students in valid F1 visa status that is directly related to your field of study and is intended to enhance and supplement the formal, classroom education. OPT can be authorized during or after completion of studies including:

1)     Pre-completion during official school vacation periods - full-time or part-time employment
2)     Pre-completion while school is in session – limited to part-time (20 hours per week or less) employment only
3)     After completion of studies also called post-completion OPT - must be full-time  

How much OPT is allowed?

Standard OPT:  F-1 students are allowed an aggregate period of 12 months of full-time OPT for each degree level (Bachelors, Masters, Doctorate).   You may use portions of your 12-month OPT during studies or vacations or you wait and use the entire 12 months after graduation.  Pre-completion part-time OPT accrues at a rate of 50% (example: 6 months of pre-completion part-time OPT is counted as 3 months toward the total 12 months you are allowed.   So if you did 6 months of part-time pre-completion OPT, you would have 9 months of OPT remaining for use after completion of your degree.) 

STEM OPT Extension:  Students in the STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Math) may be eligible for an additional 17-months post-completion OPT if they meet the required STEM OPT criteria.

Who is Eligible to apply for OPT?

• Students in valid F1 student visa status
• Application must be submitted from within the U.S. - not from abroad
• Students enrolled for at least one full academic year
• A job offer is not required to apply for OPT, but during post-completion OPT, you are expected to work or be actively seeking employment in your field of study after the Employment Authorization Document (EAD) is issued.

When should I apply for OPT?

Post-completion OPT for Undergraduate Class 2013

Graduating students may apply no earlier than 90 days BEFORE your program completion date and your application must be received by USCIS NO LATER than sixty days AFTER your program completion date. For immigration purposes, your program completion date will be May 25.

Post-completion OPT for Graduate Students:

• If you are a Master's student, your completion date is June 30.
• If you are a PhD student, the last day of the month in which FPO occurs is your program completion date.
• If you are a PhD student and your FPO occurs between May 1 and June 30, your program completion date is June 30.
• If you are a Master's student in the 18-month program in Architecture, your program completion date is January 31. 

NOTE FOR GRADUATE STUDENTS: For immigration purposes, FPO date can also be used as your program completion date and your OPT may start immediately following your defense.  

Apply Early: The USCIS currently takes about 3 months to process and approve OPT so we recommend that you apply for post-completion OPT as early as possible within the 90-day period before your Commencement date.  Although it is allowed according to the F-1 regulations, we strongly recommend that graduating students DO NOT apply during the 60-day grace period following your completion of studies.  Doing so may result in your losing some OPT employment time due to the USCIS application processing delays.  Students who choose to apply during the 60-day grace period following graduation must submit the application from within the U.S. and must remain in the U.S. until the OPT application is approved.

Pre-completion OPT during summer vacation or during studies:  You are eligible to apply no earlier than 90 days prior to your projected or desired employment start date.

Freshmen and First Year Graduate Students: The F-1 regulations require that you complete one full academic year in order to be eligible for OPT. You may file your pre-completion OPT application no earlier than 90 days before you have completed your first full academic year.

What should I indicate as my OPT employment start date?

Pre-completion OPT: Your OPT employment start should be the date your employment offer begins. In order to avoid processing delays, you may choose to apply for OPT before you have an offer of employment. In this case, you will need to estimate the date your desired employment will begin. You may not start working earlier than May 25.

Post-completion OPT:  Your OPT employment start can be any date between your program completion date and 60 days following your program completion date.  When indicating your start date, you will need to consider the date your employment offer (if any) begins and the date in which you apply for OPT since it is currently taking USCIS about 90 days to process OPT applications.  You may not begin working until you have the OPT approval in the form of an Employment Authorization Document (EAD).

What if I can't find a job while I am on OPT?

Pre-completion OPT periods of unemployment:  A job offer is not required to apply for pre-completion OPT. There is no penalty if you do not actually work during pre-completion OPT except that you will lose that time from your 12-month OPT eligibility and you will lose your $380 filing fee. 

Post-completion OPT periods of unemployment:  Although a job offer is not required in order to apply for post-completion OPT, students are advised that  "during post-completion OPT, F-1 status is dependent upon employment," and there is an aggregate limit 90 days of "unemployment" that can be accrued while on post-completion OPT.

