UMass will continue to be your F-1 sponsor and maintain your immigration record.
Your F-1 immigration status while on OPT is contingent upon you maintaining employment related to your field of study and appropriate to your level of education. You will need a valid F-1 visa in your passport to return to the U.S. as well as an I-20 with a travel signature no older than 6-months. See Travel for more information.
Yes. If you have submitted your application to USCIS before your grace period ends (by day 60 after your completion of studies date), you can remain in the U.S. Having a pending OPT application automatically extends your F-1 status.
No. CPT is not an option once you have completed your studies. CPT is based on your academic curriculum.
No. You will no longer have legal work authorization beyond your completion of studies date (see your program end date on your new OPT I-20). If you intend to remain employed in any capacity at UMass, you can only do so if your OPT has been approved and you have the EAD in your possession.
If you work at UMass under OPT, you will need to update your I-9 paperwork and tax information with UMass Human Resources.
Please note: even if your UMass employment is exactly the same as it was during your studies, you cannot continue to be employed without OPT approval. Please keep this in mind when selecting your completion of studies date and OPT start date.
There are a few scenarios where this might happen:
- You are an undergraduate or a non-thesis Masters student who needs to take an online course in the summer or winter term. Students cannot be online only in their final term so we must set your completion of studies date to the term BEFORE. Please see Application Deadlines for more details.
- You are an undergraduate or a non-thesis Masters student who applied for OPT: If you did not finish as planned (received an Incomplete, failed a course, need to take an online summer/winter session course, etc.), you may still keep your OPT application active.
- You cannot work more than 20 hours/week on OPT until you have finished your degree. Your OPT dates cannot be amended or “paused” and withdrawing your OPT application may not be advisable. Contact your ISSS advisor if you are in this situation.
- You are a thesis Masters student or a PhD student who applied for OPT: This is common. You can begin OPT as long as your degree coursework is completed. You can begin your OPT and remain enrolled in Continuous Enrollment or Dissertation/Thesis Credits while on OPT (this has no impact on your OPT) until you actually graduate.
- Your OPT dates cannot be amended or “paused” once you submit your application to USCIS. Once the EAD card start date arrives, the OPT “unemployment clock” starts to count so you will need to report employment under OPT Reporting Requirements.
Yes, but there is no requirement that F-1 students on OPT have health insurance. However, it is very expense to get sick/hurt in the U.S., so we recommend you have health insurance coverage.
Contact the representatives of UMass’ Student Health Benefit Plan (SHBP) to determine how long you have access to this coverage (the phone number is usually on the back of your insurance card). Once you are no longer on the SHBP, you may consider alternative arrangements (for example your new employer’s health coverage).
This page provides a few options but please note that it is specifically for J-1 Exchange Visitors not F-1 students, but it may guide you in your search. There are also numerous companies that specialize in health insurance for students transitioning to OPT that you can find through an online search.
It depends. If your new degree is at a higher educational level (i.e., Master’s or Ph.D.), then it is theoretically possible. As long as you meet all eligibility requirements you could potentially have three different OPT authorizations for three different degree programs while in the U.S. (Bachelor, Master’s, PhD.).
Completion of a second degree within the same educational level (i.e., a BS degree, usage of OPT, followed by another BS degree) does not permit a second round of BS level OPT.