Optional Practical Training (OPT)

You can use OPT before and after completion of your RIT degree in the following circumstances. 

Pre-completion

• During the academic year while coursework is being taken, part-time, 20 hours per week or less only.
• During the annual vacation period - full or part-time.

Post-completion

• After completion of all degree requirements, excluding thesis or project - full or part-time.
• After completion of all degree requirements - full time only.

Additional Post-completion Eligibility Requirements:

• Maintained your F-1 status for at least one academic year
• Completed all required coursework for their degree, excluding a thesis, dissertation, or equivalent requirement
• Completed less than 365 days of full-time curricular practical training (CPT)
• Applied within 60 days of completing their program. We recommend 90 days prior to your program end day.
• No previous OPT authorization for the same degree level

Most students apply for Post-Completion OPT. It is very rare for students to apply for Pre-Completion OPT, since CPT is usually available. If you think you instead need to apply for Pre-Completion OPT, please speak with an ISS advisor.

You may apply up to 90 days before your program end date (graduation date). Since OPT must be obtained from USCIS, and can take a full three months (or more) to secure, we encourage you to plan ahead. If an OPT application is received by USCIS more than 60 days after the program completion date, you will not be eligible for OPT.

Choosing your OPT Start Date

Your OPT start date must be within the 60-day window after your I-20 completion date.

Completion of OPT

If you change to another status, such as another non-immigrant status like H-1B, your OPT authorization ends. In addition, if you begin studies as a full-time student in another degree program, your OPT is terminated.

I-20 Program Extensions

Once you apply for post-completion OPT, your I-20 program end date can no longer be extended. This means you must be certain when you apply that you will complete all degree requirements by your I-20 program end date, or, if you are a graduate student with thesis or equivalent left and you want to work on OPT while you finish your thesis, that you are course-complete by your I-20 program end date.

We recommend that you apply for OPT from within the US. If you cannot, please discuss with an International Student Advisor. There are risks for OPT application denial if you apply while outside the US.

When applying, you must provide your US physical address. Please note that the address you list must match your address in SEVIS. Your address in the RIT SIS system is the address listed in SEVIS. If your SIS address is not correct, please correct it before applying for OPT.

Filing Fees

USCIS filing fees can change. Before submitting an application for OPT please be sure to check the USCIS website.

In addition, please note that the biometric fee is not required for OPT applications. If you include this fee with your application it will be returned to you for re-filing.

USCIS now accepts online applications for pre-completion, post-completion, and STEM OPT. While this process is still new and does not increase the speed in which OPT is granted, it offers the following benefits:

• immediate receipt of your application
• helpful instructions and tips from USCIS to avoid common mistakes
• online fee payment.

These instructions are specific to applications for Post-Completion Optional Practical Training, which is I-765 eligibility code (c)(3)(B). Please use these instructions as a guide. This resource is not offered as legal advice. Your OPT application remains your own, and any errors in your application are your responsibility.

1. Complete the Virtual OPT Workshop
2. Review FAQs
3. Request an OPT I-20* from our office.
   • Please submit this form no more than 90 days before your I-20 program end date.
   • Please allow one week for processing.
   • You receive an email from your ISS advisor when it's ready.
4. Gather and scan the following documents:
   • Passport style photo. Photos must be taken within the last 30 days and cannot have previously been used for a passport, visa, or other US government-related application. Please follow these specifications.
   • Form I-94. Copy of most recent I-94 arrival/admission record from CBP’s website. Do not include the travel history page, only the I-94 with your name and most recent admission details.
   • One of the following:
     • Previously-issued Employment Authorization Document (EAD) including scans of both front and back. OR
     • Government-Issued ID (passport) if you have never been issued an EAD. Copy must clearly show your facial features and contain your biographical information.
   • I-20 Recommending OPT. Sign and date page 1.
   • Copies of any previously authorized CPT and OPT, from any degree level including any from previous schools.
     • As of 11/29/21, ISS is no longer recommending you submit copies of every single I-20, only those specifically requested on the USCIS online application pages (previous CPT/OPT, new OPT recommendation).
     • You must also include evidence documenting your previous CPT and/or OPT authorization. This could include previously issued EAD for OPT or the I-20 that lists CPT authorization.
   • Payment method for filing fee
5. Create a USCIS Online Account
6. Complete the online application.
   • Please see the USCIS tips for filing forms online and follow our step-by-step guide to completing your online application.
7. Review application, submit, and pay fee.
   • Review your application for errors or incomplete fields pop up. Submit. Confirm you can read and understand English, and then digitally sign your application. You will then be taken to pay.gov to pay the application fee. You can pay with credit card, debit card, or US checking or savings account. No biometrics fee is required, only the I-765 application fee.
   • USCIS has introduced a Premium Processing fee option for OPT applications for an additional fee and a case decision in 30 days. Premium Processing will not be necessary for most students, because USCIS processing times are usually 2 months or less. Please consult with an ISS advisor if you have questions and before requesting Premium Processing.

