As an F-1 student in the United States, you may be eligible to apply for up to 12 months of Optional Practical Training (OPT), which is one form of practical training authorized for nonimmigrant students. You may apply for OPT if you satisfy the following requirements:

 

• Complete one full year of academic studies,

• Are currently in status,

• OPT relates directly to your major area of study, and

• A designated school official (DSO) recommends your participation in OPT and enters the recommendation in the Student Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS).  

 

To file for OPT, first speak to your DSO. If your DSO recommends your participation in OPT, s/he will give you a new Form I-20, “Certificate of Eligibility for Nonimmigrant Status,” that shows the recommendation for OPT on page three. The DSO will also enter this recommendation in the SEVIS, which will place a 30-day deadline on filing your OPT application. 

 

After receiving the new Form I-20 from your DSO, you must complete Form I-765, “Application for Employment Authorization.” Completing this application “in a timely manner” means ensuring that United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) receives the application within 30 days of the date that the DSO enters the OPT recommendation in SEVIS. If USCIS approves your Form I-765, you will be issued an Employment Authorization Document. 

 

Please note, you must apply for OPT within 30 days of your DSO’s recommendation. If you do not apply within 30 days, USCIS will deny your request. If you have questions pertaining to this timeline, please speak with your DSO.