Each day (including weekends) during the period when OPT authorization begins and ends that the student does not have qualifying employment counts as a day of unemployment. OPT authorization begins on the employment start date as shown on the student's EAD.

For the students reaching the limit of unemployment time, the SEVP Policy Guidance (Student and Exchange Visitor Program) suggests that, "prior to reaching the limit on authorized unemployment the student should prepare to transfer to another SEVP-certified school, change educational level, depart the United States, or take action to otherwise maintain status in the United States".

The Guidance also states that "a student who exceeded the period of unemployment while on post-completion OPT has violated his or her status unless he or she has taken one of the following actions:

• Applied to continue his or her education by a change of educational level or transferring to another SEVP-certified school;
• Departed the United States;
• Taken action to otherwise maintain legal status

What kind of Employment is allowed while on OPT?

All OPT employment must be in a job that is related to the student's degree program. This employment may include:

Paid employment: You may work part time (at least 20 hours per week while on post-completion OPT) or full time.

Multiple employers: You may work for more than one employer, but all employment must be related to your degree program and for pre-completion OPT cannot exceed the allowed per week cumulative hours.

Work for hire: This is also commonly referred to as 1099 employment where an individual performs a service based on a contractual relationship rather than an employment relationship. If requested by the Department of Homeland Security, you must be prepared to provide evidence showing the duration of the contract periods and the name and address of the contacting company.

Self-employed business owner: Students on OPT may start a business and be self-employed. In this situation, you must work full time. You must be able to prove that you have the proper business licenses and are actively engaged in a business related to your degree program.

Employment through an agency or consulting firm: Students on post-completion OPT should be able to provide evidence showing they worked an average of at least 20 hours per week while employed by the agency.

Unpaid employment. Students on OPT may work as volunteers or unpaid interns, where this does not violate any labor laws. the work must be at least 20 hours per week for students on post-completion OPT. If requested by the Department of Homeland Security, you must be prepared to provide evidence from the employer that you worked at least 20 hours per week during the period of employment.

What are my reporting responsibilities when I am on post-completion OPT?

During the post-completion OPT dates, all students must report to the Davis International Center:

• Any change in your name or address
• The name and address of your employer
• Any change in the name and address of the employer
• If the employment ends and you do not plan to resume employment in the U.S.

You should report any relevant changes as listed above by submitting the information via the following online forms:
OPT Change of Address Report Form
OPT Change in Employment Report Form

Are there OPT Information Sessions?

Yes, the Davis International Center strongly encourages you to attend any of the several OPT information sessions offered each year.  Immigration-Related Events Spring 2013 (pdf). 

Can I travel outside the U.S. while on OPT?

Pre-completion OPT:  Students may travel according to the general travel requirements for F-1 students.

Post-completion OPT:  Students are advised to take caution when traveling outside the U.S. and reentering to begin or resume post-completion OPT. The following documents are required to reenter the US for post-completion OPT:

• Valid Passport
• An unexpired F-1 visa in the passport (Canadians are exempt from the visa requirement)
• Valid I-20 with a valid travel signature on page 3 not older than 6 months from the date you reenter the U.S.
• Proof of work authorization in the form of an approved EAD (Employment Authorization Document) for F-1 student
• Proof of OPT employment in the form of a letter from your employer stating the job title, job description, beginning/ending dates, and salary.

Students on post-completion OPT who need a new F-1 entry visa must schedule an appointment at the U.S. Consulate in their home country to apply for an F-1 visa to return to the U.S. to begin or resume OPT.  The documents listed above will be required for the F-1 visa application.  It is important to NOTE that it may be more difficult to obtain a student visa while on OPT as the issue of non-immigrant intent with the intention to return to the home country at the completion of the OPT could be more difficult to prove once the student has obtained a degree and is working in the U.S. Therefore, you should be prepared to honestly answer a question related to this issue if you are asked by the Consular official.  If the Consular officer determines that you have intention to abandon your home country and remain in the U.S. to work permanently, he/she may deny your application for renewal of the F-1 visa.

5-Step OPT Application Process:

STEP 1:  Submit all items on the OPT Application checklist below to the Davis International Center (87 Prospect Avenue). DO NOT staple documents.  Submit only single-sided copies. We regret that incomplete applications cannot be accepted.  

