The Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP) updated the Form I-983, “Training Plan for STEM OPT Students,” to remove language requiring wet signatures. Students and employers may continue to physically sign the Form I-983 or input their own electronic signature. SEVP accepts electronic signatures in the following formats:
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On Sept. 30, 2019, the Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP) published new policy guidance titled, “Practical Training: Determining a Direct Relationship Between Employment and a Student’s Major Area of Study.” The guidance explains that students are responsible for providing a description of how their job duties relate to their major area of study, which their designated school official (DSO) must review and retain in the students’ files.
While the Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP) works to ensure student employment compliance, it is important for both designated school officials (DSOs) and international students to be aware of potentially fraudulent employers and to report suspected fraud.
Below are a few red flags that may indicate a potentially fraudulent employer:
Practical training provides international students with experience in their field of study during or after completing a program in the United States. This training offers valuable work experience by sharpening and adding to the skills students have learned in school. Read below to learn about the types of practical training available to F-1 students.
Types of Practical Training for F-1 Students
Optional Practical Training (OPT)
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has announced that F-1 students who are applying for optional practical training (OPT) authorization can file the Form I-765, “Application for Employment Authorization,” online if filing under the following categories:
In this section, designated school officials can access important information about F-1 optional practical training. Given the strict rules that apply, this document offers helpful information designated school officials should know about the different types of optional practical training as well as the required forms, processes and SEVIS update requirements.
The Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP) Portal recently upgraded to Release 1.10, which changes how long students can access the SEVP Portal after their optional practical training (OPT) authorization ends. You will now only be able to access your SEVP Portal account for six months after the end of your OPT authorization.
Since the Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP) launched the SEVP Portal on March 23, SEVP has collected the most common questions about the portal from students and designated school officials (DSOs).The following questions are among the top questions from students about the SEVP Portal.
A volunteer position that is not directly related to an F-1 student’s course of study does not qualify as optional practical training (OPT) and must not be listed as OPT employment on a student’s Student and Exchange Visitor Information System record.
On March 23, 2018, the Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP) will launch the SEVP Portal for F-1 students participating in post-completion optional practical training (OPT) and M-1 students participating in practical training.The portal will allow these F-1 and M-1 students to report personal and employer information directly to SEVP. Through the portal, these students will be able to: