Optional Practical Training (OPT)

12-Month Standard OPT

17-Month STEM Extension OPT

OPT and OPT Extension Forms

12-Month Standard OPT Guidelines

The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) within the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) grants Optional Practical Training (OPT), work authorization for those in lawful F-1 status who desire to work in the U.S. in their field of study.  BEFORE filing his/her OPT application to USCIS, an F-1 student must receive recommendation by a Designated School Official (DSO)/International Advisor at the Department of International Services & Programs (DISP).  OPT may be authorized up to 12 months cumulatively for all students who intend to complete their academic program at the University of Connecticut.  A 17-month extension after the initial 12 months is available only for certain eligible students with designated CIP (Classification of Instructional Programs) codes.

OPT Eligibility

1. The student must have been enrolled on a FULL-TIME basis at a DHS-approved college, university, conservatory, or seminary for one full academic year.
2. The student has not been engaged in full-time Curricular Practical Training (“CPT” over 20 hours a week) for more than 12 months cumulatively before applying for OPT.

Types of OPT

• Pre-Completion OPT (before your program completion):
• Full-time (over 20 hours per week) or part-time (up to 20 hours per week) during your annual vacation time (during summer session time, winter break, and spring break), if you are eligible and intend to register the next available regular semester (fall and spring semesters);
• Full-time after the completion of ALL COURSE requirements for your degree (excluding thesis or dissertation credit) – It is strongly recommended to have an advisory meeting with an International Advisor if you chose this option;
• Part-time while enrolled in a full course of study. 

• Post-Completion OPT(after your program completion):
• Full-time after completion of ALL DEGREE requirements for your degree.

OPT Application Procedures

• Make an OPT request to DISP:

Submit the following to DISP.  A DSO/International Advisor at DISP reviews and processes your OPT request.  After processing, you will receive a new I-20 with OPT recommendation on page 3:

• Completed Form I-765 (form: http://www.uscis.gov/files/form/I-765.pdf, instructions: http://www.uscis.gov/files/form/I-765instr.pdf);
• Completed “Practical Training Application Form (DISP 357)”
• OPT recommendation letter from academic advisor indicating the expected program completion date (please refer to “ OPT Sample Letter(DISP 346)"
• Full-time enrollment certification for your entire time at UConn issued by the Registrar’s Office, Wilbur Cross Building.

 Tips for completing Form I-765

• “I am applying for…”: Check “Permission to accept employment” if this is an initial 12-month OPT application.  Check “Renewal of my permission to accept employment” if this is a 17-month extension application for your current OPT.
• Item 3: Your Receipt Notice and EAD will be mailed to the address you provide. If you are not sure if you will be at your current residence in a few months into the future, we recommend you use DISP Office address: c/o Department of International Services & Programs, University of Connecticut, 2110 Hillside Rd., Unit 3083, Storrs, CT 06269.  If you will move soon, note that the U.S. Government will not forward your mail even if you file a change of address request form with the U.S. Postal Service.
• Item 10: Use the number from your I-94 card, the small, white card in your passport. It is an 11-digit number.
• Item 11: Curricular Practical Training, is not authorized through USCIS. Check “no” if you have received CPT authorization, but no other categories of employment authorization through USCIS (such as previous OPT authorization, Severe Economic Hardship employment authorization, etc.)
• Items 12, 13, 14, 15: Use the information from your I-94 card. In some cases you may have made recent short trips to Canada or Mexico, which are not reflected by your current I-94 card. This is standard and it will be fine to use the information from your I-94 card anyway. If you have changed to F-1 status within the U.S., include a copy of your Approval Notice (I-797).
• Item 16: Use one of the three following codes:
• Pre-completion OPT: (c)(3)(A)
• Post-completion OPT: (c)(3)(B)
• 17-month extension for STEM degree recipients: (c)(3)(C)
• Certification: Sign the form in blue ink.

