Quinnipiac University
Quinnipiac University

Optional Practical Training (OPT)

Last updated August 05, 2024

International Student Services | Policy or Regulation Information

Optional Practical Training (OPT) is a benefit of the F-1 visa that allows international students to gain work experience or training through jobs or internships that are directly related to their academic major for up to 12-months per degree level.

OPT Eligibility Criteria: 

A student must be authorized by both the Office of International Students and Scholars (OISS) and U.S. Customs & Immigration Service (USCIS) to participate in OPT. A student may be authorized for OPT both during study (pre-completion OPT) and after graduation (post-completion OPT). 

  • Must be enrolled full-time in a degree program for at least one academic year (two consecutive semesters) in a valid, lawful status. 
  • Must have officially declared a major(s). 
  • Work must be directly related to major(s) area of study. 
  • Must be in F-1 status at the time of application. 
  • Must be physically present in the U.S. when you submit your OPT application to USCIS. 
  • Please note that you do not need a job offer to apply for OPT.   

You are not eligible for OPT if:  

  • You have been authorized for 12 months of full-time CPT at your current degree level. 
  • You have been previously authorized for 12 months of OPT at your current degree level or have been authorized for any OPT at a higher degree level. 
  • You depart the U.S. during your 60-day grace period without first applying for post-completion OPT; departure in these circumstances will effectively end your F-1 visa status and render you ineligible for OPT at your most recent degree level.  

Additional Requirements: 

  • Post-completion OPT takes place after you have graduated or, if you are a Master’s/PhD student, once you have completed all your degree-required coursework except for your thesis/dissertation. 
  • Post-completion OPT must be full-time (more than 20 hours/week). There is no part-time post-completion OPT. You may work in more than one position, but each job must be directly related to your major(s). Both paid and unpaid positions are permissible during your post-completion OPT period.  
  • To start your OPT employment after your program end date on your I-20, you must first receive the physical copy of your Employment Authorization Document (EAD) in the mail and begin your job(s) on or after the start date listed on the card. You are only authorized for employment through the end date listed on your EAD card unless you qualify for the 24-Month STEM OPT Extension or another employment-permitting visa status that allows you to work beyond your post-completion OPT period.        
  • During the authorized initial 12 months of post-completion OPT period, you are allowed up to 90 days of unemployment. If you accrue more than 90 days of unemployment during your authorized OPT period, you will no longer be maintaining valid F-1 status. 
  • Reporting your employment to Quinnipiac's Office of International Students and Scholars (OISS) is a requirement of maintaining your F-1 status while you are on OPT. Please carefully read about the OPT reporting and requirements below and contact OISS if you have any questions.  

Reporting Requirements while on OPT 

While on OPT you must: 

  • Submit a copy of your EAD through the Document Update Request Form in the ISS Portal. 
  • Report your employer, or changes to your employment status, within 10 days to OISS by completing an OPT Employment Update in the ISS Portal with each change.   
  • Update U.S. and home country addresses and phone number changes in the ISS Portal within 10 days of the change. 

Summary of the OPT Application Process

1

Complete Blackboard OPT Online Training course and the required quiz prior to submitting the OPT Request Form

Students in the final year of their academic program will be enrolled in a Blackboard course titled “OPT Online Training Course,” which gives detailed instructions on applying for OPT, completing required forms, and maintaining F-1 status while on OPT. The course is located under “Organizations” within Blackboard. All students that apply for OPT are required to complete the online course before submitting a Post-Completion OPT I-20 Request Form or meeting with OISS staff about OPT.  

Contact oiss@qu.edu if you cannot access the course and believe you are eligible.  

2

Collect and scan the required documentation

Students applying for OPT must collect all of the documents listed on the OPT Application Checklist, available for download in the OPT Online Training Course. Please find all forms, instructions, filing fees, etc. on the USCIS website to ensure you are following current guidance.  

