Optional Practical Training

Optional Practical Training 

Optional Practical Training (OPT) is a form of temporary employment authorization that allows F-1 students to gain practical experience directly related to their major area of study.

Types of OPT

There are three types of OPT: pre-completion OPT, post-completion OPT, and 24-month STEM extension OPT. Associate degree level students may be eligible for pre- and post-completion OPT but not for 24-month STEM Extension OPT.

Eligible F-1 students can apply for up to 12 months of OPT employment authorization before their academic studies (pre-completion) and/or after their academic studies (post-completion). However, all periods of pre-completion OPT will be deducted from the available period of post-completion OPT. Students are allowed 12 months of full-time OPT at each educational level (associate, bachelor, master's, doctorate). OPT requires an OPT recommendation from a Designated School Official (DSO) in the Center for Global Engagement and approval from US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). Before beginning employment, students must have an Employment Authorization Document (EAD card). OPT may be granted for either part-time (maximum of 20 hours per week) or full-time (more than 20 hours per week) employment may be used during the following periods as indicated:

• During the summer term (part-time or full-time)
• During the academic year (part-time only)
• After completion of all degree requirements (full-time only)

Pre-Completion OPT

Pre-completion OPT is used prior to fulfilling all graduation requirements and while you are still actively enrolled in a program of study. A student with coursework remaining to complete towards their degree program is limited to 20 hours per week of pre-completion OPT while school is in session. Students who are eligible to register for the next term and who plan to do so may have approval to work full-time when school is not in session. Students must remain enrolled in a full course of study during pre-completion OPT. Students may apply for pre-completion OPT up to 90 days before being enrolled for one full academic year, provided that the period of employment will not start prior to the completion of the full academic year.

The time worked during pre-completion OPT counts towards the 12-month total and is deducted at a rate of 50 percent. For example, if students work six months pre-completion OPT, their post-completion OPT will be reduced by three months. Only nine months of post-completion OPT would then be available.

Post-Completion OPT

Post-completion OPT is granted to students who will gain practical training in their field after they have completed their degree program. A student approved for Post-Completion OPT is authorized to work in the U.S. in a job directly related to their field of study for up to 12 months. Applications for OPT may be submitted up to 90 days before the graduation or completion date and must be submitted before the end of the student’s 60-day grace period. Post-completion OPT requires full-time employment (20 hours per week or more).

Although students may engage in pre-completion and standard post-completion OPT, the maximum amount of time that can be granted for all standard OPT combined is 12 months at a single educational level. 

Eligibility for Standard OPT 

To be eligible for OPT, an F-1 student must meet the following eligibility criteria:

• Been lawfully enrolled and completed one full academic year of study (full-time enrollment in the fall and spring semesters) immediately preceding the OPT request
• Good academic standing at ECC
• Maintained F-1 status
• Not been approved for 12 months or more of full-time CPT
• Not been approved for OPT at the same degree level or a higher degree level
• Seeking employment in the major field of study listed on your I-20
• Be present in the U.S. in valid F-1 status at the time of the application to USCIS
• Not enrolled in the Intensive English Program. Students studying in the Intensive English Program are not eligible for practical training
• Intend to apply for OPT within the stated regulatory guidelines. Students must file for OPT within 30 days of the DSO’s recommendation in SEVIS. Students planning to apply for post-completion OPT can apply no more than 90 days before their graduation date and no more than 60 days after their graduation date.

Students do not need a job before applying for OPT but must be employed within 90 calendar days of the OPT start date. The applicant chooses the start date, and the dates cannot be changed once USCIS processes the application.

How to Apply

Review the information on this website and at Study in the States. There is also a helpful Planning Tool for Post-Completion OPT on the Study in the States website.

1. Schedule an advising appointment with a DSO in the Center for Global Engagement to discuss your interest and eligibility for OPT. Send an email to international@elgin.edu to schedule your appointment.
2. Prepare the following documents for your OPT application:

• • ECC Optional Practical Training Request Form
  • A letter written by you to the DSO with a description of how your planned OPT relates to your program of study. This letter will be retained in your student file.
  • A letter from your academic advisor indicates your current academic status and the expected completion date of your studies. Please request this letter at least 10 business days prior to your appointment with the Center for Global Engagement.
  • One passport-size photo taken within the last 30 days. You cannot reuse an old visa or passport photo. The travel.state.gov website has a Photo Tool that can help verify that your photo meets USCIS requirements.
  • Digital copy of Employment Authorization Document (EAD card, front and back). If you have not been issued an EAD, upload a copy of your passport.
  • Most recent I-94
  • Copy of F-1 visa
  • Digital copies of any previously issued OPT/CPT I-20 documents, including any previously practical training undertaken at another U.S. institution.

