Optional Practical Training (OPT) is an opportunity for F-1 students to gain practical experience working off-campus in a job directly related to their major field of study. It is recommended in SEVIS by an Immigration Counselor at Purdue International Students and Scholars (ISS), and then students submit their applications to U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) to be adjudicated. An offer of employment is not required to apply for OPT.
If granted by USCIS, the authorization is full- or part-time employment for a maximum of 12 months. OPT is not a different visa status or “change of status.” OPT work authorization is a benefit linked to your F-1 status, and extends your F-1 status for the time you are on OPT. You are eligible to apply for OPT after each higher education level completed (i.e. 12 months after a Bachelor’s degree, 12 months after a Master’s degree, 12 months after a PhD).
NOTE: If you are currently a student or just graduated and are applying within your grace period, you cannot apply directly for the STEM OPT Extension: only those currently in their 12-month OPT authorization OPT period, with a qualifying STEM degree, and working for an e-verified employer may apply for the STEM extension.
Have a current, valid I-20, reflecting your current field of study and education level.
Have a valid, unexpired passport.
Have been lawfully enrolled full-time for at least two consecutive semesters (Fall and Spring) immediately prior to finishing your degree and applying for OPT.
Have had less than 12 months of full-time Curricular Practical Training (CPT).
For undergraduate and master’s non-thesis-option students: Be within 90 days of completing your degree requirements (i.e., within 90 days of the end of the semester during which you will graduate).
For master’s thesis-option and doctoral students: Be within 90 days of completing your course requirements (do not need to be finished defending and depositing).
Have not previously had OPT authorized at the same degree level (e.g., if you are completing a second master’s degree and had previously been authorized for OPT after your first master’s, you would not be eligible for OPT again until you completed a higher degree level ).
Be in the United States when you file the I-765 with USCIS.
In your last semester you may register part-time, but you must be in at least one class in which you are required to be physically present on campus. In other words, enrolling in only online courses in your last semester is not allowed by USCIS. You do not need to request a Reduced Course Load.
If this is your final semester and you are registered for less than a full time course-load, you must submit a Reduced Course Load (RCL) E-Form before you attend the OPT follow-up session (even if summer is your final semester). If you have already submitted the RCL E-form for the current semester to ISS, no further action is required. If you have not yet submitted your RCL E-form to ISS, you need to do so by logging in to MyISS portal and selecting the appropriate RCL eform under the "F-1 and J-1 student services" category.
Below are the steps to apply for OPT. If you have any questions about this procedure, please Contact Student Services to discuss your questions with a student counselor.
You must discuss your plans for graduation/course completion and OPT application with your academic department before proceeding with an OPT application. It is vital that you do not apply for OPT until your program completion date is certain. Who the correct departmental contact is varies by department: it could be your academic advisor, major professor, department head, or dean. Please see Academic Contacts | ISS (purdue.edu) for guidance.
Access e-forms at MyISS>F-1 Optional Practical Training>Post-Completion OPT Recommendation I-20 Request
The priority deadline for ISS submission to request an OPT I-20 is 21 days before the end of your 60-day grace period. ISS cannot guarantee that you will meet the USCIS submission deadline if you request your OPT I-20 any later than 21 days before the end of your 60 day grace period. If you apply any later, please Contact Student Services to discuss your request.
Complete the “OPT Online Workshop and Quiz” to ensure you understand essential information about OPT.
Complete the “OPT Application Document Instructions” e-form. You will receive detailed information on how to prepare the required documents for your application to send to USCIS. Be sure you have access to a scanner and printer before you start this e-form, as you will be scanning and printing documents. Keep the documents in a safe place until you are ready to send your application. You will prepare the following documents:
Filing Fee - You may pay by check, money order, cashier's check, or credit card.
If using credit card and filing by mail, you must also include Form G-1450, Authorization for Credit Card Transactions.) If filing online, this form is not needed.
Check the Filing Fee section for the current fee for the I-765.
2 passport-sized photos (taken within 30 days and never used for any other purpose) in a small plastic bag. Write your name, birthdate, and I-94 in ballpoint pen on the back of each photo.
