OPT STEM Extension

If you have graduated with a STEM degree (science, technology, engineering, and math) you may be eligible to apply for STEM OPT, which extends your OPT for an additional 24 months. You apply for STEM OPT in the 90-day period before your OPT ends.

The Department of Homeland Security has created a STEM OPT Hub with helpful information for you and your employer.

STEM OPT Hub

Applying for STEM OPT

Valid F-1 status & currently on post-completion OPT

Within 90 days of your OPT end date

Graduated with a bachelor’s degree or higher in a STEM field (based on CIP/Major code on your I-20)*

Check if your degree is eligible

No previous STEM Extension (at the same education level). You are allowed a maximum of two lifetime STEM Extensions

Your employer is enrolled in E-Verify

Employed in a paid position related to your STEM degree that is at least 20 hours/week

Be able to complete the I-983 training plan with your employer

*You may be eligible for the STEM extension even if your most recent degree is not STEM-related. To qualify you must have received your prior STEM degree from a SEVP-certified school within 10 years of applying for the STEM extension. The STEM degree must be on the STEM-Designated Degree Program list at the time you apply for the STEM extension.

Additional Information on Prior STEM Degrees

Step One: complete an I-983 training plan with your employer. We encourage you to review both the official I-983 training plan guidance, as well as the tips we have developed, to reduce the chance of edits being needed before your I-20 can be issued.

Official I-983 training plan guidance

Our additional tips on completing the I-983

Step Two: request a STEM OPT I-20 from Boise State University. You will upload the completed I-983 form as part of the request process. Please allow 7-10 business days for ISS to review the request. You may be advised to make I-983 training plan edits before your I-20 can be created. You cannot apply for STEM OPT without a STEM OPT-endorsed I-20.

STEM OPT I-20 Request form

Step Three: once you have the STEM OPT I-20, you will then have the option of applying for STEM OPT online through a USCIS account.

IMPORTANT: Your application must be received by USCIS within 60 days of your STEM OPT-endorsed I-20 being made by the ISS office. It also must be received at least one business day before your current OPT EAD end date.

USCIS has also created a Tip Sheet: How F-1 Students Seeking Optional Practical Training Can Avoid Form I-765 Delays

You can submit your application online using a USCIS online account. Do not apply for STEM OPT if you have not received an I-20 from ISS that contains your STEM OPT recommendation.

Note: online filing is a very new option. Aspects of the online I-765 form may continue to be updated and adjusted by USCIS. If you would like to share about the online filing experience, or any feedback or suggested edits for our suggestions listed here, please contact us.

You file the STEM OPT application through your USCIS online account.

Set up or login to your USCIS account

As you move through the application you will be prompted about which documents you will need to upload. However, you should be ready to provide uploads and information from the following documents:

I-94 showing F/1 status
Passport photo page
Visa stamp page (unless you do not have a visa). It is OK if your visa has expired.
STEM OPT-endorsed I-20 (STEM OPT recommendation must be less than 60 days old)
Any prior I-20s that have OPT
Color photos – exact instructions for the photos are also available within the form. Photos are accepted in jpeg, jpg or png format
Copy of your EAD card (front and back)
Copy of your STEM degree certificate or your transcript
Your employer’s name as listed in E-verify and your company’s E-verify number

The following guidelines relate to the most confusing parts of the form and are offered as a courtesy only. Please consult an immigration attorney if you are unsure about any aspects of the form.

Click on “File a Form Online” and then select “Application for Employment Authorization (I-765)”.

You will be filing under (c)(3)(C) STEM Extension.

Select “Initial permission to accept employment” because it’s a different EAD category than post-completion OPT

Select “Yes” to the question about filing Form I-765 previously (you filed it for the post-completion OPT application)

Name: enter it as listed in your passport

Mailing address: your EAD card will be delivered via postal mail. It is important to use a mailing address that will be reliable for the next four months. If it is a friend’s address then make sure to add their name to the “In care of name” field of the form. If your mailing address changes before your STEM OPT is approved then you must inform USCIS directly otherwise you may not receive your EAD. Updating your address in the SEVP portal does not inform USCIS of your mailing address change.

Physical address: enter the address where you are currently living, if it is different from your mailing address. It is OK if this changes when your STEM OPT application is pending. Though make sure you always update your physical address in the SEVP portal within 10 days of any move.

Travel document: if you have a passport then it is unlikely that you will have a travel document. Leave this empty if you do not have a travel document.

A-number: type the A-number (USCIS number) from your OPT EAD card.

USCIS Online Account Number: your USCIS Online Account Number may be on your documentation from a prior application. If not, you can check “I do not have or know my USCIS Online Account Number.”.

Employment Authorization Document or Government ID upload: we recommend you upload your OPT EAD card, the biographical page of your passport, and your visa stamp (if applicable) into this section.

I-20, Certificate of Eligibility for Nonimmigrant Student Status upload: upload your STEM OPT-endorsed I-20. Make sure you have signed the I-20 – in ink – in the student certification section. Student signatures on an I-20 that are electronic (typed or other digital formats) are not accepted by USCIS. It must be less than 60 days since the OPT recommendation was made on your I-20. Contact ISS if you are submitting your application more than 60 days after your STEM OPT was recommended. This is also the section to upload any prior OPT I-20s.

