Please note: On May 10, 2016, DHS replaced the 17-month STEM OPT extension with a new 24-month STEM OPT extension. All existing 17-month STEM OPT EADs will remain valid until the EAD expires, is terminated or revoked. For more information about the new STEM OPT rule, please visit the STEM OPT Hub. 

Science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) academic programs are becoming more popular among U.S. and F students in the United States. Technology jobs in the United States are increasing and will continue to increase because of various initiatives that the U.S. government and officials at individual schools have put into place.

One of the benefits of earning a STEM degree is that you may be eligible for a 17-month extension of optional practical training (OPT). This means that you can remain in the United States and work for an additional 17 months after graduation (in addition to the normal one-year period of OPT). The Department of Homeland Security has added even more STEM programs to the list of qualifying majors so more students can participate. You can qualify for the extension if you meet the following conditions:

• Your degree from your current post-completion OPT, as indicated on your Form I-20, “Certificate of Eligibility for Nonimmigrant Student Status,” is in the STEM-Designated Degree Program List
• The employer for which you want to work uses E-Verify.
• You have not previously received the 17-month extension for your OPT.

For more information on rules pertaining to working in the United States, visit our Working in the United States resource page.