Post-completion OPT
Post-completion OPT (Optional Practical Training) allows you to receive up to 12-months of employment authorization for work related to your program of study, after completion of your program.
Basic Rules and Restrictions
- Eligibility is limited to F-1 students who have completed one academic year of continuous full-time enrollment in their program of study.
- Must be employed full-time (20 hours/week or more).
- Must report your employment to SEVP after your start date of OPT authorization.
- Employment must be related to your program of study.
Application Timeline
- Eligible to apply 90 days before your program end date (the final day of exams for your graduating quarter).
- Request an OPT recommendation (a new I-20). 澳门赌场 OPT request takes roughly 3 – 5 days.
- Use your OPT recommendation to file an I-765 (using category C3B) with USCIS.
- Receiving approval from USCIS takes roughly 90 days.
- After receiving approval, you will be sent an Employment Authorization Document via USPS. This can take 1 – 2 weeks.
Eligible employment
- Regular paid employment.
- Internships.
- Volunteers or unpaid opportunities.
- Self-employment.
- Employment through an agency.
- Work for hire.
Ineligible Employment
- Anything unrelated to your program of study.
Apply
See our Post-completion OPT application page for details on every step of the application.
Requirements & FAQ
See our Post-completion OPT Requirements & FAQ page for everything you must know while on Post-completion OPT.