You are eligible to work for up to 180 days AFTER the end date on your initial OPT EAD if your STEM OPT application was received by USCIS before your OPT expiration date. If your STEM OPT is not approved within 180 days of your OPT expiration date, you must stop working.
You will need to update your I-9 with your employer once your OPT expires and you are on STEM OPT. If you have received your I-797 receipt, you should use this to update your I-9 with your employer.
If you have not received your I-797 that indicates your STEM OPT is pending F-1 regulations do not require a USCIS receipt nor that the case be in pending status to continue working. USCIS states that the expired OPT EAD plus your updated I-20 with STEM OPT endorsement should be sufficient in order to update your employer’s I-9 work authorization paperwork.
ISSS recommends that you discuss this with your employer’s Human Resources office or other hiring authority if your initial 12-month OPT is expiring soon and you need to update your I-9 paperwork.
Yes. If you have finished all coursework, are still working towards degree completion, and are currently on 12-month OPT, you are likely eligible for STEM OPT. Review the STEM OPT I-20 Request Process to review what academic credentials you need to submit in lieu of a final transcript.
Yes, regulations for STEM OPT require you to self-report to your sponsoring institution every 6 months, even if no information has changed. Review the STEM OPT Reporting Requirements for more information. Personal information should be verified and updated in SPIRE.
Please submit the STEM OPT Employer Reporting E-Form as soon as possible. You may continue to work if you submitted your application to USCIS before your 12-month OPT expired.
Please see the Reporting Requirements for more detailed information on what is required.
A previous STEM degree obtained from a U.S. institution can be the basis for a STEM OPT extension if your current employment is in a STEM field. Example: Undergraduate STEM degree. Student then obtains a separate non-STEM Master’s degree. That student is initially only eligible for 12-months of OPT, but if working in a demonstrable STEM field, the student can subsequently apply for a 24-month STEM OPT extension based on previous undergraduate STEM degree. Please contact your ISSS advisor if you believe this option applies to you.
You can be eligible for two STEM extensions in a lifetime, i.e., Bachelors and Masters, Masters and PhD, Bachelors and PhD, etc. The degree that serves as the basis for a second lifetime STEM OPT extension must be at a higher educational level than the degree that served as the basis for the student's first STEM OPT extension.
Yes, you can accrue no more than 150 days of unemployment TOTAL between your Post Completion OPT and your STEM extension. For example, while on the 12-month OPT, you used 45 days of unemployment. For STEM OPT, you would only have 105 days of unemployment allowed.
No. All STEM OPT positions must be paid, at least 20 hours/week, related to your degree, and have an I-983 on file with ISSS. You may have multiple positions while on STEM OPT, but each position must meet these requirements.