OPT program must relate to your degree or pursued degree To be eligible, you must have full-time student status for at minimum one academic year by the start date of your requested OPT and have valid F-1 status. Must not have participated in OPT for the same degree previously
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However, since switching fields of study is typically unplanned, many use up all of their OPT for their first Masters, assuming they won’t study again at the same degree level. Not using all of your OPT time for your first Masters, then, can be a smart move and can give you more options in the future.
A student who is authorized for 12 months of OPT during/after a Bachelor’s degree program, who moves on to do a Master’s degree, will be eligible to pursue 12 new months of OPT during/after completion of the Master’s degree; and this would continue to progressively higher degree levels.
If you applied for OPT at a particular level, and that application was approved by USCIS, whether you actually worked on that OPT authorization, it would count as OPT used at that degree level and you would not be eligible to apply for or be approved for OPT at the same degree level or at lower degree level.
USCIS says that you can split your 12 month full time OPT period between two masters degrees. Even though it sounds you can do it, it may be difficult for students to plan for their OPT of second masters down the lane after few years…talk to your DSO ( designated school official) or international advisor at your school for more info.
DHS grants STEM OPT extensions to eligible F-1 students who are currently in a period of post-completion OPT once per degree level (i.e., bachelor's, master's or doctorate). A student may participate twice in the STEM OPT extension over the course of their academic career.
Most students are eligible to apply for a total of 12 months of OPT at each higher degree level. OPT can only be used once per higher degree level even if you have multiple degrees per level (e.g. OPT based on a Bachelor's degree and then OPT based on a Master's degree or PhD).
Who is eligible for OPT? To be eligible to apply for OPT, you must: (1) have been in full-time student status for at least one academic year by the requested start date of your OPT, (2) be maintaining valid F-1 status at the time of the application, and (3) have not used OPT at the same degree level previously.
Can I get OPT on second masters? No, you do not qualify for OPT, Optional Practical Training, if you are studying for a second masters. OPT is only designated once for every level of education.
A student who is authorized for 12 months of OPT during/after a Bachelor's degree program, who moves on to do a Master's degree, will be eligible to pursue 12 new months of OPT during/after completion of the Master's degree; and this would continue to progressively higher degree levels.
Students in non-degree programs (e.g. GSAL, NDVS, IBEP, and other short-term programs) are not eligible for OPT. You must not have used OPT at a higher degree level. For example, if you complete a Phd, then use OPT, and then complete a Master's-level program, you will not be eligible for OPT for the Master's level.
General OPT Requirements: Students who have engaged in 12 months or more of full-time Curricular Practical Training (CPT) are not eligible for OPT.
You can track your case status at www.uscis.gov. Request a tracking number when you mail your OPT application to USCIS. Track the package delivery and save the delivery confirmation with a copy of your OPT application packet.
Normally, if your OPT/STEM OPT Extension is rejected, you must file a completely new application withUSCIS. If the application is rejected after your filing deadline (the end of the 60-day grace period for OPT; end of the OPT EAD for STEM OPT) refiling would normally be denied.
Once the CIP classification of the degree is determined, an F-1 or OPT holder should look at the list of STEM-designated programs and see if the CIP code of the degree is listed as a STEM-designated program.
STEM OPT visa extensions offer an additional 24 months to your stay, giving a total of 36 months validity. Again, this must be used in a continuous block after graduation, though it's possible to split it when using time on your pre-completion OPT. Unfortunately, there is no OPT extension for non-STEM students.
May apply up to 90 days before you complete a full academic year, as long as you do not start OPT employment until you complete one full academic year. May apply up to 90 days before you complete your degree, but no later than 60 days after you complete your degree.
If you are authorized for post-completion OPT, you may work part time (20 hours or less per week) or full time. If you participated in pre-completion OPT, USCIS will deduct that amount of time from your post-completion OPT authorization period.
For example, if you participated in 10 months of pre-completion OPT, you would be eligible for only up to 2 months of post-completion OPT.
Optional Practical Training (OPT) is temporary employment that is directly related to an F-1 student’s major area of study. Eligible students can apply to receive up to 12 months of OPT employment authorization before completing their academic studies (pre-completion) and/or after completing their academic studies (post-completion).
If you have earned a degree in certain science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) fields, you may apply for a 24-month extension of your post-completion OPT employment authorization if you:
Maintaining your student status includes not working on a terminated EAD, as the termination means that you are no longer authorized to work in the United States using that OPT EAD. Working in the United States without authorization has serious consequences, including removal from the country and reentry bars.