3. Schedule an OPT advising appointment with the Center for Global Engagement and bring the required documents listed above. (Hint: Don't forget to bring the Optional Practical Training Request Form!) For purposes of the advising meeting with the DSO, please bring printed copies of the above documents to the meeting. Send an email to international@elgin.edu to schedule your appointment. A DSO will review your application and discuss what type of work you wish to engage in, confirm your OPT employment dates, and answer other questions you may have. If OPT is recommended, the DSO will issue a new I-20 document that reflects a recommendation for OPT and lists your requested employment dates.      
   
   
4. Once you receive the new I-20 recommending OPT from the Center for Global Engagement, make sure you sign the I-20. The OPT application must be submitted to USCIS within 30 days of the DSO recommendation date listed on your I-20.

5. Submit Your I-765 OPT Application and Supporting Documentation Online

ECC strongly recommends that all F-1 students apply for OPT online. Filing instructions can be found online. Visit the USCIS website at myaccount.uscis.gov and create an account if you do not already have one. After verifying your email, log in to proceed with the application. After logging in, select "File a Form Online" and choose "I-765, Application for Employment Authorization." Select the appropriate eligibility category:

• (c)(3)(A) for Pre-Completion OPT
• (c)(3)(B) for Post-Completion OPT

Enter all required personal and immigration information accurately. Pay the Form I-765 Filing fee using a credit, debit card, or ACH withdrawal drawn from a U.S. checking or savings account. Upload the required application materials. The following list of application materials is provided for convenience purposes and is not meant to replace official instructions from USCIS. Always refer to the official filing instructions on the USCIS website.

• One passport-size photo taken within the last 30 days. You cannot reuse an old visa or passport photo. The travel.state.gov website has a Photo Tool that can help verify that your photo meets USCIS requirements.
• Digital copy of Employment Authorization Document (EAD card, front and back). If you have not been issued an EAD, upload a copy of your passport.
• Most recent I-94
• Copy of F-1 visa
• Digital copies of any previously issued OPT/CPT I-20 documents, including any previously practical training undertaken at another U.S. institution.
• Form I-765 Filing Fee

Make sure your application is accurate before you hit submit.

For an additional fee, you can elect to apply for Premium Processing while filing for OPT, which guarantees that USCIS will adjudicate eligible and properly filed applications within 30 days. For more information on Premium Processing, visit the USCIS website.

Important Information When Filing Online

• The student’s home address must be valid for at least 90 days after filing the OPT application. Mail from USCIS will not be forwarded and will be returned to USCIS. If you do not have a valid address, enter the name of a friend or family member and put their name in the “In Care of Name” field.
• It is the student’s responsibility to review their OPT application carefully prior to submission to USCIS. You cannot edit your submission once your payment is processed and the application is submitted.
• Before paying the I-765 fee and submitting the application, the student should confirm they are applying within the 30-day window after the date the OPT I-20 was issued. The student should not apply for OPT if they are outside the 30-day window. Instead, stop the application and contact the Center for Global Engagement immediately.

Important Information: While OPT is Pending 

• Students should not travel outside the U.S. until they receive their EAD card. USCIS may consider pending applications to be abandoned if the applicant departs the U.S. before receiving the card. 

• Students traveling outside the U.S. must have a valid F-1 visa, which they can obtain by applying at the U.S. Embassy in their home country. Please note that students may have difficulty obtaining a new F-1 visa if they have completed their degree and are returning to the U.S. solely to complete OPT.

• It is the student’s responsibility to verify completion of all degree requirements before beginning post-completion OPT.

• Students must report any change in contact information to the Center for Global Engagement and Registration department within 10 calendar days. Be sure to update your address with USCIS and the US Postal Service.

• Processing time for OPT applications varies. USCIS processes OPT requests, not ECC. If you applied online, you can check the progress of your application through your USCIS account.

• Students cannot be engaged in on-campus employment and OPT simultaneously. Students on pre-completion OPT may only work until the last day of the term in which they complete their degree requirements

Reporting Requirements While on OPT 

All F-1 students on Optional Practical Training (OPT) must update any changes in employment, name, and address throughout the dates listed on their Employment Authorization Document (EAD) card. Students are required to inform the Center for Global Engagement within five business days regarding any changes in employment by submitting an Optional Practical Training Employer Information Form - PDF.  

SEVP's OPT Policy Guidance states that the following activities are considered allowable employment on both pre-completion and post-completion OPT, provided that the job is directly related to their program of study and academic level.