College Degree: upload your degree certificate for your STEM degree and your transcript

Institution Accreditation: this upload is not needed unless you are applying based on a prior STEM degree (one not used for your current post-completion OPT)

Additional information: in most cases, no additional information is needed in this field

Address any alerts or warnings and double check all data before moving to the application fee payment. Once your fee has been paid you will not be able to return to edit the form. The application fee can be paid by credit or debit card.

You should receive an electronic receipt notice by email shortly after you pay the fee and your form submits. A paper receipt notice should follow in the mail within a few weeks. If you do not receive the paper notice in the mail then you should follow up with USCIS. Non-delivery of your receipt notice is an indication that there may be a mail issue that could later affect your EAD delivery.

Maintaining Status on STEM OPT

It is important to provide timely updates on your STEM OPT participation in order to stay in F-1 status. This includes verification of your status every 6 months and 12 & 24-month I-983 training evaluation plans.

Submit your STEM OPT Updates

Submit the OPT Updates Form

Every 6 months

When you change employers or have a material change in your employment

If you decide to finish OPT early

Submit an evaluation with the Updates Form

At 12 months and 24 months of STEM OPT

When you leave an employer (final evaluation)

All evaluations are submitted via the STEM OPT Updates Form. Evaluation forms can be found on page 5 of the I-983 training plan.

Update the SEVP Portal

When you change your contact details (within 10 days of any change)

Unemployment on STEM OPT

Maximum of 150 days of unemployment during the entire period of OPT (90 days on post-completion OPT and 60 days on STEM Extension).

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security has indicated that students who do not report their OPT participation may lose their F-1 status. Please complete the STEM OPT Updates Form when required so that we can update your SEVIS record appropriately.

Information if your employer is not complying with the I-983 training plan

Frequently Asked Questions

Applying for STEM OPT

When do I apply for STEM OPT?

You can apply for OPT in the 90-day period before your current OPT period ends. It is very important that USCIS receives your STEM OPT Extension application at least the business day before your current OPT period ends.

Please submit your STEM OPT I-20 request to Boise State’s ISS office (including your I-983 form) at least 4 weeks before your current OPT period ends to allow for enough time for you to file a timely STEM OPT application. Please note that I-983 training plan edits may be required before an I-20 can be created.

STEM OPT I-20 Request

Are there any types of work that don’t qualify for the STEM Extension?

Part-time employment

Unpaid/Volunteer Employment

Self-employment (or where you are the sole proprietor of the business)

Employment through temp agencies (you must have a bona fide employer: employee relationship; the employer that signs your I-983 training plan must be your employer and the entity providing the practical training experience)

Start-up businesses (if they don’t adhere to the I-983 training plan regulations)

You must be employed by the company that develops and supervises the I-983 training plan, and that must be the employer to which you are providing services. Employment through consulting firms may not always meet the eligibility requirements for a STEM OPT extension.

What happens if my STEM OPT is not approved before my OPT period ends?

It’s very important that your STEM OPT application is received by USCIS no later than the business day before your current OPT period ends. If it is received in time, then your OPT work authorization is extended for up to 180 days while your STEM OPT application is pending. This allows you to remain in the US and continue working for your STEM OPT employer.

There are advantages in applying as early as possible, as some states will not renew driver’s licenses without an approved STEM OPT application.

STEM OPT is pending. How do I change employer?

If your STEM OPT is not yet approved then you must submit two I-983 training plans to Boise State University’s ISS office:

1) New I-983 form for your new employer

2) Final Evaluation (page 5) of the I-983 training plan you completed with your prior employer (if your STEM OPT period has already begun). This should be submitted within 10 days of leaving your employer

Submit your updated I-983 forms

You will also need to complete a new I-765 form and submit it to USCIS, along with a copy of your STEM OPT receipt notice and your updated I-20.

Depending on the timing, if possible, you may wish to change employers after your STEM OPT is approved, when the process is more straightforward.

How long does it take STEM OPT to be approved?

STEM OPT applications take a similar amount of time to be adjudicated by USCIS as post-completion OPT applications. This is typically 2-3 months. In early 2024, adjudication is about 45 days, but this could change at any time.

There are options to obtain a decision within 30 calendar days through filing Form I-907 with your application and paying an additional non-refundable filing fee of $1,685. We recommend you consider whether this speed is needed, as although your application must be filed before your post-completion OPT end date, it does not have to be approved by that date for you to continue working or remaining in the U.S.. If you file your application on time, you are eligible to keep working while the application is pending for up to 180 days after your post-completion OPT ends.

Can I travel outside the US while my STEM OPT is pending?

Yes, but the timing can be challenging. If your STEM OPT is approved while you are outside the US then you will be expected to present your new EAD card upon entry to the US.

Prior to STEM OPT approval, you will need your I-20, STEM OPT Application receipt notice, and evidence of employment, in addition to a valid F1 visa and passport.

Entry to the US is at the discretion of the CBP official at your point of entry.

General STEM OPT Information

How many unemployment days do I have on STEM OPT?

You are allowed an additional 60 days of unemployment during the 24-month STEM OPT extension period.

STEM OPT is approved. How do I change employer?

You must report your change of employer within 10 days of leaving the position. You report this through the STEM OPT Participation report. You must include a final evaluation of your prior STEM OPT employment (final page of the I-983 form) as well as a new I-983 form for the new employment. The new employment must meet all STEM OPT requirements.

How do I update my contact details?

You update your contact details (address, phone number) via the SEVP Portal.

Update your contact information