USCIS must receive your application online within 30 days of the creation of the OPT I-20. We strongly recommend that you keep a copy of your complete OPT application for your records.

Once you stop enrolling at RIT, you are no longer automatically enrolled in the Student Accident and Sickness Insurance Program. Unless you have an employer who will enroll you in their plan, we recommend that you purchase coverage.

While we do not endorse any particular health insurance plan, we know that these providers that have F-1 OPT health insurance options. These companies are members of our professional organization, NAFSA: Association of International Educators.

• Compass Benefits Group
• Cultural Insurance Services International (CISI)
• International Student Insurance
• International Student Protection
• ISO - International Student Organization
• PGH Global

We do not recommend travel outside the US while your OPT application is pending. After you graduate you will not be allowed to re-enter the US without your OPT card in addition to your valid passport, current F-1 visa stamp, I-20 signed within the past six months, and a proof of employment.

Before you graduate, you will be able to return to the US without your OPT card, but ISS recommends carrying proof of your registration. You can request an Enrollment Verification from the Office of the Registrar. If you need to travel before receiving your EAD card, please talk with an ISS advisor before leaving the US.

Once USCIS approves your OPT, that authorization extends your eligibility for valid F-1 status and ability to travel. In order to document your status while traveling, you must show an unexpired EAD card. Travel at any time during approved F-1 OPT requires the following documents:

• Valid passport
• Current I-20, signed for travel by an ISS advisor within the past six months.
• Valid F-1 visa stamp
• Unexpired EAD card
• Proof of employment, such as a job offer letter, an offer letter plus recent pay stubs, or a letter from your employer

24-Month STEM OPT Extension

If you earned a bachelor's, master's or Ph.D. degree at RIT in a STEM field (Science, Technology, Engineering or Math), you may be eligible for an extension. Your employer must also be enrolled in the E-Verify program. The 24-Month STEM OPT Extension adds an additional 2 years of work authorization to your year of initial OPT. This allows you to participate in up to 3 years of OPT.

See if you qualify and learn how to apply

H-1B Cap Gap Extension of OPT

H-1B is a visa status that allows nonimmigrants to work fulltime. If your employer files for an H-1B and is approved, you will change your status from F-1 to H-1B on October 1. If you’re an F-1 student whose OPT expires before October 1 (of any year) and has an H-1B application pending with USCIS, you may be eligible for a Cap-Gap Extension. If the H-1B petition is pending and your OPT expires prior to June 1, you should contact ISS to request a temporary extension. ISS will require a copy of the pending H-1B receipt notice or proof of timely filing. If documentation is accurate, ISS can extend OPT until June 1.

If the H-1B petition has been approved and the OPT expires prior to October 1, you should contact ISS to request a new I-20 with a Cap-Gap Extension. ISS will require a copy of the H-1B approval notice. Cap-Gap Extensions that are not automatically added by USCIS and can be manually added by an ISS Advisor.

For more general information about H-1B or Cap-Gap Extensions, please consult an ISS advisor. For more extensive information, we recommend contacting your employer’s immigration attorney.