Post-Completion Optional Practical Training may be used before or after graduation. Read more to find how Post-Completion OPT is used in different circumstances.
All students applying for post-completion OPT are required to watch a series of videos providing an overview of the OPT application process and maintaining status while on OPT.
Students must also complete a quiz on UB Global to review what they learned before they can submit a request for an OPT I-20.
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:
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.
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.
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 choose any start date between the day after your I-20 program end and the end of your 60-day grace period. For example:
I-20 Program End Date | Earliest Date to Apply | Can choose any start date between |
June 1 | March 3 | June 2 and July 31 |
January 1 | October 3 | January 2 and March 1 |
August 31 | June 2 | September 1 and October 30 |
For post-completion OPT your employment end date is one year from the start date you chose.
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. Please review the handout below for more information. If you are employed on campus, this may impact your ability to continue on-campus employment. Please consult with ISS if you are considering an OPT start date before your I-20 program end or if you apply for OPT and then do not complete your degree requirements as expected. It is also important to note that, even while on OPT, the Graduate School does require continuous enrollment if you are still completing degree requirements.
Students planning to graduate August 31 must ensure they are enrolled during the summer term in order to be eligible for Post-Completion OPT .
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.
If your OPT application is received by USCIS more than 60 days after your completion of course of study date, YOU WILL LOSE YOUR OPT BENEFIT.
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 with USCIS). If your OPT application does not comply with this requirement, YOU WILL LOSE YOUR OPT BENEFIT.
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 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:
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:
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.
Check our troubleshooting tips before emailing. The answer to your concern may be listed.
There are two methods to file your I-765 with USCIS, a paper I-765 you submit by mail or online with a USCIS online account.
You must choose only one method for your application. Do not submit multiple OPT applications to USCIS without first speaking to an ISS advisor to discuss your situation.
1) the issuance of your I-20 with OPT recommendation, and
2) the signature on your Form I-765.
OPT applications must not be received by the USCIS more than 90 days before the Program End Date on your I-20. If an application is received by the USCIS more than 90 days before the Program End Date, the application may be denied.
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, log into UB Global and complete the "Update Address and Phone Number" e-form in the OPT section.
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:
Planning to contact USCIS? Be sure to review their tip sheet to help make your communication with USCIS as effective as possible.
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.
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:
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 the Maintaining Status While on Post-Completion OPT section of our website for information on acceptable types of employment, unemployment limits, reporting employment, and employment documentation
Students must update information on the SEVP Portal within 10 days of any changes to their personal or employment information.
SEVIS will count each day without employer information toward the total number of unemployment days allowed. Exceeding unemployment limits can result in a loss of status and failure to update employer information in SEVIS in a timely manner may result in any or all of the following actions (as described by USCIS on August 18th, 2020):
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.