OPTIONAL PRACTICAL TRAINING 

Optional Practical Training (OPT) is defined in the regulations as temporary employment to gain practical experience directly related to the students major field of study. OPT can be authorized at the following times:

Pre-completion OPT: During the students annual vacation and at other times when school is not in session if the student is currently enrolled and eligible, and intends to register for the next term or session, and while school is in session, provided that it does not exceed 20 hours per week while school is in session.
Post-completion OPT: After completion of all course requirements for the degree, excluding thesis or equivalent, if the student is in a bachelors, masters, or doctoral degree program, or after completion of the course of study.
STEM Extension OPT: Recipients of bachelors, masters, and doctoral degrees in certain STEM (science, technology, engineering, mathematics) fields can apply for a 24-month post-completion OPT extension if certain requirements are met.

Who is eligible for OPT? F-1 students must have been lawfully enrolled on a full-time basis at a SEVP approved school for one full academic year (2 semesters or 30 credit hours) before being eligible for OPT. Students in English language training are not eligible for OPT.

Where can I use OPT? Students may engage in OPT for any employer for the duration of OPT authorized, as long as the employment qualifies under OPT standards. Training/work can be completed anywhere in the U.S. after the OPT EAD card is issued.

How long does OPT last? Standard OPT is available for a cumulative maximum of 12 months per educational level. A one-time extension of 24 months (for a total of 36 months) is available to certain STEM degree recipients.

How many hours per week can I work? Pre-completion OPT is limited to 20 hours per week while school is in session and the student still has coursework to complete. Full-time employment can be requested for pre-completion OPT done during official school breaks.

For post-completion OPT, a student must be employed for at least 20 hours per week. Students requesting post-completion OPT may work 40 + hours per week.

Can I work anywhere? NO! The job must be directly related to and commensurate with the level of the students course of study. Please see your academic advisor / professors for questions about which jobs will apply. It is very important that you can document that the job you accept is directly related to your field of study.

Must I have an offer of employment to apply for OPT? No offer of employment is required, but the student is expected to work while on OPT. You should keep records of all job postings, letters of invitation for interviews, letters of rejection, or resume postings related to your job search. Students on post-completion OPT are limited to a maximum of 90 days of unemployment. Tech cannot find your job, but you may want to consult the Norman Career Center for assistance in searching for a job.

Students must apply for OPT with the assistance of International Students and Scholars. An I-765 for standard post-completion OPT can be filed up to 90 days before the program end-date and up to 60 days after the program end-date.

Work can begin only after receiving the EAD issued by USCIS and on or after the start date on the EAD.

How do I apply for OPT?

Online:

• Contact ISS FIRST
  • Inform ISS of your preferred OPT start date, which must be within 60 days of your graduation date
  • Request an OPT I-20 from a DSO 
  • Receive the OPT I-20 from a DSO with the OPT recommendation on the second page
  • NOTE: Failure to receive an OPT I-20 from ISS before you apply online will result in the denial of your application
• Create a USCIS account at https://myaccount.uscis.gov/ and login to submit the post-completion OPT application. 
• Create the I-765 through a question and answer format
• Upload relevant documentation to the USCIS portal when prompted. Documents may include:
  • OPT I-20
  • Passport
  • F-1 visa
  • I-94
  • Digital passport picture, sized using the photo tool provided in the application
• Digitally sign and submit the OPT application 

By Mail:

• Complete and sign Form I-765, Application for Employment Authorization, marked with the code (c) (3) (B) on item 27
• Verify or apply for graduation with the Registrar's office
• Obtain two identical 2"x2" passport style photos taken within the last 30 days
• Credit card payment or a check/money order made payable to "US Department of Homeland Security" in the amount of $410 required for Form I-765
• Copy of your current I-20 
• Copy of your current I-94 (https://i94.cbp.dhs.gov/I94/#/home)
• Copy of your passport
• Copy of your F-1 visa

Note: Do not staple or bind any documents in the application

For those mailing the application: After you have completed everything in the checklist above, please make an appointment with Sara Chronister to apply for OPT. Email Sara Chronister at schronister@atu.edu to schedule an appointment. You will need to bring all of the documents listed in the checklist above. Please make sure they are completed as fully as possible. At your appointment, you will be issued a new I-20 that shows you have requested OPT.
 
Attention Out-of-Town Students! If you are not in the Russellville area, no problem! If you want to file by mail, then please mail the complete OPT package to the ISS at the address listed below. PLEASE BE SURE TO INCLUDE A COVER LETTER THAT SPECIFIES THE DATE THAT YOU WISH FOR YOUR OPT TO BEGIN AND END. Also, please include your current mailing address and cell phone number. After the documents have been received, you will be contacted via your Tech email with further instructions.