To qualify for the STEM OPT extension, an F-1 student must hold a bachelor's degree or a higher degree in an eligible STEM field from an SEVP-certified school that is accredited (by an accrediting agency recognized by the U.S. Department of Education) at the time the student submits their STEM OPT extension application to USCIS.
In order to receive the STEM OPT extension, a student must pursue their practical training through an employer that is enrolled in USCIS' E-Verify employment eligibility verification program.
Students may not apply for STEM OPT extensions during the 60-day grace period following an initial (usually 12-month) period of post-completion OPT.
OPT : For students engaged in post-secondary schools or at conservatories. Twelve months of Regular OPT is available for each higher level of study. (For example a student may have 12 months for a bachelor’s degree and another 12 months for a master’s degree).
There are three general types of OPT: OPT : For students engaged in post-secondary schools or at conservatories. Twelve months of Regular OPT is available for each higher level of study. (For example a student may have 12 months for a bachelor’s degree and another 12 months for a master’s degree).
While a Designated School Official (DSO) recommends OPT in SEVIS, it is the student who must apply for the work permit with the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Service (USCIS).
A student on post-completion OPT can be unemployed for a total of 90 days.
SEVIS will not allow DSOs to request overlapping segments of OPT. You must specify if the OPT is pre-completion vs. post-completion OPT and must be either full vs. part time.
As part of the STEM OPT extension, employers must complete the appropriate parts of Form I-983, Training Plan for STEM OPT Students. In this form, employers attest that: They have enough resources and trained personnel available to appropriately train the student;
The “personnel” who may provide and supervise the training experience may be either employees of the employer, or contractors who the employer has directly retained to provide services to the employer; they may not, however, be employees or contractors of the employer’s clients or customers.
Eligibility for the STEM OPT Extension. Have earned a bachelor’s, master’s, or doctoral degree from a school that is accredited by a U.S. Department of Education-recognized accrediting agency and is certified by the Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP) at the time you submit your STEM OPT extension application.
To establish a bona fide relationship, the employer may not be the student’s “employer” in name only, nor may the student work for the employer on a “volu nteer” basis.
Certain F-1 students who receive science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) degrees may apply for a 24-month extension of their post-completion optional practical training (OPT). Close All Open All.
Moreover, a STEM OPT employer may not assign, or otherwise delegate, its training responsibilities to a non-employer third party (e.g., a client/customer of the employer, employees of the client/customer, or contractors of the client/customer).
Staffing and temporary agencies and consulting firms may seek to employ students under the STEM OPT program, but only if they will be the entity that provides the practical training experience to the student and they have and maintain a bona fide employer-employee relationship with the student.
OPT is extremely valuable to new degree-holders because it lets them work legally in the country without obtaining any other work permit or visa status. Without this grace period for getting legal work experience in their field, Masters degree-holders may be unable to work legally in the United States upon graduation.
Options for a Second OPT. The USCIS places a 12 month limit per degree level on OPT, but there is no stipulation that the whole 12 months must be used at once. This means that if visa holders do not use their entire 12 month period during their first Master’s degree, however many months they have not used can be applied to the second Masters.
F1 visa holders are eligible for one 12 month period of OPT for their Bachelor’s degree, Masters degree, and Ph.D. If an individual has already used the 12 months of Masters level OPT they were granted for their first Masters, they are not eligible for OPT after second Masters.
Students in STEM fields are eligible for a 24 month OPT extension that can be used at either the Bachelors or Masters level. Crucially, this extension may be obtained even if your second Master’s degree is not in a STEM field, as long your first Masters was.
A student who is authorized for 12 months of OPT during/after a Bachelor’s degree program, who moves on to do a Master’s degree, will be eligible to pursue 12 new months of OPT during/after completion of the Master’s degree; and this would continue to progressively higher degree levels.
Students in F-1 status, enrolled as a full-time student for at least one full academic year (Fall + Spring term) in their degree program, are eligible for up to 12 months of Optional Practical Training (OPT) authorization per degree level at a progressively highly degree level in a student’s lifetime.
If a student completes a doctoral degree and is authorized for 12 months of OPT during/after completion of that doctoral degree, but then chooses to pursue a Master’s degree (lower degree level), the student would NOT be eligible for OPT during or after the Master’s degree.
USCIS says that you can split your 12 month full time OPT period between two masters degrees. Even though it sounds you can do it, it may be difficult for students to plan for their OPT of second masters down the lane after few years…talk to your DSO ( designated school official) or international advisor at your school for more info.
Not getting 12 month regular OPT for second masters in US puts you in a difficult spot with no time left for job search or do extended internship…You need to have a H1B sponsor right after graduation. Unfortunately, it can be one the hurdles you would have to deal with when you take up second masters.