Optional Practical Training (OPT)

• Student must be in the United States with a valid F-1 SEVIS record and I-94 Arrival/Departure Record.
• Student must have been enrolled full-time for at least one academic year (two semesters, fall and spring only) at the time of application.
• Student must be in valid F-1 status at the time of application.
• Post-completion OPT is granted to students who will work in the United States after graduation/completion of the degree program.
• Standard OPT is available for up to 12 months per higher degree level completed.
• The OPT application window is either within the 90 days before graduation, completion of coursework/degree requirements, or the Clear Prior deadline (as applicable to the student), or during the 60-day Grace Period following the I-20 expiration date/graduation day/Clear Prior deadline, whichever comes first.
  • Students who have an assistantship/fellowship may apply for OPT within the 90 days before the contract end date (which is 5/15, 8/15, or 12/31, depending on the contracted semester) or during the 60 day grace period following the I-20 expiration date/graduation day/Clear Prior deadline, whichever comes first.
• The OPT application MUST arrive at the USCIS Service Center within 30 days from the date the OPT recommendation was made in SEVIS and before your 60-day grace period expires, whichever comes first.  An application that reaches USCIS after 30 days from when the OPT recommendation was entered in SEVIS or after the expiration of the 60-day grace period (whichever comes first) will be denied.
• OPT is obtained through the United States Citizenship and Immigration Service (USCIS).
• If OPT is approved, student will be issued an Employment Authorization Document (EAD)/OPT card. The card must be in-hand and the start date on the card must be effective prior to starting employment, whether paid, unpaid, or volunteer.
• The student must choose their desired OPT start date when they apply for OPT; the start-date cannot be more than 60 days after graduation/degree completion. The requested start date cannot change once the OPT application has been mailed.
• Students do not need to have a job when they apply for Standard OPT; the application is based on graduating/completing the program.
• Students must work in a position directly related to their field of study.
• Post-completion OPT requires at least 20 hours of employment per week. In the case where a student’s hours vary, the total hours per month must average 20 hours per week.
• Visit the USCIS site for Form I-765 , Application for Employment Authorization fee information.
• Leaving the country after graduation but before having employment is risky; we advise against it.
  • Documents required to return to the US: OPT I-20 (signed within the six months prior to the return date), a valid passport (valid at least six months after the return date), a valid F-1 visa, OPT card/EAD, a job or job offer, and 2-3 recent paystubs (if employment is paid).

The first step in applying for OPT from USCIS is to request the OPT Recommendation I-20 from the F-1 International Student Advisor by submitting the OPT Request online. Students may apply for OPT during the 90 days prior to their graduation day and within the 60 days following their graduation day.

To request your OPT Recommendation I-20:

• Log in to ISSS online by clicking on Optional Practical Training Request (further below)
• Read the Instructions and Reading Requirements
• Complete all of the Questionnaires
• Complete the “Request Electronic Recommendation”
  • The person who completes the recommendation should be your Academic Advisor, Graduate Chair, Program Director/Coordinator, Dean, etc., not your F-1 International Student Advisor.
• Scan and attach the following documents:
  • Copy of Electronic I-94
  • Copy of Electronic Travel History
  • Copy of Valid Passport, photo page
  • Copy of most recent F1 Visa, photo page
  • Confirmation of Coverage of Medical Evacuation and Repatriation Insurance
• Complete the digital Signature Documents
• Scroll to top to click SUBMIT APPLICATION!!!

The F-1 International Student Advisor will then review the application in order to issue to the OPT Recommendation I-20. The I-20 will only be issued within the 90 days prior to the student’s graduation or within the 60-day Grace Period after the student’s graduation day. The student will then receive an email at their GatorLink account when the I-20 is ready. The email will also include instructions regarding how to assemble the OPT application packet which the student is responsible to mail to USCIS.

To start the Optional Practical Training Request, students must click the following button and use their GatorLink credentials to login (please make sure to only create one request):  

OPTIONAL PRACTICAL TRAINING REQUEST

To return to the same request later, please use the ISSS UF LOGIN button from the top of the side menu.

After the student receives the OPT Recommendation I-20, the student is responsible for filing, paying the fee, and submitting the application to USCIS. Do NOT file the OPT application without the OPT recommendation I-20. USCIS must receive the application within 30 days from the date the OPT recommendation was made in SEVIS and before the student’s 60-day grace period expires, whichever comes first. 

The OPT application can be filed online. To be able to file the application online, the student must first create their myUSCIS account. Click on How to Create a USCIS Online Account to learn how to create the account.

