OPT is employment authorization for work experience that is directly related to your major field of study. You may use OPT for unpaid or paid work experience. Eligible F-1 students may engage in OPT in the following ways:
Eligibility requirements for OPT include:
The filing window for OPT is between 3 months before your program end date and 2 months after your program end date. Students will be granted 12 months of OPT to end no later than 14 months after their program end dates. As USCIS processing typically takes about 3 months, we recommend students apply for OPT 3 months before they want to begin the OPT in order to maximize the 12 months available.
Yes, if you did not have CPT full time for 12 months or more. Part-time CPT has no effect on OPT eligibility.
You don't need a job offer in order to apply for OPT, but you should apply for OPT 3 months before you intend to begin working.
Before applying for OPT you must first attend a mandatory OPT workshop and complete the OPT Review, an assessment which will be given to you at the workshop (you must turn in your completed OPT Review as part of your application materials). After you have attended a workshop, to apply for OPT you should complete the steps listed below:
Please contact an adviser for an appointment if you have questions after you have read the information on this site and have completed all the forms to the best of your ability. Please note: Your application materials will not be accepted if you have not attended an OPT workshop and completed the OPT review.
While an international student adviser can recommend OPT permission, USCIS must approve the OPT. The adviser will verify that you are in lawful F-1 status and then create a new I-20 for you with the OPT recommendation. The adviser will also review the rest of your OPT application materials and return the entire application to you with mailing instructions included. Mailing the application to USCIS is your responsibility.
Refer to Step 3 for information about which documents to include and where to send your application. The International Center will not make copies for you. Please have all your copies ready when you turn in your application.
You cannot apply for OPT in person at the USCIS office. The application must be submitted by mail. We recommend sending your OPT with a mail service that allows you to track when your package is not delivered, though please note that USCIS will not sign for the delivery (make sure "no signature required" is selected on your shipping envelope).
It can take up to 90 days to receive OPT work authorization, and many employers are unwilling to wait that long to fill a position. We recommend applying for OPT 3 months before you would like to begin working to make sure you have your work permit in hand to begin employment on time.
CPT is for the purpose of meeting an integral curricular component within your degree program. CPT is not an option if you have a job offer for a full-time, benefit-eligible position and you have completed the degree requirements for your program of study. Once an academic program is completed, OPT is the only work authorization available for F-1 students.
If your OPT application has not been approved, it may be possible to change the start date on your OPT. However, there is no guarantee that the request to change your dates will be approved. Please contact an ISSS adviser immediately if you would like to try to change your dates. Once an application has been approved, the start date cannot be changed.
You will receive a Form I-797 "Notice of Action" from the USCIS approximately two weeks after you mail your application. The "LIN" number is the receipt number printed in the upper left corner of the USCIS Form I-797 "Notice of Action" receipt. If you have your "LIN" number you can check the status of your application online.
If you do not receive a receipt (or you lose it), your receipt number will be printed on the back of the canceled check or money order you submitted to USCIS for the application fee.
It is easier to track a canceled check than a money order.
You may be eligible if you are past the academic program end date on your I-20 and you already applied for post-completion OPT. Before registering, please consult with an international student adviser. If you have not passed the end date on your I-20 and are applying for pre-completion OPT, you must enroll in research credit until you reach the end date on your I-20.
You may begin to work once the EAD card is in your hand and the start date has arrived.
If you have completed your studies, OPT employment must be full time. "Full-time" for OPT purposes is anything 21 hours or more per week.
Unemployment is limited to no more than 90 days during the whole 12 months of OPT. Students are required to work in their field of study to maintain their status on OPT. What is considered "work" though is flexible - you may be employed, intern, volunteer, etc. As long as you are getting full-time experience related to your degree, your status is maintained.
It is your responsibility to report your employment information to the International Center as soon as you have a position. We can then update your SEVIS record to reflect your employment. You can update the International Center with any employment and addresses changes online.
If you have only research left and you already have applied for post-completion OPT, you can continue to register until you finish the research requirements. You are subject to the three-month (90 day) unemployment rule, even if you are still registered. Beginning a new course of study will automatically cancel your OPT authorization. The International Center does not recommend taking a class that may later be used to satisfy new degree program requirements.
Yes. As long as the employment is related to your field of study, you can work for any and all employers you would like. Submit your new employer's address through the OPT address update form.
OPT is not a different visa status. A person with OPT authorization is still an F-1 student holding an EAD for OPT. Refer to the OPT travel regulations for information about traveling.
If you still live in Missouri, you will renew your license by similar procedures as you have followed as an F-1 student.
If USCIS has not yet approved your application at the time you decide you do not want OPT, then you may write USCIS and state that you want to withdraw your application. If your request is granted, you will not receive your application fee back, but you do retain the OPT time for later. If USCIS already has approved your application, then it is not possible to have the OPT authorization withdrawn or changed. USCIS will not return the application fee and you will not be eligible to apply for OPT again at your current educational level.
60 days. This only applies to students who have completed OPT. Students on post-completion OPT who have accrued more than three months of unemployment are considered "out of status" and are not eligible for a grace period.
Yes, if you obtain a new I-20 for the next program of studies within 60 days of your OPT expiration. This will require you to complete the USCIS procedure for moving to a new level of studies (if you resume studies at MU) or the procedure for a school transfer (if you go to a different school).
Yes, if your new degree is at a higher level than your previous degree (e.g. you had OPT at master's degree level and are now working on a PhD) and you meet the OPT eligibility requirements.
Published by the International Center, N52 Memorial Union, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO 65211 | Phone: 573-882-6007 | Fax: 573-882-3223 | E-mail: international@missouri.edu
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