Optional Practical Training is an F-1 student benefit granted by the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS).  It allows you to work off-campus in a job related to your major.  It is meant to supplement your academic experience with practical experience.

To be eligible for Optional Practical Training, you must document that:

• you are currently in valid F‑1 status  AND
• you studied inside the U.S. as a full‑time student for at least one full academic year (two semesters) AND
• you will complete a degree in the near future
• You must be physically present inside the US in F-1 status to apply for OPT. Do not attempt to apply for OPT while outside the US.

If you re-enter the U.S. using an Initial I-20 (i.e. an I-20 with a new SEVIS ID number), you are not eligible for Curricular Practical Training or Optional Practical Training until you complete one academic year (two semesters) as a full-time student after returning from your leave. Time spent as a full-time student prior to taking a Leave of Absence cannot be used to satisfy this requirement.

Post-Completion Optional Practical Training may be used:

a. after completion of study (full-time employment allowed)

b. while working on one’s thesis or dissertation (full-time employment allowed)

Optional Practical Training may be authorized for a total of 12 months (full-time), which must be completed within 14 months following the completion of your course of study.

Any full-time Optional Practical Training authorization you receive is subtracted from your total 12‑month period.

• Ex. A student who is authorized for 3 months of full‑time Pre-Completion OPT during the summer will have only 9 months of OPT remaining.

Any part‑time OPT (20 hours per week or less) is deducted at the rate of one day of practical training for every two part‑time days of OPT authorized.

• Ex. A student who is authorized for 4 months of part-time Pre-Completion OPT during the semester will have 10 months of full-time OPT remaining.

I-20 program end dates are June 1, January 1, August 31. You cannot apply for Post-Completion OPT more than 90 days before your I-20 program end date.

Please choose your dates carefully! Once your OPT I-20 is issued, you will not be able to change your requested OPT dates.

You may request any start date between the day after your I-20 program ends and the end of your 60-day grace period. Unless you had prior authorization for pre-completion OPT, your employment end date will be one year from the start date.

Students planning to graduate on August 31 must ensure they are enrolled full-time (or equivalent) during the summer term in order to be eligible for Post-Completion OPT.

Exception: PhD candidates who have requested an OPT I-20 with a June 1 program end date. Refer to PhD Candidate OPT Options & Deadlines. 

We recommend that you submit your OPT application to ISS 90 days prior to your 
I-20 program end date to allow sufficient time for ISS and USCIS processing. The earliest we can process your OPT I-20 is 90 days before your I-20 program end date.

If you have not yet done so, start by watching the required OPT videos (page requires UBIT login). After watching you must complete the OPT Quiz in UB Global before you can request your OPT I-20.

The latest date that you can apply for OPT is 60 days after your I-20 program end date. However, we do not recommend waiting until the end of your 60-day grace period to apply for Post-Completion OPT.

IMPORTANT: Your application must be received by the USCIS within 30 days of the OPT recommendation in SEVIS and the signature on your Form I-765 (if filing a paper application).  

• If your OPT application does not comply with this requirement, YOU WILL LOSE YOUR OPT BENEFIT.

It is possible for PhD students who are working only on their dissertation to begin post-completion OPT before their I-20 program end date.

Points to consider:

• There are strict semester-based deadlines to request your OPT I-20. See link below for details.
  • 6/1 is the deadline for an employment start date before 8/31, and to avoid summer enrollment.
• This option will impact your ability to continue any on-campus employment/assistantship. 
• Continuous enrollment is required during spring & fall semesters while completing your dissertation. 

Carefully review the details in the link below and speak with an ISS advisor if you are considering this option.

In this case the completion of study date for the purpose of your OPT application will be the I-20 program end date for the semester during which you completed your studies.

You may submit your application up to 90 days prior to completing one academic year, provided that the period of employment will not begin until the completion of the full academic year.

Before requesting OPT I-20: Please consider carefully when planning to apply for OPT before your program end date if there is a chance you will not complete your degree requirements. 

After requesting OPT I-20: Contact ISS immediately if you have been issued an OPT I-20 and have learned you will not graduate. Failure to graduate and failure to apply for an extension of stay by the program end date on your I-20 may result in a violation of status.

Before you can request your OPT I-20 you must watch the OPT videos on our OPT Workshop page and pass the required OPT quiz.