  • Digital 2x2 color passport photo that meets USCIS specifications (You can use the U.S. State Department Photo Tool)  
  • A scan of your passport photograph and/or biographical data page  
  • A scan of the front and back of any previous EAD cards (if you have been approved for OPT previously)  
  • A scan of any previous I-20s with CPT or OPT authorizations (If you have been approved for CPT or OPT in your past, include pages 1 and 2 of all I-20s issued for CPT or OPT).  
    • Be sure the I-20(s) are signed by an OISS advisor and by you on Page 1.  
  • A digital copy of your I-20 with an OPT recommendation on Page 2 (This I-20 is obtained after submitting the OPT Request Form in the ISS Portal.) 
    • Must be issued within the last 30 days for post-completion OPT.  
    • You must consult with OISS to receive a new OPT I-20 before filing your OPT application online with USCIS. The I-20 must be signed by an OISS advisor and by you. You can use a digital or handwritten signature. 
    • Double-check that the recommended dates of OPT authorization on Page 2 are correct.  
  • Your most recent form I-94 arrival record
    • Select “Get Most Recent Form I-94"  
    • Make sure it says “F-1” “D/S”  
  • A debit or credit card with which you can pay the filing fee.  
3

Complete the OPT Request Form in the ISS Portal when you are within 90 days of your SEVIS program end date

You must complete this Optional Practical Training (OPT) Authorization Request Form in the ISS portal to request your OPT Recommendation I-20. The I-20 specifically noting the OPT recommendation on Page 2 is required in the USCIS application. Do not submit in the USCIS portal until you have received your OPT I-20 from OISS!  

Please note that your OPT I-20 will not be processed until you have completed the OPT Online Training course and quiz in Blackboard. Your academic advisor will also need to review and approve this request in the ISS Portal. The Office of International Students and Scholars (OISS) cannot process your post-completion OPT I-20 until your advisor has approved and you are within 90 days of your SEVIS program end date.

4

Create a USCIS account

Once you have obtained your OPT Recommendation I-20, you can create a USCIS account to file your OPT application online at https://myaccount.uscis.gov.

5

Fill out the I-765 Application for Employment Authorization online

You can utilize the step-by-step instructions in the Online OPT Application Walk-Through Guide, available for download in the OPT Online Training Course in Blackboard, to guide you in completing the I-765 Application for Employment Authorization. You can save the application and return within 30 days.  

6

Pay the fee online and submit your application with USCIS

Pay the application fee indicated on the USCIS website. The application fee can be paid via bank account (ACH), debit, or credit card. You will receive a confirmation that your Form I-765 was successfully submitted.  Following the completion of your online filing, you should be able to review your I-765 receipt notice in your online USCIS account and track the status of the application. 

7

Submit your I-797 USCIS Receipt Notice pdf on the ISS Portal after you have submitted your OPT application

Shortly after you submit the OPT application, your I-797 Receipt Notice will be available in the "My Cases" section. Download your I-797 Receipt Notice from the Documents tab and upload it to the ISS Portal by submitting a "Document Upload" Request in the Control Center.


Tracking Your OPT Application 

The USCIS processing time of OPT applications can vary. USCIS is not required to adjudicate OPT applications within a specific timeframe, nor is there a way for OISS to inquire about pending cases.  

Check USCIS Case Processing Times to find out how long I-765 applications are taking. 

We recommend the following actions for tracking the status of your OPT application: 

  • Track your USCIS Case Status Online by entering your receipt number as listed on your I-797 Receipt Notice and in your USCIS account. A physical copy of your I-797 Receipt Notice should be delivered within one month of USCIS receiving your OPT application.   
  • Continue to monitor your USCIS account for updates on your case. 
  • If your case has been pending outside USCIS's listed case processing time for I-765 applications, enter your information in the USCIS E-Request online "Case Outside Normal Processing Time" option. 
  • Speak with your prospective employer early in the process about the possible need for flexibility in regard to your start date. 

Maintaining Status while on OPT

While on post-completion OPT you are required to have active employment to maintain your valid visa status. Employment may be paid or unpaid but must total more than 20 hours per week to be considered full-time. Employment that is 20 hours or less per week counts toward the unemployment allotment. 

All employment during OPT must be directly related to your academic major. Multiple jobs are allowed provided all are related to your academic major. All employment must be reported via an OPT Employment Update in the ISS Portal.

You are allowed a total of 90 days without employment on OPT. The “clock” to count unemployment days begins on the start date of your EAD card. 

Employment must begin within 90 days from the start date of your EAD card. If USCIS processes your OPT application after your requested start date, it may adjust the start date to the date your OPT was approved. That end date, however, will not be extended beyond 14 months from your I-20 program completion date. 

The 90 days of unemployment is an aggregate of all days without employment, including weekends and time between jobs. (This does not include vacations or sick days taken while employed.) 

SEVIS keeps track of your unemployment days, based on the information you submit via the SEVP Portal. 

If you accrue more than 90 days of unemployment, or if you forget to report and update your OPT employment to OISS, your F-1 SEVIS record may automatically terminate. A terminated SEVIS record cancels OPT authorization and requires you to leave the United States. 