I-765 form, signed and dated. Details on accessing the USCIS Instructions and a guide prepared by ISS can be found in the e-form. You must have an I-20 showing OPT requested on page 2 before submitting the I-765 either online or by mail.
Photocopy of valid, unexpired passport biographical page
Photocopy of F-1 visa (all students except Canadian citizens)
Front and back of I-94 OR printout of your most recent electronic I-94 (print by visiting www.cbp.gov/I94)
Photocopy of any I-20s showing Curricular Practical Training (CPT) authorization on page 2. If you have not had CPT, you do not need to include I-20 photocopies of other past I-20s.
Photocopy of any previous EAD cards (if you have been previously authorized for OPT or economic hardship)
Photocopy of your job offer letter (optional and only if you have one)
If filing by mail, completed Form G-1145 (optional but recommended). If filing online, this form is not needed.
Complete the “OPT Statement of Understanding” e-form, in which you will determine if you are within the right timeframe to apply for OPT and better understand what your responsibilities are under OPT.
Complete the “OPT Application Document and Information Verification” e-form, in which you will specify your requested OPT dates, upload required documentation, and enter information about your academic program and departmental contact. Be sure you have scanned copies of the following documents before you begin this e-form, as you will upload them in the e-form. Files must be saved as valid PDF or image files (JPG, GIF, PNG, or BMP):
I-765 form, completed and signed (You must have an I-20 showing OPT requested on page 2 before submitting the I-765 either online or by mail.)
Valid, unexpired passport biographical page
Front and back of I-94 OR printout of your most recent electronic I-94 (print by visiting www.cbp.gov/I94)
Optional: if your current I-20 does not reflect your current education level, please follow instructions on Change of Education Level.
When you submit this final OPT eform, the academic contact you entered will be notified and required to fill in their portion of the e-form in regards to your application. You will receive email notification once they have submitted their part which also confirms that your request will be processed within 14 calendar days.
Once the academic contact has completed their part, your application will be forwarded to ISS for processing. ISS processing time may take up to 14 calendar days from the date we receive all required e-forms and documents (including submission of the final eform by your academic contact).
Important note: You cannot change your requested OPT dates after you submit your e-form to ISS.
The OPT application is a step-by-step process in which multiple people are involved. For this reason, it is extremely important to submit your OPT application well in advance so that everyone has time to complete their portion. To be fair to all students, ISS processes all requests within 14 calendar days of completion of the final eform by your academic contact. ISS cannot accommodate expedite requests.
Do not work on campus past the program end date on your I-20, and do not work again in any capacity, paid or unpaid, until you receive work authorization from USCIS.
OPT is recommended by ISS if eligibility requirements are met, and your Immigration Counselor will create a new I-20 reflecting the recommendation. Ultimately, however, OPT is authorized (or denied) by USCIS in the form of an Employment Authorization Document (EAD).
ISS will contact you via email once a new I-20 is ready. ISS processing time will take a maximum of 10 business days, but you should wait for an email. The email will give you final instructions for assembling and sending your OPT application packet.
When you receive your I-20, print and sign it by hand (aka a "wet signature").
If you decide to file by mail, final instructions for preparing and sending your OPT application packet, as well as extremely important information to remember while you are on OPT are found OPT I-765 Mailing Instructions. Please bookmark this page and/or download a PDF of the document and keep it with all your important documents.
Do not delay in sending your application, as it is very time-sensitive. If using mail, ISS recommends you send your application packet via USPS and use tracking to monitor when your packet is received by USCIS.
We highly recommend photocopying your complete application packet before you mail it, and keep the photocopies for your records. This includes your printed and signed I-20: You will KEEP your original I-20 and include the photocopy in your application packet (if filing by mail).
If you decide to file online, please review USCIS I-765 site for instructions to file online. If you have any questions, please contact USCIS. You may also share your online application with an ISS student counselor during a WebEx Dropin session if you have specific questions.