These videos will help you understand the OPT application process and maintaining status on OPT. After watching:

1. Login to UB Global.
2. Click on "Optional Practical Training", select the "Post-Completion OPT" group.
   
3. Submit the "OPT Videos" e-form to verify you watched the videos.
4. Complete the "OPT Quiz" e-form. You must pass with 100% in order to continue.

After these e-forms are complete you will have access to the "Post-Completion OPT I-20 Request" e-form.

1.    Pay the UB OPT fee. The fee is $66.  After paying the fee, remember to save the receipt. 

2.    Login to UB Global.

3.    Click on “Optional Practical Training”, select the “Post-Completion OPT” group, and choose “Post-Completion OPT I-20 Request”.

4.    You must complete the entire e-form and upload all required documents before you can submit your application.  Only documents saved as a PDF or JPEG are acceptable.  Upload the following:

• Academic Department Recommendation Form
  • Download form to complete. Issues may occur if completing within your web browser.    
    
• UB OPT Fee receipt

5.  “Submit”. After reviewing your application, ISS will enter your OPT into SEVIS, which will produce a new I-20 with the OPT recommendation. You will receive an email when your I-20 is ready. Check our e-form processing page for current processing times.

• Once your OPT I-20 is issued you cannot change your requested OPT dates.    
  

Check our troubleshooting tips before emailing. The answer to your concern may be listed.

We strongly encourage you to update your address with USCIS to ensure you receive all correspondence and benefits from us in a timely manner and avoid possible delays related to your case. In addition, all noncitizens must report a change of address to USCIS within 10 days (except A and G visa holders and visa waiver visitors) of moving.

IMPORTANT: Changing your address with the U.S. Postal Service (USPS) will not change your address with USCIS. You must update your information with both USCIS and USPS. If you need to change your address with the USPS, you may update it through the USPS website or visit your nearest post office.​

Do not use this request to change your address if:

• You are a victim of domestic violence, trafficking, or other crimes;
• You previously filed a Form I-751, Petition to Remove Conditions on Residence, abuse waiver;
• You have submitted an affidavit of support for another person and you are a U.S. citizen or national;
• You are a civil surgeon; or
• You are an Attorney of Record/Registered Representative and need to update your address.

If you fall under any of the listed categories, read more about how you should change your address.

1. Log into your USCIS online account.
2. Select MyUSCIS.
3. On your account screen, click the "request to change your address" link to see the instructions.
4. Click the "Change my address" button.
5. Follow the instructions step by step.

Before you begin, make sure you have enough time and the required information to complete the form in one session. Once you start your request, you must not close this window or navigate away from the page. If you do not complete your request in one session, your responses will not be saved, you will lose all progress, and you will need to begin a new Change Your Address request.  

You may also use this tool if you do not have any pending cases and have moved to a new address, and need to update USCIS about where you live.

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 I-797 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:

• Email ISS with a copy of your receipt notice and a description of the actions you have already taken (any communication with USCIS, for example). If ISS has not already inquired with USCIS on your behalf, we will do so.
• File an "Outside Normal Processing Time E-Request" with USCIS.
• File a Case Assistance Request with the CIS Ombudsman Office. You can find additional information about the role of the CIS Ombudsman and how to file a request for assistance on DHS' website.

NOTE: If you received a Request for Evidence, we do not recommend taking any of the actions above until you have waited 60 days after USCIS received your response.

If you are planning to contact USCIS, be sure to review their tip sheet to help make your communication with USCIS as effective as possible.

• USCIS Contact Center Tip Sheet (PDF)
• USCIS Contact Center

As long as USCIS receives your complete application in a timely manner you may remain in the U.S. while your application is pending.

Premium processing, which provides expedited processing, is available for OPT applications with USCIS. Please refer to USCIS's premium processing page for details on cost, eligibility, and timing.

If you do not request premium processing USCIS expedite criteria are very strict and it can be difficult to provide sufficient evidence. 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. 

We highly recommend that you keep your employer informed about the status of your OPT application. We also recommend communicating that you cannot confirm exactly when your application will be approved, but that you can provide estimated processing times. We have heard from many students whose employers agreed to change their start date multiple times due to processing delays, so it is important to discuss your situation with your employer.

If your employer wants additional information about OPT processing, they are welcome to contact ISS. If you would like your employer to speak to us about the specifics of your case, please send us an email authorizing ISS to discuss your individual situation.