After OPT has been approved, you will receive an automated email from the Student & Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP) giving instructions to activate your account in the SEVP Portal. This portal gives you the ability to directly view and edit some information in your SEVIS record.  

You can only access the SEVP Portal once you receive your EAD and your OPT start date has been reached. On the first day of your approved OPT (start date on your EAD) you will receive an email from Do-not-reply.sevp@ice.dhs.gov containing an access link to the SEVP Portal. Click on the link and set up a unique password. In advance, you should add the email listed above to your Trusted Sender List (non-spam list). Please also check your spam/junk mail if you do not see an email in your inbox as of the start date of your EAD. You may access SEVP Portal Videos for step-by-step instructions on how to set up and use your account. 

Please note that while students can and should update information within the portal, you are also still required to submit all updates and changes during OPT to the Office of International Students and Scholars (OISS) in the ISS Portal.  If you have questions about SEVP Portal, check out the SEVP Potal Help webpage. 

During post-completion OPT, you are still in F-1 status and must follow the F-1 rules for travel. You must have ALL documents listed below in order to travel and reenter the U.S. while on an approved period of OPT.  In many cases you may also need to apply for a new F-1 visa before you may return to the U.S. 

  • a valid Form I-20, signed on page 2 by an OISS advisor (the signature must not be more than six months old at the time of reentry to the U.S.). If you need a travel signature, please submit a Travel Signature Request in the ISS Portal.  
  • an unexpired passport 
  • an unexpired F-1 visa in the passport (except for citizens of Canada and Bermuda). If your F-1 visa is expired at the time of your reentry to the U.S. you must apply for a new F-1 visa to reenter the U.S. 
  • an OPT EAD issued by USCIS. Printed on the EAD is the statement "Not valid for reentry." This statement means that the EAD alone is not valid for reentry.              
  • evidence of a job offer or evidence of resumption of employment 

Students who have the documents listed above may travel outside the United States and reenter even before the date their work permission begins. For example, an F-1 student who graduates in May with an OPT EAD that begins in July may travel and return to the United States any time after graduation. 

Entry to the U.S. in any status other than F-1 OPT will invalidate your OPT work authorization. If you have exceeded your allowed unemployment time, it is not appropriate to seek reentry in F-1 status.  

For more information and guidelines on traveling during OPT, please visit the ICE Travel FAQs. 

The H-1B is an employment-based visa. Your employer may decide to sponsor you so that you can continue to work for them after your OPT or STEM OPT. In this case, they will assist you in applying for an H-1B visa. There is, however, a limit to the number of H-1B visas that the government will give each year. This is the H-1B Cap. 

For H-1B purposes, the fiscal year runs from October 1 to September 30. The H-1B Cap is currently set at 65,000 (+20,000 for U.S. higher degree holders). Currently, there is a pre-registration process for cap-subject petitions in March each year and only registered cases selected in the lottery (if any) can file an H-1B petition. If your registration is selected, your employer could file an H-1B petition on your behalf between April 1st and June 30th requesting an October 1st H-1B start date. Universities and colleges are exempt from the cap, and are not subject to the same restrictions as private-sector employers. 

The H-1B cap-gap occurs when your cap-subject employer files an H-1B petition on your behalf, but your F-1 OPT/STEM OPT work authorization will expire before the H-1B begins on October 1. The Cap Gap Extension is an extension of your OPT or STEM OPT which allows you to continue working while the H-1B is pending.  

For example, if your OPT ends on May 30, but your H-1B will not begin until October 1, there would be a gap in work authorization from May 30 (end of OPT) and October 1 (start of H-1B). This period is known as the “cap gap.” 

If your employer has filed your cap-subject H-1B registration, it has been selected and your employer files an H-1B petition before your EAD expiration, you would be eligible for cap-gap, and your stay may be extended to September 30 (day before H-1B would begin).  
 

If you have been selected in the H1-B lottery and would like to request a cap-gap extension, please email a copy of your H-1B receipt or approval notice (I-797) to oiss@qu.edu.  

If you have not accrued more than 90 days of unemployment time, you will have a 60 day grace period to prepare for departure from the U.S. at the end of your OPT period. During your 60 day grace period you may also transfer to a new full time study program, if you meet all the transfer requirements to keep your F-1 status, or change to a new visa status. 

You must notify OISS of your plans (departure, transfer or change of visa status) by emailing oiss@qu.edu.  

Additional Information