F-1 students with STEM degrees in fields listed on the ICE STEM Designated Degree Program List may be eligible for the OPT STEM Extension.
Any changes or updates related to OPT are regularly updated on our COVID FAQ page. Please be sure to check the page for information before contacting ISS.
Be sure to use the I-765 Form dated 8/25/2020. The OPT filing fee will remain $410.
F-1 students with STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics) degrees in fields listed on the ICE STEM Designated Degree Program List may be eligible for the OPT STEM Extension. It allows you to continue working off-campus in a job related to your major directly after the completion of Post-Completion OPT.
The earliest you can apply for the OPT STEM Extension is 90 days prior to the expiration of your EAD card. If it is submitted too early, the USCIS will deny the application.
Your application must be received by the USCIS before your current OPT EAD card expires.
The USCIS must receive your STEM OPT application before your current EAD expires AND within 60 days of the issuance of your I-20 with the OPT STEM recommendation.
Do NOT submit your application to the USCIS more than 90 days before your current EAD expires. If you do, your application may be denied.
Email our office at iss@buffalo.edu.
3. Complete the “Application for 24-Month OPT STEM Extension” e-form and upload all required documents. Only documents saved as PDF or JPEG are acceptable. You must submit:
General information on completeing Form I-983 can be found on the Department of Homeland Security's website.
UB specific information is available on the next tabs.
4. Click "Submit”. After reviewing your application, ISS will enter your OPT STEM recommendation into the SEVIS system, which will produce a new I-20 with the OPT STEM recommendation. You will receive an email confirming that your OPT STEM I-20 is ready. We will mail your I-20 to you if you indicated on the e-form that you would like it mailed.
Due to the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic ISS processing times for this request are longer than usual. Please refer to our COVID-19 FAQ page and check the ISS Services section for details.
1.) Before your current EAD expires AND
2.) Within 60 days of the issuance of your I-20 with the OPT STEM recommendation.
Do NOT submit your application to the USCIS more than 90 days before your current EAD expires. If you do, your application may be denied.
If you have any questions or concerns around this mailing option or need further assistance with shipment creation, pick up or delivery, please reach out directly to UEMS support team (studentsupport@eshipglobal.com) for immediate assistance.
Be sure to photocopy your entire OPT application for your personal records.
You do not need to send the Form I-983 with your initial application to USCIS.
It is extremely important that applicants for OPT submit a complete and accurate application to the USCIS. The USCIS recently announced that they have full discretion to deny applications without first issuing a Request For Evidence (RFE). This means that if there is a mistake in your application or you forget to include a required document, USCIS may deny your application. For additional information see USCIS RFE AND NOID POLICY.
Visit the USCIS I-765 Direct Filing Address for the current lockbox mailing address. Be sure to click on "Foreign Students".
You should use a reliable, express delivery service (e.g. UPS, FedEx) to mail your application. Utilizing an express delivery service will enable you to track your application and its delivery. Please save your receipt.
USCIS recently announced that Form I-765 OPT applications can be filed online. If you choose to file electronically at this time, please know that ISS does not yet have specific instructions for online filing. USCIS has also not yet clarified if there are any notable differences between online filing and paper filing. You are not required to file online, you may still continue to file a paper application. Once additional details are provided by USCIS, we will update our website with more specific guidance.
“The USCIS lockbox facilities have received a significant increase in filings in recent weeks. This increase, along with facility capacity restrictions necessary to protect the health and safety of the lockbox workforce during the COVID-19 pandemic, is causing significant delays for processing receipt notices. We continue to work to minimize delays. Once we process your submission, we will review your package.
If you properly filed your form, we will send a receipt notice to the mailing address provided on your form, normally within 30 days. If your submission is incomplete or improperly filed, we will reject it per current procedures.”
If you have already filed your application for OPT/OPT STEM Extension:
If you have not yet filed your application for OPT/OPT STEM Extension:
Additional USCIS filing tips can be found on the USCIS Form Filing Tips page.
The USCIS Ombudsman will continue to try to assist individuals who have not received a Notice of Action (Form I-797C) 90 days after their application/petition was received at USCIS. Applicants who have not received a receipt notice within 60 days of filing should first contact USCIS.
If USCIS does not respond to your inquiry within 30 days, you may submit a request for case assistance to the CIS Ombudsman using the information on their website at https://www.dhs.gov/case-assistance. Please be sure to include proof of filing (delivery confirmation).
The CIS Ombudsman is working with USCIS to find solutions to mitigate the harm to applicants impacted by the delays in issuing receipt notices. For more information, please read USCIS' announcement.
ISS recommends that you use a mailing address on your Form I-765 where you can receive mail for 3-5 months after applying for OPT. However, if your mailing address changes after you submit your OPT application to USCIS, you must notify the USCIS, the Post Office and ISS of your change in address within 10 days of the change. Failure to notify USCIS and the Post Office in a timely manner could result in delays in receiving your EAD.
To notify the USCIS, use their online Change of Address Form. You will need your OPT Application Receipt Number to complete the form. If you move to a new address, you should also notify the US Postal Service (USPS) using their online form. Finally, to notify ISS, follow the instructions found at the bottom of this page.
Currently, processing time at the USCIS can be as long as 5 months. However, processing times vary widely, depending on the time of year and workload at the Service Center to which you send your application. We encourage you to regularly review the processing times found on the USCIS website.
If you have a job offer and 120 days has passed since the Receipt Date on your I797 Receipt Notice, you may contact us for assistance. We can inquire with USCIS about the status of your application. However, we cannot guarantee that our inquiry will result in an expedite or change in processing times.
Once you have waited 150 days, or beyond the current maximum published USCIS processing times, we recommend that you take the following actions:
USCIS expedite criteria are very strict and it can be difficult to provide sufficient evidence to meet the USCIS criteria. Having a job offer or the possibility of losing that job do not generally qualify for an expedite unless you can effectively make an argument that your situation does meet the criteria. If considering an expedite, please ensure that you have sufficient documentation and a compelling argument.
Additional information on expedite criteria and how to file can be found on the USCIS page.
If you submitted your complete application to the USCIS in a timely manner (i.e. before your EAD card expired), then you may continue working for up to 180 days while your application is pending with the USCIS. However, if your application is denied by the USCIS, you must stop working upon the date of denial or risk accruing unlawful presence.
It is possible to change employment while your application is pending with the USCIS. However, you are required to report any change of employment to ISS and to the USCIS. ISS must issue you a new I-20 reflecting your new employment information. Your new employer must meet all USCIS criteria for a STEM Extension employer and you must submit a new Form I-983 and Final Evaluation for your previous employment, to ISS.
Contact ISS for instructions on how to report your new employment to the USCIS.
If your Post-Completion EAD has expired, we do not recommend traveling outside the U.S. until after your OPT STEM Extension application is approved and you have your new EAD card.
For additional, general OPT travel information visit our Travel pages.
Review the Maintaining Status During OPT STEM Extension section of our website for information on reporting requirements & deadlines, STEM evaluations, immigration status, and more.
It is imperative that you read, understand, and adhere to OPT STEM requirements. Failure to do so could result in the denial of future immigration benefits.
If you maintained your immigration status during your OPT STEM Extension, you will have a 60-day grace period after your EAD expires. You are permitted to remain inside the U.S. during those 60 days to prepare for your departure, apply to change your status (if eligible) or begin a new degree program. If you are not admitted to a new degree program or do not submit a change-of-status application before the end of the 60 days, you must leave the U.S.
During your 60-day grace period, you may not work. If you fail to depart the U.S. before the end of your 60-day Grace period (if eligible), you may begin to accrue unlawful presence.
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