REMEMBER: You cannot begin employment until you have received your Employment Authorization Document (EAD) from the USCIS and the “start date” printed on the EAD card is effective.

Before planning any travel while on OPT we recommend that you review our travel information.

If you travel outside the U.S. while your application for Post-Completion OPT is pending at the USCIS Service Center, it is best to re-enter the U.S. to search for employment BEFORE your I-20 expires (Refer to the Program End Date on your I-20).  Please consider the following:

• If there are any problems with your OPT application, and you are outside the U.S., it may be difficult for you to respond.
• If you are outside the U.S. and your OPT application is rejected or denied, it may not be possible for you to return to the U.S.
• If your OPT application is approved while you are outside the U.S., you must have your EAD card in your possession to re-enter the U.S.  (Keep in mind that the USCIS will only mail EAD cards to a U.S. address.)
• If your OPT is approved while you are outside the U.S., you may also be asked to show proof of employment to re-enter the U.S.

Since there is no way to predict when your OPT will be approved or if the USCIS will find a problem with your application, we recommend that you think carefully before you plan to travel while your OPT application is pending.

• Review our Maintaining Status While on Post-Completion OPT page to learn about:
  • acceptable types of employment
  • unemployment limits
  • reporting employment
  • employment documentation
• Upload a copy of your EAD card on UB Global.
• Check the details on your EAD.    
  • If you have any questions or concerns about the information on your EAD card, please contact USCIS. You may file a Service Request for the Typographic Error on the USCIS website.
    
• Ensure that any employment you accept is directly related to your major field of study. You will be required to provide details on your employment, including a description of how the job is directly related to your field of study. 
• As soon as you have employment to report, use the SEVP portal to report your employment changes.
• Work at least 20 hours per week and not exceed the allotted 90 days of unemployment time for the 12-month OPT period. 
• Notify ISS about the following information:  
  • Any change in your name
  • Any change in your immigration status (e.g. change to H-1B)
• Report on the SEVP portal within ten days:
  • Update changes in your employer or employment details
  • Any interruption of employment lasting longer than 10 days
  • Any change in your residential address
• Request an updated travel endorsement on page 2 of your OPT I-20 if you plan to travel outside the U.S. and the signature on your OPT I-20 will be more than six months old at the time of re-entry. You can make this request on UB Global.

If you do not have employment yet or do not have health insurance coverage through your employer, you may be eligible to purchase the SUNY health insurance from the Student Health Insurance Office. In order to enroll during OPT, there can be no interruption in your health insurance coverage. Application deadlines do apply. Contact the Student Health Insurance Office for more information.

You become eligible to apply for another 12 months of OPT if you change to a higher degree level and meet the requirements again.

If you have a STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics) degree in an eligible field, you may be eligible for the OPT STEM Extension towards the end of your initial 12 months of Post-Completion OPT. Please note that you cannot apply for STEM OPT on the basis of an advanced certificate. Visit our STEM OPT page for further information.

If your employer has filed an H-1B petition on your behalf, you may be eligible for the Cap Gap Extension. Please visit our Cap Gap page for further information.

If you maintained your immigration status during your Post-Completion OPT and do not continue onto the OPT STEM Extension, you will have a 60-day grace period after your Post-Completion OPT 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. SEVIS transfer or issuance of a new I-20 if continuing studies at UB must be completed before the end of the 60-day grace period. 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 will be out of status.

• Once authorized for OPT, you may accept employment anywhere in the U.S.
• When you are on OPT, you will still be in F-1 status.
• ISS will not authorize CPT after recommending Post-Completion OPT in SEVIS.  Therefore, if there is a possibility of CPT in your final semester, you must submit your CPT application before applying for OPT.
• If you transfer to another school or begin study at another educational level, your OPT authorization will automatically be terminated.
• If you are accepted to begin another degree program at UB and your OPT has not yet expired, your OPT will terminate on the first day of classes for your new degree program.
• If you are issued an I-20 to start a new degree program at UB and you decide instead to continue on OPT, you must notify ISS immediately. Failure to do so will result in the deactivation of your SEVIS record.
• If you later decide not to mail your OPT application to USCIS for any reason, you must notify ISS immediately so that we can cancel your OPT recommendation in SEVIS.
• If you apply for OPT but learn you will not graduate, contact an ISS advisor immediately.