CIS Ombudsman provides a Tip Sheet: How to Avoid Getting Locked Out of Your USCIS Online Account | Homeland Security (dhs.gov)
Follow instructions for submitting the I-765. Double-check all documents: remember that it is your responsibility to ensure the application is correct and complete.
USCIS must receive your I-765 application:
No earlier than 90 days before your program end date
USCIS will deny your application if it arrives too early. Check your program end date on the front page of your I-20.
Within 30 days of the OPT recommendation date
You can find this date next to the ISS staff signature on the first page. This is the date the I-20 was created and OPT recommended.
No later than the last working day on or before the 60th day of your grace period
Your grace period begins on the day after your program end date, found on the front page of your I-20.
Employment information is not required for the OPT application, and cannot be reported until you are on your approved period of OPT. The OPT Reporting e-form only becomes visible in myISS once you are on your approved period of OPT. Once your OPT begins, all employment related changes must be reported through myISS within 10 calendar days of the change.
You are required to report personal information changes, such as a change of address, while your OPT application is pending. Please report biographical changes using MyISS>General Services>Ask Student Counselor and address changes using MyISS>F-1 and J-1 Student Services>Address Update (U.S. Residential). All personal information changes MUST be reported within 10 calendar days of the change.
You may wish to upload copies of your receipt notice, approval notice, EAD card, or job offer letter. The "Upload an OPT-Related Document" will be available to you while your OPT application is pending and also once you are on your approved period of OPT. Note that this e-form is NOT meant for you to upload any OPT application documents, Social Security cards, or credit cards.
If USCIS sends you a Request for Evidence (RFE), you may upload it in the "Respond to a Request for Evidence" e-form so that ISS may assist you with it. This e-form will be available to you while your OPT application is pending and also once you are on your approved period of OPT.
Once you are on your approved period of OPT, you will use the "OPT Reporting" e-form group in the "F-1 Optional Practical Training" category to report any changes to personal and employment information within 10 calendar days of the change. You must inform ISS each and every time your information changes. Also use this e-form to periodically validate information while on OPT. This e-form may also be used to request a new travel signature or reprinted I-20 while on OPT.
There are 5 e-forms in the OPT Reporting e-form group.
Use the following e-forms to report:
Remote work is permitted on OPT. The worksite address that you report depends on your remote working arrangement. If it is hybrid (meaning that you are occasionally in-person and occasionally remote), then report the in-person worksite address. If it is 100% remote, report the address where you work remotely, such as your home address.
Please note that updating your residential address has no connection to the EAD card mailing address. If you need to update the EAD card mailing address, Contact USCIS (uscis.gov) for instructions.
To submit your request fully to ISS, you must submit this last e-form in the group. If you do not submit this e-form, ISS will not be notified of any of your update requests. You will receive an email confirmation once you have successfully submitted the e-form group.
Use the "Report No Longer on OPT" e-form if you are ending your period of OPT for any reason, including changes of visa status, transferring to a new school, starting a new degree program, or departing the U.S. before the end of your OPT.
Report No Longer On OPT
If you still have an active Purdue student account:
If you are no longer enrolled or engaged in activity at Purdue:
While on OPT, you may not take classes toward an educational or professional objective, such as a degree or certificate program.
You are allowed to take classes that are avocational or recreational in nature as long as the classes will not result in an educational or professional objective. A program of study that “leads to the attainment of a specific educational or professional objective” is not avocational or recreational. The definition of program extends to all approved academic programs at Purdue University whether credit is being earned toward a degree objective; through non-degree admission; part-time or full-time enrollment; or, for an undergraduate or graduate Certificate program.
You are advised to discuss these plans with a student counselor if you have questions according to Contact Student Services.
If you decide to begin a new program with an educational or professional objective, you will need to either change your educational level (if you will pursue your new program at Purdue) or transfer your SEVIS record (if you will attend a different university).
As soon as you begin your new program at Purdue or on the date your SEVIS record is released (transferred) to another institution, the rest of your OPT is forfeited and you must stop working. You cannot save any unused OPT days.A Social Security Number (SSN) is a 9-digit number issued to U.S. citizens, permanent residents, and temporary non-residents with employment authorization by the Social Security Administration (SSA). SSNs are used to track individuals for taxation purposes. It is not used for identification purposes.