STEP 2:  Within 5 business days, the Davis International Center will process a new I-20 Form that has been generated especially for your OPT application. We will notify you by email when your OPT I-20 has been processed.   You must then come in to sign this I-20 Form.  Your OPT application cannot be mailed to USCIS until you sign the OPT I-20 Form.

STEP 3:  The Davis International Center will mail your complete OPT application to USCIS.

STEP 4:  UNDERGRADUATE STUDENTS : When we receive confirmation that your OPT application has been received by USCIS, the Davis International Center will notify you via email of your USCIS receipt number with which you may view your OPT application Case Status on the USCIS website.   GRADUATE STUDENTS: The confirmation that your OPT application has been received by USCIS will be mailed to the mailing address you provided on the I-765 form. 

STEP 5:   UNDERGRADUATE STUDENTS When your OPT has been approved and your Employment Authorization Document (EAD) has been received, the Davis International Center will notify you by email to come and pick it up.   NOTE: You must have your approved EAD card in order to begin employment. GRADUATE STUDENTS: When your OPT has been approved, USCIS will mail your Employment Authorization Document (EAD) to the mailing address your provided on the I-765 Form. NOTE: You must have your approved EAD card in order to begin employment.

OPT Application Checklist and Forms:

      Printable OPT Application Checklist

Submit the following OPT Application forms and documents during the OPT Application
drop-off times:   Monday - Thursday  2:00-4:00P or Friday 9:00-12 Noon

1.)     Form I-765 (.pdf)  (Complete items 1-16, date and signed the form in blue ink).   Tips for completing Form I-765:  Item #3 - (Important - Undergraduates only - be sure to write the address of the Davis International Center (Davis International Center, Princeton University,  Princeton, NJ 08544) - DO NOT write your campus address. This will ensure that the OPT approval is safely received in our office after which we will notify you;  Item #10 - Alien registration number is your 11-digit I-94 card number;   Item #16 - Enter the appropriate eligibility code: Pre-completion OPT is (c)(3)(A);  Post-completion OPT is (c)(3)(B).

2.)     Form G-1145, E-Notification of Application/Petition Acceptance (This form is optional. If you include it, you will receive an email or text message informing you they have received your application.)

3.)    OPT Adviser Recommendation Form completed and signed by your academic advisor.

4.)    OPT Student Certification Form completed and signed by the student.

5.)     Photocopies of the following:

• Your current SEVIS I-20 Form and ALL previous I-20s that have been issued to you.You must inform the Davis International Center if you are missing any of your previous I-20s issued by Princeton. If you were an F-1 student at another U.S. institution prior to starting your program at Princeton, you should write a letter stating that you did not keep the old I-20s. 
• Your passport identification page(s) with the passport expiration date.
• The front and back of your I-94 card (small white card in your passport).
• Your most recent F-1 visa stamp (except Canadians who are exempt from visa requirements)

6.)     Bank check, money order or personal check (from a U.S. bank and your name and address must be pre-printed on it) in the amount of $380.00. Make check or money order payable to U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services.

7.)     Two (2) U.S. passport-style photographs taken within 30 days of your application. You must write your name and your I-94 number on the back of each photo LIGHTLY, in pen.  You may refer to the US Department of State website for  acceptable photo criteria.  Photos may be obtained within walking distance of campus: CVS Pharmacy Photo, 172 Nassau Street (609-683-1391);  Princeton Photo Lab, 126 Nassau Street;(609-683-1211); or  Pryde Brown, 180 Nassau Street (609-924-9792).

8.)     A copy of your previous Employment Authorization Document (EAD), if any. If you previously engaged in OPT, you will need to submit a photocopy of your previous EAD card(s) - front and back. If you no longer have the card, submit a letter stating that you no longer have it.

Once you have compiled and completed all of the appropriate forms, drop them off at the Davis International Center, 87 Prospect Avenue. 

Submit your OPT Application to the Davis IC during the OPT Application
drop-off times: Monday - Thursday 2:00-4:00P  or  Friday 9:00-12 Noon

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Related Links

Optional Practical Training Guidelines and Checklist  (.pdf)
Optional Practical Training Adviser Recommendation (.pdf)