International Students and Scholars
Dean, Suite 116
402 W O Street
Russellville, AR  72801

For online applications: You will receive a Receipt Notice immediately in your USCIS account. Please foward that information to ISS so that we can help keep track of your application. 

For mailed applications: The ISS will mail your application packet to the Chicago Lockbox for processing. Approximately 2 weeks after your application has been mailed, you or the ISS should receive a Receipt Notice from USCIS showing that they have received your application and application fee. After that, it could take anywhere from 30 to 120 days for USCIS to process your application. The average processing time is 90 days. This is why it is so important for you to apply early if you want to begin work immediately following graduation.

Online: Pros vs. Cons

Pros:

• No mailing, no wait time to receive your Receipt Number as the application is submitted and accepted immediately
• Communication with USCIS is done through the secure online account, giving you immediate notice if there is an issue and allowing you to answer problems faster
• Less possibility of common errors, such as failing to sign the I-765

Cons: 

• After issuing the I-20, ISS can offer little assistance in completing the online application

Mail: Pros vs. Cons

Pros:

• ISS reviews your entire application, makes suggestions, and ensures everything is complete
• ISS mails it by FedEx overnight at no cost to you

Cons: 

• It takes a few weeks to receive the Receipt Number (case number) through the mail
• All communication with USCIS is done through mail, which is slower

 

Compromise?

If ISS reviews and mails your application, then you can still set up the USCIS account. Once the receipt number is received, you can connect the mailed application to your online USCIS account. You will then receive updates through the online portal as though you had filed online. 

OPT can be authorized for a maximum aggregate period of 12 months per educational level. A student becomes eligible for another 12 months of practical training when he or she changes to a higher educational level.

Post completion OPT must be completed within a 14-month period following the completion of study.

Prior use of full-time Curricular Practical Training (CPT) for one year or more eliminates eligibility for OPT.

OPT can be filed no more than 90 days before graduation. The deadline to file for OPT is 60 days following the program end-date.

During any initial 12-month period of post-completion OPT, no student may be unemployed for an aggregate of more than 90 days. If a STEM student receives a 24-month extension, the limit on unemployment is raised to an aggregate of no more than 150 days, applied to the entire 36-month period on which the student is on post-completion OPT.

According to DHS, students may be denied future immigration benefits that rely on the students valid F-1 status if DHS determines that the student exceeded the limitations on unemployment.

Duration of status and OPT work authorization will be automatically extended for an F-1 student who is the beneficiary of a timely-filed H-1B petition requesting change of status and an employment start date of October 1 of the following fiscal year. This is called the H-1B cap-gap extension.

While you are on OPT, it is important to remember that you are still in F-1 visa status and under the jurisdiction of your I-20 issued by Arkansas Tech University. With this in mind, please remember that you must report the following information to the ISS at imsso@atu.edu:

• You must report a change of address within 10 days of moving.
• You must report if you change your name.
• You must report the name of your employer, the start date of your employment, and the mailing address of your employer anytime you start a job. If you quit the job, you should report this as well.

• Employment updates can be reported using the OPT Information Verification Form. The Verificiation Form must be completed upon request of any staff at ISS.

On the day your OPT begins, you will receive an email from the SEVP about the creation of your SEVP Portal. On this account, you can update your address, phone number, email, and your employment information. The link provided in the email will expire after 14 days and to create your account after this time, please contact Sara Chronister or the ISS to request another email be sent. For any difficulties in accessing the Portal, please contact ISS. NOTE: Students on STEM Extension will have access to the Portal, but any updates on employment will also require the submission of the I-983 to the ISS. 

Please keep good records for each job detailing the position you held, proof of the duration of your employment, contact information for your supervisor or manager, and a description of your work. You should always be able to prove that you are employed and that your job relates to your course of study.

Pending:

Travel while your application for OPT is pending is not advised. It is fairly risky to your application. Departure of the US while any USCIS application is pending could cause that application to be automatically denied. If you choose to travel, you will be required to have a valid passport, valid F-1 visa, I-20 endorsed for travel, and an official receipt notice regarding your OPT application from the USCIS. 

Approved:

An F-1 student engaged in post-completion OPT who travels utside the U.S. temporarily (less than 5 months) can be readmitted to resume employment for the remainder of the period authorized on his or her EAD card, if the following conditions are met:

• A valid passport
• Valid F-1 visa
• I-20 endorsed for travel signed within the previous 6 months
• A valid EAD card
• A letter from your current employer verifying employment or a job offer letter

 
If your OPT has been approved and you depart before you get a job, your may not be allowed to reenter.
 
Please remember, reentry into the U.S. is never guaranteed. You should always exercise good judgment when planning trips abroad. The best general guidance is that a student who has both an EAD for post-completion OPT and a job should not experience difficulty re-entering the U.S. If either of these two conditions is missing, you are assuming risk.

Recipients of bachelors, masters, and doctoral degrees in STEM (science, technology, engineering, mathematics) fields can apply for the 24-month post-completion OPT extension. Click here for a list of the current CIP codes of eligible STEM programs. 

To apply for a 24-month STEM extension, a student must have an offer of employment from an employer registered with E-Verify and there must be a bona fide employer/employee relationship established. Staffing firms cannot sign the I-983 necessary to apply for the Extension. The employer who signs the I-983 must be the one providing the training. 

Applications must be filed before the current EAD expires, but no more than 90 days before the expiration date.

The STEM Extension can also be based on a prior STEM degree. For example, if you obtained a STEM bachelor's degree and a non STEM Master's degree, you can complete the STEM Extension based on the bachelor's degree after completing the regular 12 month OPT on the Master's degree.

Please make sure you apply BEFORE your OPT expires!

Online:

• Contact ISS FIRST
  • Receive the OPT I-20 from a DSO with the OPT Extension recommendation on the second page
  • NOTE: Failure to receive an OPT I-20 from ISS before you apply online will result in the denial of your application
• Create a USCIS account at https://myaccount.uscis.gov/ and login to submit the STEM Extension OPT application. 
• Create the I-765 through a question and answer format
• Upload relevant documentation to the USCIS portal when prompted. Documents may include:
  • OPT I-20
  • Passport
  • Current OPT EAD card
  • I-94
  • Official transcript with date and type of degree conferred
  • Digital passport picture, sized using the photo tool provided in the application
• Digitally sign and submit the OPT application 

By Mail:

• Complete and sign Form I-765, Application for Employment Authorization, marked with the code (c) (3) (c) on item 27; Complete item 28 with Degree type, Employer's Name, Employer's E-Verify Number
• Complete and sign Form I-983, Training Plan for STEM OPT Students, with your employer (see Instructions)
• Offer letter of employment or letter of verification of employment (optional)
• Obtain two identical 2"x2" passport style photos taken within the last 30 days
• Credit card payment or a check/money order made payable to "US Department of Homeland Security" in the amount of $410 required for Form I-765
• Request ATU Registrars Office to send ISS your original complete transcript
• Send a copy of your current I-20 
• Send a copy of your I-94 form, visa, and passport
• Send a copy of your current Employment Authorization Document, front and back

Note: Do not staple or bind any documents in the application

For those wanting to mail the application: After you have completed everything in the checklist above, please make an appointment with Sara Chronister. Email Sara Chronister at schronister@atu.edu to schedule an appointment. You will need to bring all of the documents listed in the checklist above. Please make sure they are completed as fully as possible. At your appointment, you will be issued a new I-20 that shows you have requested OPT.
 
Attention Out-of-Town Students! If you are not in the Russellville area, no problem! If you want to file by mail, please mail the complete OPT package to the ISS at the address listed below. Also, please include your current mailing address and cell phone number. After the documents have been received, you will be contacted via email with further instructions.

International Students and Scholars
Dean, Suite 116
402 W O Street
Russellville, AR  72801

General Reporting

Students must report any material changes to their legal name, address, employment status, or employer throughout OPT. 

These updates must be made to Arkansas Tech Univeristy within 10 days of the change. 

 

Validation Reporting

During the STEM OPT extension period, the student must make a 6, 12 and 18 month validation report to the DSO that confirms the student’s current name, address, employer, and employment status are correct.

A DSO in the ISS office will contact you by email to make these reports. The email will be called OPT Reporting. The OPT Information Verification Form can be submitted to satisfy this reporting.

For the 12 month OPT Report, the student must also submit the first Self-Evaluation found on the last page of the I-983. The DSO cannot complete the reporting for OPT without this evaluation. This evaluation must be signed by the student and the student's supervisor.

At the end of the 24 month STEM Extension OPT, the student must also complete a Final Self-Evaluation and submit it to the ISS. This evaluation must be signed by the student and the student's supervisor. 

Both Self-Evaluations must be submitted within 10 days of the 12 and 24 month marks from the start date of the STEM OPT.

These evaluations are the responsibility of the student and the employer. ISS cannot be expected to notify all students when each of their evaluations are due.