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.