In order to work in the United States, you must obtain a Social Security number (SSN) from the Social Security Administration (SSA). A non-U.S. citizen may obtain a SSN if s/he has permission to work in the United States or is required to by a federal, state, or local government agency. Currently, SSNs are only issued to non-residents who have been granted employment eligibility. Dependents with F-2 status are not eligible for a SSN because they are not permitted to work.
Once issued, your Social Security Number is yours for life. Keep your card in a safe place along with your other important documents. If you lose your SS card, you must apply for a replacement card and show proof of current employment.
The SSA provides information for international students on how to apply for a SSN here: SSN Information
If you do not already have a Social Security number (SSN), you may apply for one at the same time you apply for OPT using the same form I-765. This will allow you to apply for an SSN or replacement card without having to visit a Social Security Office. USCIS will send the required information to apply for an SSN to the Social Security Administration (SSA). If you are approved for OPT, you will receive an EAD card showing your work authorization, and within two weeks after that, you should receive your Social Security card.
Please note, USCIS and SSA will use this address to send you documents related to your OPT application and your SSN application. Federal mail is not forwarded by the U.S. Postal Service, even if you have done an official "change of address" notification. Therefore it is best to use a secure address.
H-1B is a work visa that is sponsored by an employer. The H-1B cap is the limit on the number of H-1Bs allowed each year. The cap does not apply to all H-1B visas. You must discuss with your employer and/or immigration attorney whether your H-1B petition is subject to the cap.
The period of time when an F-1 student’s status and work authorization expire through the start date of their approved H-1B employment period is known as the "cap-gap”. The H-1B cap-gap extension allows certain students with pending or approved cap-subject H-1B petitions to remain in the U.S. in F-1 status until the start date of their approved H-1B employment period, even if the OPT authorization and/or F-1 grace period would have otherwise expired before October 1.
You are eligible for the cap gap extension if both:
If your OPT authorization is still valid when your employer submits your cap-subject H-1B petition to U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), your OPT authorization will be extended. You can continue working in F-1 status through the extension date.
If your OPT authorization is expired but you are in your 60-day grace period when your employer submits your H-1B petition to USCIS, your F-1 status is extended. You cannot work but you can remain in the U.S. through the extension date.
Your eligibility for the cap gap extension depends on the status of your H-1B application:
The cap gap extension of F-1 status automatically begins when your employer submits the H-1B petition to USCIS.
Important note: ISS cannot and will not check your SEVIS record for H1-B application updates. Only your employer can provide accurate, official updates regarding your H1-B application.
Students are strongly encouraged to stay in close communication with their petitioning employer during the cap-gap extension period for status updates on the H-1B petition processing.
To obtain your Cap-Gap I-20:
If your H-1B petition is:
ISS will print an I-20 for you that indicates the extension of your F-1 status and (if eligible) extension of your OPT employment authorization. The cap-gap extension benefit is automatic, so you can continue working (if eligible) and remain in the U.S. while waiting for your new I-20.
After an H-1B petition for a change of status is filed, consult your employer's immigration attorney about all international travel, whether or not your EAD is expired.
If USCIS denies, rejects, or revokes an H-1B petition filed on behalf of an F-1 student covered by the automatic cap-gap extension, the student will have the standard 60-day grace period (from the notification date of the denial, rejection, or revocation of the petition) before he or she is required to depart the U.S., change degree level, transfer to another SEVIS approved school, or change status as long as the student has not otherwise violated status. The student cannot (1) leave and re-enter the U.S. during this time and (2) cannot work.
For denied cases: It should be noted that the 60-day grace period does not apply to an F-1 student whose accompanying change of status request is denied due to discovery of a status violation. Such a student in any event is not eligible for the automatic cap-gap extension. Similarly, the 60-day grace period would not apply to the case of a student whose petition was revoked based on a finding of fraud or misrepresentation discovered following approval. In both of these instances, the student would be required to leave the United States immediately.