The SEVP Portal is an important tool that lets F-1 students on post-completion optional practical training (OPT) and M-1 students participating in practical training meet their legal reporting requirements.

The portal allows these international students the ability to report address, telephone and employer information to SEVP without relying upon their designated school official (DSO) to update their information. To use the SEVP Portal, students must confirm with their DSO that their email address is accurately saved in the Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS).

SEVP will email prospective SEVP Portal users important account creation information. However, the only emails the government will send students related to the portal are to create their SEVP Portal account or to reset their password. The sender of the email will be do-not-reply.SEVP@ice.dhs.gov. There is no cost associated with creating an account or accessing the portal.

The portal shares information with SEVIS but does not give students direct access to SEVIS. The SEVP Portal does not eliminate the need for a student to communicate with their DSO.

Users

F-1 students participating in post-completion OPT (including those on a science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) extension) and M-1 students participating in practical training are the only users of the SEVP Portal.

Allowing students to report address, telephone and employer information directly enhances data integrity and lessens the burden for some DSOs. It also holds students accountable for meeting the reporting requirements that regulations require of them.

Remember, for students to gain access to the SEVP Portal, they must have a valid email address in SEVIS. Please visit the Create an Account page for specific instructions.

Functionality

Through the portal, post-completion practical training students in F-1 or M-1 status will be able to update their physical home addresses, mailing addresses, telephone numbers, employer information and monitor their employment authorization. *

* STEM OPT students are not be able to add a new employer or change the start date with their employer but can update other information about an employer already in the system. The Form I-983, “Training Plan for STEM OPT Students,” requires DSOs to add new employer information directly into SEVIS for STEM OPT students, because DSOs must verify the form has been completed and submitted.

SEVIS and the SEVP Portal Information Sharing

The portal and SEVIS regularly share data. Data entered into the portal is sent immediately to SEVIS to update the student’s record. However, information comes from SEVIS to the portal once a day. Any updates to a student’s record in SEVIS will appear in the SEVP Portal the next day.