Lori Meadows
International students in the US who are neither US citizens nor permanent residents can obtain temporary work authorization through F-1 or J-1 non-immigrant student statuses. F-1 students can participate in Optional Practical Training (OPT), which allows them to gain practical work experience related to their field of study. Pre-completion OPT allows students to work part-time (up to 20 hours per week) during their studies, while Post-completion OPT provides 12 months of work authorization after graduation. Students can also apply for Curricular Practical Training (CPT), which enables them to accept internships in their academic field after one year of full-time study. Additionally, F-1 students with degrees in STEM fields may be eligible for a 24-month extension of their OPT authorization. While on OPT, students can work paid or unpaid positions, with multiple employers, and can change employers as needed, as long as the work is related to their degree.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Work authorization | Curricular Practical Training (CPT) and Optional Practical Training (OPT) are two types of work authorization available for international students in the US. |
| CPT eligibility | F-1 students can accept CPT after one year of full-time study. Graduate students may be eligible from Day 1 of their full-time study if required by their program. |
| OPT eligibility | F-1 students who have graduated or completed one full academic year are eligible for OPT. |
| OPT duration | OPT allows for 12 months of work, including any approved pre-completion OPT. F-1 students with a STEM degree can apply for a 24-month extension. |
| OPT employment rules | Students on OPT can work paid or unpaid, with multiple employers, and can change employers. All jobs must be related to their degree of study. |
| OPT unemployment rules | Students on OPT must work full-time (more than 20 hours per week) and can only be unemployed for a total of 90 days during Post-Completion OPT. |
| OPT application process | Students must submit a request for an OPT recommendation to an international advisor or Designated School Official (DSO). The DSO recommends OPT in SEVIS, then the student must apply for a work permit with USCIS. |
| OPT fees | There is a fee for the OPT application, and the student may lose this fee if their application is denied or submitted incorrectly. |
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What You'll Learn
Curricular Practical Training (CPT)
Students can choose to work full or part-time during their CPT internships, depending on the institution's CPT policy. CPT authorization is only required when the training is inside the United States. For example, a summer internship in a student's home country does not need CPT authorization. Students must maintain full-time enrollment during fall and winter CPT, with most students limiting their CPT during the academic year to local jobs or working remotely for their employer, usually on a part-time basis.
Full-time CPT is defined as employment for more than 20 hours per week. 12 months or more of full-time CPT will eliminate a student's eligibility for Optional Practical Training (OPT). During the final term of study, students must be enrolled at their university and physically present on campus to comply with F-1 requirements. For an optional (non-required) CPT in the final term, students cannot only be enrolled in the designated CPT course; they must also enroll in a separate in-person course.
To apply for CPT, students must first take the CPT Certification Course and save their certificate as a PDF. They should then speak with their company/employer and obtain a Detailed Training Description. Next, students must meet with their Academic or Faculty Advisor to discuss their CPT plans in detail and show them the Detailed Training Description. If their advisor believes the training is integral to their curriculum, they may recommend CPT by completing the Academic/Faculty Advisor Recommendation Form. The advisor may also help enroll the student in a Registrar Designated CPT course (if applicable). Students must then gather all the required documents listed in the "Documentation Needed to Apply" and log in to the M-Passport portal, clicking on "Requests > CPT Authorization" and following the instructions. The IC will not accept invalid or incomplete CPT applications. An International Student and Scholar Advisor will review the CPT application.
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Post-completion OPT
To apply for post-completion OPT, students must submit a request for an OPT recommendation, which is processed and approved by an international advisor at the student's international services office. The student must then apply for a work permit with the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Service (USCIS) by filing Form I-765, Application for Employment Authorization, and Form I-20, Certification of Eligibility for Nonimmigrant Student Status. The student's Designated School Official (DSO) must endorse their Form I-20 and make the appropriate notation in the Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS).
Students authorized for post-completion OPT are expected to be employed, and can be unemployed for a maximum of 90 days. If a student accrues more than 90 days of unemployment during their post-OPT period, their SEVIS record may be automatically terminated. Students must not begin working before the start date on their Employment Authorization Document (EAD), which will be issued by USCIS if their OPT is approved.
If a student has earned a degree in certain Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) fields, they may be eligible for a 24-month extension of their post-completion OPT employment authorization. To be eligible, the student must be employed by an employer enrolled in and using E-Verify, and have received an initial grant of post-completion OPT employment authorization based on their STEM degree.
