24 Month stem optional practical training (OPT) extension

Applying for STEM OPT is a two-step process. You must first obtain your STEM OPT I-20 from International Student & Scholar Services (ISSS), which has 10 business day processing time, and then mail your application with all the required documents to USCIS to obtain an Employment Authorization Document (EAD) card, which takes average of 3-5 months to process.

You must apply for STEM OPT no earlier than 90 days before your OPT end date. If you send in your STEM OPT application more than 90 days before your program ends or after your the OPT ends your request will be denied by USCIS.

You need to have your complete STEM OPT application received by the appropriate USCIS Service
Center within 60 days of the Post-Completion STEM OPT I-20 issue date by ISSS. Applications that arrive after the 60 days will be rejected or denied at a later date. You will miss your opportunity to participate in STEM OPT Extension if the student cannot refile before their OPT period ends.

 To apply for the 24-month STEM extension, work must be paid employment with an E-Verify employer at least 21 hours per week.

The answer to this question varies on many factors. Please meet with an ISSS advisor to discuss your options.

International Student & Scholar Services may have copies of your old I-20s in your file. You can request that ISSS make you copies of your old I-20s by completing the “Request for Document Copies” e-form, but keep in mind that it could take up to a week to process your request. It is always your responsibility to keep your I-20s. Your file may or may not contain copies of the documents you are looking for. It is best if you maintain a well-kept file of your documents in a safe place. Keep in mind you only need to submit I-20s at your current degree level for your OPT application. If you are missing I-20s, please submit what you currently have as including previous I-20s is a recommendation, not a requirement for the OPT application.

No, USCIS requires you indicate an address in the United States. The address you use may be a friend’s address or a P. O. Box. If you use a friend’s address, you must put their name in the “in care of name” field on page 2 of the I-765. Contact ISSS if you have further questions about your mailing address.

When USCIS sends you your I-797 receipt notice in the mail, you will receive a receipt number. You can use this number to access information about your application at the USCIS Case Status page.

If you are granted the STEM OPT work authorization and you are still in legal F-1 immigration status, then your dependents are still in legal F-2 immigration visa status. You will receive new I-20s for yourself and all dependents if you are eligible for the Post-Completion OPT work authorization. If you do not follow F-1 regulations
while on STEM OPT and fall out of status, your F-2 dependents automatically fall out of status with you.

If the STEM application is properly and timely filed (i.e. STEM OPT application received by USCIS before the last day of your post-completion OPT), the student's employment authorization is automatically extended for up to 180 days while the STEM OPT extension request is pending review with USCIS.

Yes, your lawful F-1 status expires 60 days after the end date indicated on your STEM OPT extension EAD only if you have successfully completed your STEM OPT. This is called a "grace period." You are expected to leave the country within 60 days from the end date indicated on the EAD or make other arrangements to lawfully remain in the U.S. However, if you decide to discontinue with your STEM OPT before it officially ends, you must leave the U.S. immediately, as no grace period applies in that situation unless you have other legal means of remaining in the U.S.

 Failure to comply will result in a loss of F-1 status. Students who lose their F-1 status must depart from the country immediately as their F-1 visa status is no longer valid. Students with another status in process that allows them to remain in the U.S. should seek advice from an immigration attorney. 

The answer to this question depends on if you have applied for Post-Completion OPT and where you are in that
process:

Have not applied for STEM OPT

If you have not applied yet, you may leave the U.S. during your grace
period but you will not be allowed to return on your F-1 student visa and you also will lose the opportunity to
apply for STEM OPT. If you wish to return to the U.S. on your student visa and participate in STEM OPT, you must send in your application and wait for STEM OPT approval before traveling outside of U.S.

Your STEM OPT is pending

icon Students should not assume that the I-765 Application will be approved while abroad.

If you have a pending STEM OPT application and it is after your OPT end date, it is very strongly recommended that you do NOT travel until your request has been approved by USCIS. If you do depart the U.S., please understand that entry into the U.S. is granted at the discretion of the U.S. Customs and Border Protection officer, and you travel at your own risk. If you still wish to travel while your STEM OPT is pending, please speak with an ISSS advisor about the risks involved.

Your STEM OPT has been approved

After you have received your EAD card, your travel documents should include your signed STEM  OPT I-20, valid F-1 visa, a passport valid for at least six months, EAD card, and a letter from your employer (if applicable). The letter should state that they have employed you or plan on employing you, and you are coming back to the U.S. to work for them.

Note: When you receive your EAD card it will say, “Not valid for travel”. This means besides your EAD card, you will need your I-20, valid passport, and visa in order to travel.

These same rules apply for both the Post-Completion OPT and the 24 month STEM extension. Please understand
that entry into the U.S. is granted at the discretion of the U.S. Customs and Border Protection officer, and you
travel at your own risk.