It is your responsibility to make sure that the information you provide in the application is accurate and without error. We are not able to review the application with you, however, we have provided an extensive guide with answers to frequently asked questions: Guide to apply for Post-completion OPT (c)(3)(B) Online

NOTE: The online OPT application does not require the same documents as the mail-in application. However, we do recommend that you submit all the below documents in your online application, as USCIS may send a Request for Evidence for the documents, even if it was not clearly requested in the online application. Any documents not specifically requested within the online application may be submitted along with another document which is requested (for example, save the passport and F1 visa together, and upload it in the in the “Government ID” section) or later in the “Unsolicited Evidence” section of the application.

• One U.S. style passport picture of you, taken within 30 days of submitting the application
• The OPT Recommendation I-20; sign and date it in the Student Attestation section on page one, above student’s name
• I-94 Record Printout (Click on GET MOST RECENT I-94); the I-94 must be printed within 30 days of submitting the application
• Most recent F1 visa page from the passport (visa may be expired)
• Passport picture page (passport must be valid)
• Previous Employment Authorization Document (EAD) cards the student has had in the past (if any; front and back)
• Previous I-20s with CPT authorizations the student has had during the current degree program (if any)

The OPT application receipt will be available immediately after paying for and submitting the OPT application online in the myUSCIS account. The student may follow the progress of the application by viewing “Your Cases” in their myUSCIS account and clicking on Case Status, Case History, or Documents for application history and receipt. The student may also track their application status at the USCIS CASE STATUS ONLINE page.

How long does it take and where will USCIS mail the OPT card?

USCIS requires 3-4 months to adjudicate the OPT application. If USCIS requires any additional information, they will communicate directly in the student’s myUSCIS account. We recommend that the student check their myUSCIS account at least weekly.  Once the application is adjudicated, if approved, USCIS will mail the OPT EAD card to the U.S. Mailing Address provided in the online OPT application. The student may only begin working once they have the OPT EAD in hand and the start date on the EAD has arrived or passed. Work includes but is not limited to paid, unpaid, volunteer, part time, full time, training, etc.

When the student receives the OPT EAD card, the student should submit a scan copy via the instructions provided on our OPT Reporting Requirements page.

Reporting Requirements During OPT

visit the OPT & STEM OPT Reporting Requirements page for details.

OPT students will receive an email from SEVIS on or soon after the start date on the EAD card with a specific link to create an SEVP Portal account. Allow 2-3 business days after the start date on the EAD card to obtain the email from SEVP. Check your inbox and junk/spam boxes of your GatorLink and personal emails for the email. Follow the instructions in the email to create your portal account immediately, before the link expires. You will then be able to update your home address and employment information as well as any changes in home address or employment directly in the SEVP portal. This is the only place where you are required to update your Standard OPT information.

The student must contact their F-1 Advisor to advise them that they will not graduate or Clear Prior as planned. Generally, the student may choose to keep the OPT application in process or may request the withdrawal of a pending OPT application. However, in the following cases, an OPT application cannot be withdrawn:

• The I-20 program end date has passed
• USCIS has approved the I-765 application
• The 60-day grace period has ended

• Bachelor and Non-Thesis Master students unable to graduate: employment while on OPT is limited to 20 hours or less per week until the student graduates. The student may then work over 20 hours once they have graduated. The student must graduate before their OPT expires.
• Thesis-Master and PhD students unable to graduate:
• If the student has any coursework required for degree completion, employment while on OPT is limited to 20 hours or less per week until the student graduates. The student may then work over 20 hours once they have graduated. The student must graduate before their OPT expires.
• If the student only has research/thesis/dissertation requirements for degree completion, the student may use their OPT part-time or full-time while completing the degree requirements. The student must graduate before their OPT expires.

they must request and receive a new I-20 for the new degree program before the 60-day Grace Period ends. The grace period ends exactly 60 days after the program end date on the Form I-20.

1. Discuss your case with your International Student Advisor before requesting a USCIS withdrawal.
2. Prepare a letter with an explanation for the reason a withdrawal is needed. Sign and date your letter, then scan the signed copy.
3. Log in to your USCIS account
4. Navigate to the pending I-765 application
5. In the “Unsolicited Documents” section of the I-765 application, upload your signed explanation letter
6. Go to the secure inbox on your USCIS account to send USCIS an email
7. Select the type of application and subject/topic of your message. The application type will be I-765, and the subject or topic will be application withdrawal.
8. Indicate that you wish to withdraw your pending application by selecting the option from the menu and confirming that you have uploaded the explanation letter.
9. Submit the message to USCIS

 

Processing times for withdrawal requests vary. Typically, they can be processed within 6-8 weeks. However, this is a general timeframe which is subject to change as USCIS workloads fluctuate during the year.

Upon receipt of the formal withdrawal notice from USCIS, provide a copy of the notice to your International Student Advisor, as it needs to be saved in your file at UFIC.