• File your OPT application with USCIS:

After the DISP office reviews your documents you will receive the following forms from DISP:
1).   I-20 with OPT recommendation on page 3, and
2).   I-765

You can then send the following documents to USCIS Vermont Service Center or another applicable Service Center by certified mail receipt request or any other means for you to be able to track your packet:

• Two color passport style photographs (print your name, date of birth, and SEVIS number (starting with N000xxxxxxx, located in the upper right hand corner of your I-20) in pencil on the back of each photo).   Photo specifications can be found at http://travel.state.gov/passport/guide/composition/composition_874.html#;
• $340.00 in the form of a personal check or money order made to U.S. Department of Homeland Security (a personal check is preferable);
• I-765 completed and signed in blue ink;
• Photocopy of the SEVIS I-20 with OPT recommendation on page 3.  Make sure that you sign the bottom of your form before making a photocopy;
• Photocopy of all previous I-20’s (all pages) including endorsement page to prove whether OPT and CPT were recommended in the past.  Make sure that all your previous I-20’s were signed by you;
• Photocopy of I-94 card (front and back) – If you are subject to “Special Registration: National Security Entry-Exit Registration System (NSEERS),” you also need to include a letter stating the date and location of the Special Registration along with a copy of I-94 with the Special Registration note (on the back side);
• Photocopy of any previous Employment Authorization Documents (EAD’s), if applicable;
• Photocopy of the most recent visa page (the visa can be expired and/or of a different visa category other than F-1);
• Photocopy of biographical page(s) of the passport (with expiration date) – If your passport will expire within 6 months from the time of filing your OPT application with USCIS, you should renew it at an Embassy or Consulate of your country before you submit your OPT application;
• Optional: Letter from the Certification Office-Wilbur Cross Building (verification of full-time enrollment letter) and/or unofficial transcript.

Note: Please be sure to make a photocopy of all your paperwork for your records before you mail all your material.. 

1. Receive an I-797 (Receipt Notice): Within a few weeks of having received your application, USCIS will send you a Receipt Notice (I-797).  Carefully review the notice to make sure your name is spelled correctly on I-797.  If it is not, contact a DSO/International Advisor at DISP immediately.
   
   
2. Receive an I-797 (Approval Notice):After processing your OPT application, USCIS will send you an approval notice (I-797).  This is a notification on your application status, NOT your work authorization/permission.
   
   
3. Receive an Employment Authorization Document (EAD): You will receive an EAD separately in the mail from USCIS.
   
   
4. Submit completed “DISP 345-OPT Information Form” to DISP along with a copy of your EAD: It is mandatory that you report your OPT information to DISP as soon as you receive your EAD, so that a DSO/International Advisor can report the information to USCIS through SEVIS.  This is a regulatory requirement and you will be considered to have violated your F-1 status if you don’t comply.

***Attention Post-Completion OPT Applicants w/ Graduate Assistantships***

If you have a GA/RA/TA and plan to defend your dissertation/thesis in the middle of the semester, you need to FULLY understand UConn’s policies on the timing of degree completion and the GA contract before applying for Post-Completion OPT.  Please contact the Graduate School to learn more.  

You MUST stop your GA work on the actual program completion date that your academic advisor certifies in his/her OPT recommendation letter. We recommend that you make an appointment with an International Advisor at DISP to discuss this issue in order to avoid being engaged in any unauthorized employment.

17-Month STEM Extension OPT

Optional Practical Training (OPT) 17-month extension is available only to certain eligible current OPT participants with a degree in the STEM fields (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics).  If a current F-1 OPT participant is eligible for this benefit, the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) within the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) must grant his/her OPT extension.  To apply for OPT extension, the current OPT participant must receive recommendation by a Designated School Official (DSO)/International Advisor at the Department of International Services & Programs (DISP) before filing his/her application to USCIS.  OPT extension is authorized starting from the day after the Employment Authorization Document (EAD) card for the current 12-month OPT expires. 

OPT Extension Eligibility

• The student must be a certain STEM degree holder with a designated eligible CIP (Classification of Instructional Programs) code on his/her I-20/SEVIS record to determine their field of study;

  Eligible CIP codes for STEM fields:

• Actuarial Science (CIP Code 52.1304)
• Computer Science (CIP Codes 11.xxxx) except Data Entry/Micrcomputer Applications (CIP Codes
• 11.06xx)
• Engineering (CIP Codes 14.xxxx)
• Engineering Technologies (CIP Codes 15.xxx)
• Biological and Biomedical Sciences (CIP Codes 26.xxx)
• Mathematics and Statistics (CIP Codes 27.xxxx)
• Military Technologies (CIP Code 29.0101)
• Physical Sciences (CIP Codes 40.xxxx)
• Science Technologies (CIP Codes 41.xxxx)
• Medical Scientist (MS, PhD) (CIP Code 51.1401)
• Actuarial Science (CIP Code 52.1304)

            * Specifically excluded from the above codes, however, are all CIP codes ending in xx99.

