Optional Practical Training (OPT) : Office of Global Affairs : UMass Amherst

Post-Completion OPT allows you to work in an off-campus job that is directly related to your major for an initial period of 12-months after you complete your academic program.

OPT is a benefit of F-1 status and you will continue to be an F-1 student while on OPT.
You must be eligible and adhere to all OPT application processes and regulations.
UMass Amherst remains your visa sponsor. You do not need additional visa sponsorship while on OPT.

You can find our OPT Workshops on our events page. Refer to our OPT presentation along with the information below.

Before determining your application period with USCIS, you must set your completion of studies date.

The completion of studies date is...

The last day you can work on-campus.
If you have a UMass contract, your completion of studies date must be the last day of your contract.
The last day you can work on CPT.
Not your graduation ceremony date.

Note: "Completion of studies" is not to be confused with the date the Graduate School officially "signs off" and

Undergraduates

Non-thesis Masters Students

Thesis Masters & PhD Students

USCIS Application Period

You have a 5-month application period in which to apply for OPT.

You can file your OPT application with USCIS:

No earlier than 90-days before your Completion of Studies date.
No later than 60-days from your Completion of Studies date
Within 30 days of the OPT I-20 creation (see OPT I-20 Request Process). If you submit your OPT application on day 30 or later, you will be denied.
- ISSS suggestion: Submit your application within 3-5 days of receiving your OPT I-20
- The USCIS portal is on a different time zone. If you wait to submit your OPT application, ensure you have applied no later than day 29.
  - If you do not apply within 21 days, submit a new OPT I-20 request to get a new OPT I-20. The processing time to request a new OPT I-20 is the same (10 business days).

OPT I-20 Request Process

Per OPT application instructions, you must be physically in the U.S. at the time you submit your application to USCIS. If you choose to travel after this, please review our OPT Travel information.

Follow the steps below if you are a student in one of the following scenarios:

You need a new OPT I-20 to submit to USCIS.
Your current OPT I-20 is about to meet the 30-day expiration deadline because you have not submitted your OPT application to USCIS.
You want to request a new OPT start date and you have not submitted your OPT application to USCIS with your current OPT I-20.
You submitted your OPT application to USCIS, wish to withdraw it, and start over (this is rare and not recommended; contact your ISSS advisor).

ISSS must create a new OPT I-20 for your OPT application. You should not submit your application to USCIS until you have completed the OPT I-20 request steps below and received the new OPT I-20.

Step 1: Confirm Eligibility

Step 2: Request New OPT I-20 from ISSS

Step 3: Submit OPT Application to USCIS

Per I-765 instructions, you must be physically in the U.S. at the time you submit your application to USCIS. If you choose to travel after this, please review our OPT Travel information.

USCIS processing times can be viewed here (choose Form: I-765, Form Category: Based on a request by a qualified F-1 academic student, Field Office: Potomac). These times are an average; some cases will be faster; some will be slower.

Step 1. Receive the new OPT I-20 from ISSS. Remember that you must submit your OPT application to USCIS within 30 days of receiving your new OPT I-20 from ISSS and before your application window closes.

Step 2. Prepare your application documents to upload to the USCIS Portal. You are completing the I-765 in the USCIS Portal—there is no separate application or need to upload a paper version of the I-765.

Document	Instructions
Passport-style photograph	Photo size instructions
New OPT I-20 from ISSS	Print and sign your new OPT I-20 with a real pen before submitting it to USCIS Students are not permitted to sign I-20s digitally or electronically.
Copies of previous CPT I-20s	You can request these here. ISSS cannot sign old I-20s nor will this be an issue for your OPT application. If you did not use CPT, you do not need to upload anything.
Biographical page of your passport	It’s ok if your passport is expired. You can upload the new passport to the USCIS portal once you have it.
I-94	Click here to learn how to access your most recent electronic I-94.
Application Fee	Review current USCIS fees as they frequently change. USCIS’ fee website can be reviewed here. Once the USCIS fee is submitted online, you have applied for OPT and no changes can be made to your application. DO NOT PAY THE FEE UNTIL YOU HAVE THE NEW OPT I-20 FROM ISSS.
Optional Form I-907 Premium Processing	You can add Form I-907 to your I-765 application in the portal if you want premium processing. The Premium Processing Fee is considerable and in addition to the regular OPT application fee. Premium Processing can be added to your OPT application at the time of submission to USCIS or after submission. Premium Processing guarantees a review of your OPT application within 30 business days. It does not guarantee you will be approved within 30 business days. EAD Processing and Mailing is NOT part of the 30-business day period.

Step 3. Create your USCIS account online

Step 4. Apply for OPT using USCIS’ online application within 30 days of receiving your new OPT I-20.

* Any technical questions regarding the online application should be directed to USCIS.

How to Apply Online

There are two addresses on the I-765:
- The Physical Address is where you actually live at the time of the application.
  - You must change your physical address in SPIRE if you move.
- The Mailing Address on your I-765 should be valid and able to receive your mail for 3-5 months after you submit your application to USCIS. You cannot start your OPT until you have your EAD, so the correct mailing address is essential.
  - You should not change your mailing address with USCIS at any point in the application process. This will result in numerous delays, missing employment authorization document (EADs), etc.