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Pre-completion OPT
F-1 students may apply to United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) for Pre-Completion Optional Practical Training (OPT) work authorization, which allows actively enrolled students to gain relevant work experience within their field of study.
To be eligible for Pre-Completion OPT, students must have been lawfully enrolled on a full-time basis for one full academic year at a college, university, conservatory, or seminary that has been certified by the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP) to enroll F-1 students. It is important to note that time spent in language training and non-degree programs does not count toward the one academic year requirement.
During Pre-Completion OPT, students are allowed to work 20 hours or less per week while school is in session and can work full-time when school is not in session. Students are responsible for determining if the accepted employment is related to their program of study.
To request Pre-Completion OPT work authorization, students must follow these steps:
- Request an I-20 with a recommendation for Pre-OPT from the Office of Global Services (OGS) or the designated school official (DSO) at their academic institution.
- Submit Form I-765, "Application for Employment Authorization," to USCIS within 30 days of receiving the DSO OPT recommendation, along with the required fee and supporting documentation.
- Await approval of Form I-765 and receive the Employment Authorization Document (EAD) before beginning Pre-Completion OPT.
It is important to note that Pre-Completion OPT will be deducted from the available period of Post-Completion OPT. Therefore, students who have received one year of full-time Pre-Completion OPT will not be entitled to any period of Post-Completion OPT employment authorization.
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STEM OPT extension
International students in the US are often enrolled in academic programs under one of two non-immigrant student statuses: F-1 or J-1. The majority maintain F-1 status.
F-1 students can apply for Optional Practical Training (OPT) in two ways: pre-completion OPT and post-completion OPT. Pre-completion OPT allows students to work 20 hours or less per week during the academic year and full-time when school is not in session. Students are eligible for pre-completion OPT after being lawfully enrolled on a full-time basis for one academic year. Post-completion OPT allows students to work for 12 months after graduating.
If an F-1 student has earned a degree in certain Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) fields, they may be eligible for a 24-month extension of their post-completion OPT. To be eligible, the student must:
- Be employed by an employer enrolled in E-Verify.
- Have received an initial grant of post-completion OPT employment authorization based on their STEM degree.
- Have earned a bachelor's, master's, or doctoral degree from a school accredited by a U.S. Department of Education-recognized agency and certified by the Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP).
Students must apply for the STEM OPT extension no earlier than 90 days before the expiration of their post-completion OPT. The application process involves completing Form I-983 with their employer and submitting it to the Office of Global Services (OGS) to receive a STEM OPT extension recommendation on their Form I-20. Students must also pay a $200 STEM Post-Completion Training fee.
Upon receiving a receipt for their STEM OPT Extension application, students are automatically granted a 6-month extension, allowing them to continue working while their application is pending. If the OPT period expires while the extension application is pending, work authorization is automatically extended for 180 days.
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H-1B status
International students can apply for internships and full-time jobs in the US, but they must obtain temporary work authorization. Most international students are enrolled in academic programs under one of two non-immigrant student immigration statuses: F-1 or J-1.
F-1 students can apply for Curricular Practical Training (CPT) to gain practical training in their academic field after a full year of full-time study. CPT can be full or part-time, and there is no limit to the duration, but 12 months of full-time CPT eliminates eligibility for Optional Practical Training (OPT). OPT is a work authorization that allows F-1 students to gain practical work experience related to their major field of study for up to 12 months. Students with degrees in STEM fields may apply for a 24-month extension of their OPT employment authorization.
To obtain H-1B status, individuals must submit an electronic registration with USCIS during the registration period. The registration includes basic information about the prospective petitioner and beneficiary. If the registration is selected, the sponsoring company must submit an H-1B petition on behalf of the international employee. H-1B extensions beyond six years may be granted under certain circumstances, such as being the beneficiary of an approved immigrant visa petition or having a labor certification filed.
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Frequently asked questions
International students can work in ops as long as they have work authorization. F-1 students can gain work authorization through Optional Practical Training (OPT) or Curricular Practical Training (CPT).
OPT is for students who have graduated and want to gain practical work experience related to their major field of study. CPT is for students who want to gain practical training in their academic field after one year of full-time study.
To apply for OPT, students must submit a request for an OPT recommendation to an international advisor at their international services office. The advisor will process and approve the request and then the student must apply for a work permit with the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Service (USCIS).