• Regular paid employment in a position directly related to the student’s program of study.
  • For post-completion OPT, the work must be for at least 20 hours per week
  • Students may work for multiple employers as long as it is directly related to the student’s program of study.
• Payment by multiple short-term multiple employers. Students, like musicians and other performing artists, may work for multiple short-term employers (gigs). It is recommended that the student maintain a list of all gigs, the dates, and the duration of employment.
• Work for hire. Employment is where a student performs a service based on a contractual relationship rather than an employment relationship. This is also commonly referred to as 1099 employment. Per SEVP, “Students should be prepared to provide evidence showing the duration of the contract periods and the name and address of the contracting company.”
• Self-employed business owner. Students on OPT may start a business and be self-employed. The student should be able to prove that he or she has the proper business licenses and is actively engaged in a business related to their degree program.
• Employment through an agency. Students on post-completion OPT must be able to provide evidence showing they worked an average of at least 20 hours per week while employed by the agency.
• Volunteers or unpaid internships. Students may work as volunteers or unpaid interns, where this practice does not violate any labor laws. The work should be at least 20 hours weekly for students on post-completion OPT. A student should be able to provide evidence acquired from the student’s employer to verify that he or she worked at least 20 hours per week during the period of employment. Remember: “Volunteer positions that are not directly related to your course of study do not qualify as optional practical training (OPT) and must not be listed as OPT employment. Reporting non-qualifying volunteer opportunities as OPT employment will be deemed a violation of your reporting requirements and subject you to removal from the United States.” (SEVP Broadcast Message 1805-01) 

90-Day Unemployment Rule

Immigration regulations for OPT state that if a student is not employed 90 days after the start date listed on the EAD card, they are considered out of status. Unemployment is described as time spent without a qualifying job during OPT. Each day the student is not employed is counted toward the limit on unemployment time.

If a student is unable to secure a paid job and is approaching the 90 days of unemployment, they may work as a volunteer or unpaid intern, where this does not violate any labor laws. The work must be at least 20 hours per week for post-completion OPT, and they must be able to provide evidence from the employer that they worked at least 20 hours per week during the period of unpaid employment. Note that a student with coursework remaining to complete his or her educational objective or degree program is limited to 20 hours per week of pre-completion optional practical training while school is in session. 

Employer Information Form 

Nonimmigrant students are responsible for providing their employment information, describing how their practical training opportunity relates to their major area of study in the SEVP Portal, and reporting this to the Center for Global Engagement, including any changes to this information. To comply with federal regulations in reporting OPT employment, you must complete the Optional Practical Training Employer Information Form - PDF and submit a letter from your employer on company letterhead with the following information:

• Employer name
• Employer address, phone number, and email
• Supervisor’s name and contact information
• Position title
• Start date of employment
• End date of employment (if applicable; this is generally used only for contract or short-term gigs)
• Indicate whether the position is paid or unpaid
• Number of hours worked each week
• A description of the position’s duties and responsibilities

Sample Explanations of a Direct Relationship 

1. Associate of Applied Science in Accounting: I work full-time as an accounting assistant at ABC Corp, an accounting firm. In my job, I am responsible for recording and analyzing financial and managerial transactions, general business operations, and interacting with clients. My work requires an understanding of accounting transactions, terminology, key ratios, tax regulations, and using computerized accounting software, which I studied as part of my Associate of Applied Science in Accounting at Elgin Community College.
2. Associate of Arts (University transfer, Business major): I work full-time as a business operations assistant and loan officer at ABC Bank, where I meet with clients, assist with loan paperwork, evaluate loan applications, and assist clients with opening accounts. On a daily basis, I use the knowledge gained in my business classes and general education classes as part of my major program of study.

SEVP recommends that the student maintain evidence for each job documenting the position, proof of the duration of that position, the job title, contact information for the student’s supervisor or manager, and a description of the work. Students on OPT should remember to keep copies of the pay stubs, contracts, and job descriptions for all jobs held. It is the student’s responsibility to report this information in a timely manner to the SEVP Portal and the Center for Global Engagement. 

SEVP Portal for Students

The SEVP Portal is an important tool that lets F-1 students on post-completion OPT meet their legal reporting requirements. To meet regulatory reporting requirements, all F-1 international students approved for post-completion OPT must create an account in the SEVP portal. The portal allows F-1 students the ability to report address, telephone, and employer information to SEVP without relying upon their DSO to update their information. The Portal does not eliminate the need for a student to communicate with a DSO at the student’s school; students must still report a change of address and telephone number to ECC and complete and submit the Optional Practical Training Employer Information Form to the Center for Global Engagement.

How it Works

Students will receive an email from SEVP upon approval of OPT. The email will include instructions and a link to create a portal account. Students must enter their SEVIS ID Number found on their I-20, on which OPT was approved. The student will then need to create a password.

Once a student gains access to the SEVP Portal, they can:

• Edit profile
• Add/Edit employment information
• View History
• Manage the account (change password)

Once Employed

Students need to add/update their employment information through the portal. For more information, view the Manage Employer Information on the Study in the States website.

Locked Account

Contact the Center for Global Engagement during regular business hours to request assistance unlocking your SEVP portal. Please allow one to two business days for password resets and account unlock requests.

Further Information

For more information, visit the Study in the States website.