USPS will NOT forward your mail to your new address.
If you are not sure where you will live, use ISSS’ mailing address. See the Tips to Apply Online for the address format.
- Once we have your EAD, we will contact you and coordinate with you to get your EAD. Choose your mailing address carefully.

Step 5. Receive I-797 Receipt Notice for Your Pending OPT Application

Your I-797 pending receipt will be created automatically and uploaded to the “Documents” tab of your online account. Once you have the I-797 receipt number, your USCIS application is considered pending.

Check your USCIS case status in your USCIS online portal account or here. You can sign up for automatic case notifications in your USCIS portal.

If you receive a Request for Evidence or your OPT is Denied, contact your ISSS advisor immediately.

USCIS Biometrics Requests

USCIS has updated how self-submitted photographs may be used for applications and they are now requiring biometrics for almost all OPT applicants. You should expect to get a biometrics request and this will delay your application.

USCIS will add a letter to your USCIS portal indicating that you must do biometrics.
- Once you get this in your portal, you can call USCIS to set up your own appointment or wait for the appointment letter to arrive.
- A letter will be mailed (or possibly added to your USCIS portal—it has been inconsistent—and provide you with the date, time, and location of your appointment.
  - Make sure you check your mail regularly and have signed up for USCIS to email your application updates. You can do this in your USCIS account.
- You may change the date, time, and location of your appointment.
You should not miss the Biometrics appointment! If you miss your appointment, USCIS may deny your application.
Once you have attended your appointment, upload the information USCIS requires to your Documents tab. If you are not sure what to upload, review the original letter USCIS provided—there are usually steps you need to follow. USCIS will not proceed with your application review until you have confirmed completion of your biometrics appointment.
Review of your application does not begin until you have finished your biometrics (this includes Premium Processing cases)!

Step 6. OPT Approval

You will receive an I-797 approval notice and your employment authorization document (EAD) once approved. Both items will be sent to your mailing address on your I-765. These are typically received within 1-2 weeks of approval but may be longer depending on USPS delivery times.

If you used ISSS’ address: you will receive an email notification from us once we have all your approval documents. Please be mindful that while tracking may say it is delivered, that does not mean ISSS has it in our possession yet. Please wait until we contact you with next steps.

If your OPT was approved and you have not received your EAD within 30 days of approval, review our EAD Issues page.

Step 7. OPT Reporting and Life After OPT

Report your OPT employment by reviewing the OPT Reporting Requirements. Review the OPT Life after OPT information for additional information.

Remember that you must update your physical address in SPIRE if you move.

If you are not sure where you will live, use ISSS' mailing address. See the Tips to Apply Online for the address format.

Reporting Requirements

Students on Post-Completion OPT have specific reporting requirements. Failure to report these in a timely manner could impact your long-term immigration future in the U.S.

ISSS will extend your access to UMass Amherst systems for one to three years after graduation; this will permit you to access SPIRE to update your address and UMass VIP to report your employment, apply for STEM OPT, etc. If you have issues or need to reset your NetID passport, please see the UMass IT website guides.

Important Reminders

Reporting Employment

Students should report changes in their OPT employment information within 10 days using the OPT Reporting E-Form. We do not require your job offer letter or a letter confirming volunteer status.

Update information if any of the below items change:

Employer name

Address, phone number, job title, EIN (not required), etc.

Change in work locations

Start and end date changes

Change in position (job title, part/full-time)

Employment Ended or New Employment Started

All positions on OPT must be related to your degree. It is your responsibility to determine if your degree is related to your degree, not ISSS. Keep course syllabi, job offer letters, job descriptions, and annual reviews to demonstrate how the job is related to your degree.

Types of Employment

Multiple Employers	You may work for more than one employer, but all employment must be related to your degree program.
Multiple Short-Term Employers	You may work for multiple short-term employers. For instance, if you are a musician or performing artist, you can have gigs. Keep a list of all gigs, the dates, and the duration.
Work For Hire	Commonly referred to as 1099 employment, where an individual performs a service based on a contractual relationship rather than an employment relationship. If you work for hire, keep documents showing the duration of the contract periods and the name and address of the contracting company.
Self-Employed Business Owner	You may start a business and be self-employed. You should be able to prove that you have the proper business licenses and are actively engaged in a business related to your degree program. You cannot be self-employed on STEM OPT.
Employment Through an Agency or Staffing Firm	You may use an agency or staffing company to find employment.
Unpaid Employment	You may work as a volunteer or unpaid intern, where this practice does not violate any labor laws. There are no job letters for volunteer positions; you may consider asking your ‘employer’ for a letter indicating the volunteer activity, dates, and hours.
Part-time Employment	Full-time is ideal but part-time is permitted and SEVIS will stop the unemployment clock once reported.

Gold, teal, and white I-20 clipboard graphic on a maroon background

Need an I-20 Reprint?

Use the I-20 Reprint E-Form to request a reprint of your I-20. If you need to report updated employment information, use the appropriate reporting form, and request an I-20 there.

Note: If you need old I-20s, any I-20 from November 2023 or after are already in UMass VIP. Please check UMass VIP first before submitting the reprint request. Remember to scroll to the bottom of your Documents tab and choose "No" under "Show most recent only" to get all your documents.

I-20 Reprint E-Form

Optional Practical Training (OPT)