Optional Practical Training (OPT)

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

“Completion of Studies” is not to be confused with the date the Graduate School officially “signs off” and administratively confirms completion of all thesis or dissertation formalities (these dates are unrelated to the immigration completion of studies date). You may begin your OPT if your coursework is completed. 

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). 
    • The USCIS Portal is on UTC (Coordinated Universal Time). 

Remember that ISSS’ processing time is 10 business days so if you are applying towards the end of your 60-day application window, you should ideally submit your OPT I-20 Request to ISSS no later than 10 business days before your application period closes. 

You do not need a job offer to apply for OPT! Delaying your OPT application to USCIS because you are searching for a job will require extra money and create additional stress. Apply as early as possible.  

To be eligible to apply for OPT, you must 

• Be in valid F-1 status and enrolled full-time for 9 months (two full semesters) 

• Be physically present in the U.S. when you submit your OPT application to USCIS 

• If you leave the U.S. after your completion of studies date, you may not be permitted to return if you do not have a pending OPT application.  

You are not eligible if you: 

• Have been authorized 12 or more months of full-time Curricular Practical Training (CPT) at your current degree level (this is rare) 

• Were previously authorized for OPT at a higher degree level  

• Or, already used OPT for your degree level (for example, you earned a MS at another institution and received OPT for that degree. You are not eligible for OPT if you earn another MS degree). 

Step 1. Confirm your Physical Address in SPIRE is correct.  

Step 2. Determine your Completion of Studies Date and your Application Period.  

Step 3. Determine your Requested OPT Start Date.  

• Your Requested OPT Start Date must be after your completion of studies date and before the end of day 60 from your Completion of studies date. 

• ISSS automatically authorizes you for a full 12 months of OPT.  

• ISSS will review these dates in your OPT I-20 Request E-Form and contact you if there are any questions. 

Step 4. Complete ISSS’ OPT I-20 Request E-Form to request your new OPT I-20.

If you encounter an E-Form access issue and have tried accessing the E-Form in multiple web browsers and have cleared your cache to no avail, please email @email.  

Once the full OPT I-20 request is submitted,* it will enter the ISSS processing queue. Processing time is 10 business days.  

*Graduate Students: You will list your academic authority in your request. If you are unsure who your academic authority is, please contact your department or GPD. Submission of your E-Form request will be forwarded to your appropriate academic authority and your OPT I-20 Request enters the ISSS processing queue once the academic authority has finished their portion.  

 
Step 5. Receive your new OPT I-20 from ISSS. 

You must have the new OPT I-20 from ISSS before submitting your OPT application with USCIS. If you submit your USCIS application without the new OPT I-20, you will likely be denied; your fee will not be refunded. You will need to print and sign your new OPT I-20 before submitting it to USCIS.  

OPT approval emails occasionally go into your Spam/Junk folder. Please check this folder if 10 business days have passed and you have not received the approval email yet. 

• You must continue to update your physical address in SPIRE.  

• You may only begin employment once you have the EAD in your possession and you have reached the start date on the card. Email confirmation from USCIS will not suffice as evidence of eligibility for employment. You may only work within the dates printed on the card. 

• Your job must be directly related to your academic field of study. You are not permitted to work on campus after graduation unless the job directly relates to your field and falls within the dates on your EAD. You need to be able to make logical connection between your studies and employment. 

• Limitation on Unemployment for Post-Completion OPT. Once your post-completion OPT starts, you should not accrue more than 90 days of unemployment within the dates on your EAD. You need to submit the OPT Reporting E-form and start employment in order to stop the unemployment counting in SEVIS. Unemployment days are cumulative, so if you are employed for less than the length of your OPT time and begin to look for another employer, you do not get an additional 90 days of unemployment.