Dependent travel

Since STEM OPT is not noted on dependent I-20s, an F2 dependent must carry copies of the F-1 student’s I-20 with Post-Completion OPT recommendation, EAD card, and proof of employment, in addition to their own F-2 I-20 when traveling

You should always travel with valid passport, valid F-1 visa, most recent I-20 with a travel signature, EAD card, and
if applicable, your job offer letter. Please refer to our Travel page for more information for OPT. 

NO!! If you intend to continue working on your STEM OPT authorization, NEVER enter in any other immigration status except F-1. If you leave the U.S. and re-enter with any other status than F-1, you will immediately forfeit your F-1 status. This means your STEM OPT will be invalid.

It is possible and many students on STEM OPT get their F-1 visa stamps renewed. You do have to be careful to demonstrate non-immigrant intent. The risk of denial of an application for a renewed visa stamp for STEM  OPT is somewhat higher than while you are in your active student program. The F-1 student visa requires that the applicant must intend to return to the home country at the end of the program, and if the
embassy official is not convinced of your intention to return home, the visa application could be denied.

You need to take a valid passport, your EAD card, your STEM  OPT I-20 issued by ISSS, and your job offer letter or proof of employment (if applicable). You should also be prepared to discuss how this job experience will apply to the job market in your home country, and how you intend to apply it there. You should find additional information about required documents at your embassy’s website before your visa renewal appointment.

Yes. During STEM OPT, if you travel outside the U.S., your I-20 must be signed for travel. The current travel signature on page 2 of your I-20 is valid for 6 months. If you return after this date, you may be denied reentry. For more information should check out our Travel page.

Failure to comply will result in a loss of F-1 status. Students who lose their F-1 status must depart from the country immediately as their F-1 visa status is no longer valid. Students with another status in process that allows them to remain in the U.S. should seek advice from an immigration attorney. 

For more information and detailed instructions, you are encouraged to review our Reporting Requirements for STEM OPT page. 

Yes, you do need to be employed while on your STEM OPT. You are only allowed to have a total of 150 days of unemployment aggregate while on post-completion OPT and STEM OPT (90 days of post-completion OPT, 60 additional days during STEM). This total number of unemployment applies through the entire period of OPT with the maximum limit of 90 during post-completion OPT.

icon Please remember that you MUST update your employment information and your training plan with ISSS while on the STEM OPT each time you begin or terminate employment. 

Yes, you msut work full-time while on STEM OPT. For immigration purposes, 21 hours or more per week is considered to be full-time. Part-time work is not allowed on STEM OPT.

A student may change employers during the 24-month STEM OPT period, but all employers that a student will work for during the STEM extension period must be registered in the E-verify program, and the student must report the change, including submitting a new Form I-983 to ISSS within 10 days of the change. 

For more information and detailed instructions, you are encouraged to review our Reporting Requirements for STEM OPT page. 

No, STEM OPT does not allow for self-employment, volunteer, and unpaid roles.

The 10-year eligiblity period for previously-earned STEM degrees is determined by the date the degree was conferred/earned (reflected on the official transcript). The application date is the date on which the DSO recommends the STEM OPT extension on the I-20. 

STEM OPT employers must provide compensation to the student commensurate to that provided to similarly situated U.S. workers. Alternative compensation may be allowed during STEM OPT as long as the student can show that he or she is a bona fide employee and that his or her compensation, including any ownership interest in the employer entity (such as stock options) is commensurate with the compensation provided to other similarly situated U.S. workers. 

Yes, however, each employer must fully comply with the regulations (complete and sign a Form I-983 for each employer) and employ the student full-time. Full-time consists of 21 hours or more per week. 

If students use up all of their unemployment days, they are considered out of status. Students do not get an additional grace period, and should leave the U.S. before the end of their unemployment period.

If you wish to return to school after you finish STEM OPT, you must obtain a new I-20 from the International Admissions Office within 60 days of your OPT end date. You must begin classes within the next available semester or within 5 months, whichever is sooner. If you are changing schools, you must request that we transfer your SEVIS record within 60 days of your Post-Completion OPT end date.

Students are allowed to take classes while on STEM OPT, but these classes must be avocational in nature (for example, a cooking or exercise class) and may not be part of a new degree and will not count towards maintaining your F-1 status. If you are admitted into a new degree program, you will get a new I-20 and your Post-Completion OPT will be cancelled.

Students are allowed to take classes while on STEM OPT, but these classes must be avocational in nature (for example, a cooking or exercise class) and may not be part of a new degree program. If you are admitted into a new degree program, you will need a new I-20 and your STEM OPT will be cancelled once the new program begins. Even if you don’t get a new I-20 because you are not transferring your SEVIS record or studying at the University of Utah, USCIS can still see this as a violation of status if you remain on OPT.

Students can transfer their SEVIS record to a new school while on STEM OPT. Once you transfer your record to the new school, your STEM OPT will automatically terminate and you will not able to engage in employment until authorized to do so from the new school. Please speak with ISSS advisor if you have any concerns or questions. Students are encouraged to review our Transfer page.