• The student must be currently authorized for a 12-month period of Post-Completion OPT and be working for a US employer in a job directly related to the student’s field of study;

• The student must have successfully COMPLETED a bachelor’s, master’s or doctoral degree from the University of Connecticut (UConn) and the degree must be in a field on the Department of Homeland Security STEM Designated Degree Program List (refer to the CIP code list in the item #1 above).  Please note that Certification programs and Associate degree programs are not eligible;

• At the time of OPT extension application, the student must have a job offer or be employed by an employer registered with the “E-Verify” federal employment verification system.  For more information on E-Verify, go to: http://www.dhs.gov/ximgtn/programs/gc_1185221678150.shtm;

• The student must not have previously received an OPT extension after earning a STEM degree;

• The employer must agree to report the termination of employment or departure of the student to the Department of International Services & Programs (DISP) at UConn, or through any other process chosen by the Department of Homeland Security.  Such reporting must be made within 48 hours of the event.

Additional Point to Note:           If you have accumulated more than 90 days of unemployed period while on 12-month OPT, your 17-month OPT extension application may be denied by the USCIS.

When to Apply

OPT extension application must be filed with USCIS BEFORE your current OPT end date.  Ideally, concerning the application processing time at USCIS, you should prepare for the OPT extension application and submit it to the USCIS at least 90 days prior to your current OPT end date.  USCIS accepts the application up to 120 days prior to your current OPT end date.

Where to Apply

You must submit your OPT extension application to a USCIS Service Center designated to a State that you currently reside in.  This location is based on your US address on your application form I-765.

OPT Extension Application Procedures

• Make an OPT EXTENSION request to DISP:
  Submit the following to DISP.  A DSO/International Advisor at DISP reviews and processes your OPT request.  After processing, you will receive a new I-20 with an OPT EXTENSION recommendation on page 3:

• Completed “Practical Training Application Form (DISP 357)”;
• Completed Form I-765 (form: http://www.uscis.gov/files/form/I-765.pdf, instructions: http://www.uscis.gov/files/form/I-765instr.pdf);
• A letter from your employer verifying your employment or employment offer and their E-Verify information see (Sample OPT 17-month letter (DISP 353);
• Copies of all your previous EAD’s issued to you, including your current OPT;
• Copy of your degree certificate/diploma or other equivalent documentation to prove that you have completed the program or the degree was conferred;
• A list of your employers and period of each employment while on current OPT (Include an unemployed period, if applicable):
• employer’s name
• employer’s address
• position name
• work hours for each position
• position status (paid position or unpaid position)
• period of employment (mm/dd/yyyy to mm/dd/yyyy))

Tips for completing Form I-765

• “I am applying for…”: Check “Renewal of my permission to accept employment”.
• Item 3: Your Receipt Notice and EAD will be mailed to the address you provide. If you are not sure if you will be at your current residence in a few months into the future, we recommend you make necessary arrangements with your friend or employer for you to be able to receive the documents from USCIS.  You may also use DISP Office address: c/o Department of International Services & Programs, University of Connecticut, 2110 Hillside Rd., Unit 3083, Storrs, CT 06269.  If you will move soon, note that the U.S. Government will not forward your mail even if you file a change of address request form with the U.S. Postal Service.
• Item 10: Use the number from your I-94 card, the small, white card in your passport. It is an 11-digit number.
• Item 11: Put your current OPT information.
• Items 12, 13, 14, 15: Use the information from your I-94 card. In some cases you may have made recent short trips to Canada or Mexico, which are not reflected on your current I-94 card. This is standard and it will be fine to use the information from your I-94 card anyway. If you have changed to F-1 status within the U.S., include a copy of your Approval Notice.
• Item 16: Use the following code:
• 17-month extension for STEM degree recipients: (c)(3)(C)
• Certification: Sign the form in blue ink

  File your OPT application with USCIS:

After the DISP office reviews your documents you will receive the following forms from DISP:

• I-20 with OPT EXTENSION recommendation on page 3 
• I-765
• Employment Verification from the employer
• Copies of all your previous EAD’s issued to you, including your current OPT
• Copy of your degree certificate/diploma
• List of your employments for current 12-month OPT.

You can then send the following documents to USCIS Vermont Service Center or another applicable Service Center by certified mail with a return receipt requested or by any other means for you to be able to track your packet:

• Two color passport style photographs (print your name, date of birth, and SEVIS number (starting with N000xxxxxxx, located in the upper right hand corner of your I-20) in pencil on the back of each photo).   Photo specifications can be found at http://travel.state.gov/passport/guide/composition/composition_874.html#;
• $340.00 in the form of a personal check or money order made to U.S. Department of Homeland Security (a personal check is preferable);
• I-765 completed and signed in blue;
• Photocopy of the SEVIS Form I-20 with OPT recommendation on page 3.  Make sure that you sign the bottom of your form before making a photocopy;
• Photocopy of SEVIS Form I-20 with initial 12-month OPT.  Make sure that the form was signed by you before making a photocopy;   
• Photocopy of all other previous I-20’s (all pages) including endorsement page to prove whether OPT and CPT were recommended in the past.  Make sure that all your previous I-20’s were signed by you;
• Photocopy of I-94 card (front and back) – If you are subject to “Special Registration: National Security Entry-Exit Registration System (NSEERS),” you also need to include a letter stating the date and location of the Special Registration along with a copy of I-94 with the Special Registration note (on the back side);
• Photocopy of any previous Employment Authorization Documents (EAD’s), including your current OPT;
• Photocopy of the most recent visa page (the visa can be expired and/or of a different visa category other than F-1);
• Photocopy of biographical page(s) of the passport (with expiration date) – If your passport will expire within 6 months from the time of filing your OPT application with USCIS, you should renew it at an Embassy or Consulate of your country before you submit your OPT extension application;
• Employment verification letter issued by your E-verified employer;
• Copy of your degree certificate or other equivalent documentation to prove that you have completed ALL degree requirements or the degree was conferred;
• A list of all employers and each employment period while on current OPT attached to employment verification documents (e.g. an employment certification letter from each employer, copy of first AND last pay stubs from each employer) to prove that you have not accumulated no more than 90 days of unemployed period.

 *Note: Please be sure to make a photocopy of all your paperwork for your records before you mail your material.  Mail the entire application materials to an appropriate USCIS Service Center (based on your mailing address on your I-765).

• Receive an I-797 (Receipt Notice): Within a few weeks of having received your application, USCIS will send you a Receipt Notice (I-797).  Carefully review the notice to make sure your name is spelled correctly on I-797.  If it is not, contact a DSO/International Advisor at DISP immediately.
  
• Receive an I-797 (Approval Notice):After processing your OPT application, USCIS will send you an approval notice (I-797).  This is a notification on your application status, not your work authorization/permission.
  
• Receive an Employment Authorization Document (EAD): You will receive an EAD separately in the mail from USCIS.
  
• Submit to DISP a photocopy of your EAD for extended OPT

Extended OPT Participants Reporting Requirements

• Extended OPT participants must update their record in PeopleSoft within 10 days of their physical move.
• Extended OPT participants must report to within 10 days (please use “OPT Information Form (DISP 345)” for this reporting):
• Any change in name
• The name and address of their employer
• Any change to the name and address of the employer
• Any interruption of such employment
• Extended OPT participants must make a validation report to DISP every 6 months starting on the extended OPT start date and ending on the extended OPT expiration date and confirm whether the students’ name and address, employer name and address, and/or loss of employment is current and accurate (please use “OPT Information Form (DISP 345)” for this reporting).

These are MANDATORY reporting requirements. Failure to do so will result in the termination of your F-1 SEVIS record.  DISP WILL NOT PROVIDE ANY FURTHER REMINDER ABOUT THESE REQUIREMENTS WHILE YOU ARE ON EXTENDED OPT.

Key Points to Remember for Extended OPT Participants

• OPT extension may be granted starting on the next day of your current OPT end date and ending in 17 months from the extended OPT start date.  There is no other set of dates that you can choose.
• Students granted a 17-month OPT extension may NOT accrue an aggregate of more than 120 days of unemployment during the total 29-month OPT period.
• Students will have 60 days after the extended OPT end date for to leave the U.S., be issued an I-20 for a new program of study, or change to a different immigration status.
• OPT extension for STEM degree holders is granted only once in a life time.
• As long as you timely filed your OPT extension application with USCIS, your may continue employment while the extension application is pending, until a final decision is made, or for 180 days, whichever comes first.
• Students should NOT travel abroad while their OPT extension applications are pending with USCIS.