Optional Practical Training (OPT) - FAQ

The earliest you can apply is 90 days before the program end-date on your I-20 (this is located on page 1 of your document). Below are the steps you have to take with our office:

• Once you have a completed packet, the first step is either visiting OISS during OPT drop-off times, or making an appointment with the employment advisor. 
• After you meet, OISS will keep your packet for processing, and within one week you will get a notification via e-mail to pick it up. 
• When you pick it up, you will receive instructions about next steps and mailing procedures (you will mail the packet to the USCIS yourself.) 
• Once it is received by the USCIS, it might take at least 90 days for adjudication. All correspondence from the USCIS regarding your OPT application will be delivered to OISS:
  • Receipt Notice - usually arrives within two to three weeks after you submit your application.
  • Approval Notice - usually arrives a few weeks before the EAD card or with the EAD card (approximately 90 days after you apply)
  • Employment Authorization Document (EAD Card) - This takes up to 90 days or more.
• Please note: Currently, USCIS is experiencing long processing times (up to 120 - 150 days for EAD cards), so we recommend students to apply as early as possible.

No, a job offer is not required in order for you to apply for OPT.  Once you do obtain a job however it is important that you report the employment to OISS (see OPT page for reporting requirements). 

The earliest start-date you can set is one day after your program end-date, and the latest is 60 days from your program end-date (your grace period). It is important to be mindful of the length of time the USCIS takes to adjudicate an application, but you also have some flexibility in deciding when you want to start working. We generally advise students to select a date that will not shorten their OPT period because the card took too long to arrive.  Setting a later start date can also give yourself more time to either find a job/take a break after graduation.   Many students might have a job lined up right after graduation, so setting a start date immediately after is also common. Ultimately it is your application and you choose the dates that best fit you.  

Please note: It is important to remember that once you select these dates and you mail off your application they can no longer be changed. You may only start working once you have received your EAD card and during the dates specified on the card itself.

Timeline for spring semester graduates:

Timeline for fall semester graduates:

If you will be moving to another state/city it is important to notify us first with your new address/personal information. Whenever we get correspondence from the USCIS regarding your case, we will notify you via e-mail that it has arrived, and also provide you with shipping options so that you are able to retrieve your documents (shipping will be at your expense). For the receipt notice and approval notice you may also request a scanned copy if necessary.

You will remain in F-1 status while on OPT and you are allowed to stay in the US past your grace period while your application is pending.

If you want to travel abroad while your OPT application is pending and are planning to return before the program end-date on your I-20 (located on page 1), the required documents for re-entry would be the same from what you have normally used to travel:

• Valid I-20 with a travel signature on page two (Valid for one year).
• Valid passport with a valid US visa (your passport must be valid for longer than six months).
• I-901 SEVIS fee payment receipt (to print, visit https://www.fmjfee.com).

If, however, you are traveling and are planning to re-enter the US after the program end-date on your I-20, you will need the following documents:

• Proof of employment, such as an employment contract or letter from your employer.
• EAD Card.
• Valid passport with valid U.S. visa (your passport must be valid for longer than six months).
• I-20 with valid travel signature (valid for six months).
• I-901 SEVIS fee payment receipt (to print, click here).

As you can see, you will now need your EAD card, as well as proof of employment in addition to the other documents to re-enter.  Also, the travel signature on your I-20 will only be valid for six months instead of one year. Generally, we do not recommend you travel outside of the US after you finish your program unless your OPT is approved and you have secured a job offer. If you need to renew your F-1 visa in your passport while you travel, you will also need to make arrangements and present the aforementioned documents in order to do so.

No. Once you complete your degree, you cannot work on-campus or off-campus until you have the EAD card in your possession and your selected start date has arrived.

We suggest you call the USCIS Customer Service Center immediately at 1-800-375-5283 and let them know of the error.  You will have to submit your receipt number to them when you call. They will provide you with a ticket number and let you know that the error will be rectified.  It is important that you correct the error early on because that's the only time they'll be able to make these changes.  If you receive an EAD card with an erroneous name or date of birth it can cause difficulties with the hiring process, and you might need to re-submit another application to the USCIS.

One of the first steps you should take is to call the USCIS at 1-800-375-5283 and ask them for the tracking number (if they haven't already provided you one through their status updates). After that we strongly encourage you to contact our office so that we can help with your specific situation. The process to replace a lost or stolen EAD card will begin only once an investigation is resolved.

It is important to first note the start date of your OPT which is indicated in your EAD card. If you cannot find a job within 90 days of the start of your OPT, then you must make plans to depart the US immediately or change to some other status in the US. Keep in mind that the 90 days of unemployment is for the entire OPT period. This means that if for example you use up 40 days of unemployment time looking for a job in the beginning, you only have 50 days of unemployment time for the remainder of your OPT period.

Yes, you may travel outside of the US after you have possession of your EAD card. The entry requirements while in F-1 OPT status can be seen below:

• Proof of employment, such as an employment contract or letter from your employer.
• EAD Card.
• Valid passport with valid U.S. visa (your passport must have a validity for longer than six months).
• I-20 with valid travel signature (on page 2, valid for six months).
• I-901 SEVIS fee payment receipt (to print, click here).

Please make sure that you have all of the documents above when re-entering the US under OPT.  Additionally, make sure that your most current employment and personal information has been updated with OISS.

You must work a minimum of 20 hours a week, and your work must be closely related to your major field of study. Below is a list of the different types of employment you would be eligible to partake in:

• Regular paid employment.
• Payment by multiple short-term employers: Musicians and other performing artists may work for multiple short term employers (gigs). You should maintain a list of all gigs, the dates and duration.
• Work for hire/Independent contractor: This is also commonly referred to as 1099 employment where an individual performs a service based on a contractual relationship rather than an employment relationship. If requested by DHS, you 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: You may start a business and be self-employed. You should be able to prove that you have the proper business licenses and are actively engaged in a business related to your degree program.
• Employment through an agency: You must be able to provide evidence showing you worked an average of at least 20 hours per week while employed by the agency.
• Volunteers or unpaid interns: You may work as a volunteer or unpaid intern, where this practice does not violate any labor laws. You should be able to provide evidence to verify that you volunteered or interned at least 20 hours per week during the period of employment. Unpaid internships in the public sector and for non-profit charitable organizations, where the intern volunteers without expectation of compensation, are generally permissible. If you will volunteer or intern at a for-profit organization, first educate yourself on labor laws relating to unpaid work with the Department of Labor's Fact Sheet #71: Internship Programs Under The Fair Labor Standards Act.

If you have questions about whether a job is related to your field of study, it is best to consult with your department advisor.

The SEVP Portal is a tool that lets F-1 students on OPT report personal and employer information to the Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP). You must report directly to the portal within 10 days if you change your current address, e-mail, phone number, or start/stop employment, to maintain your status.

After your OPT application is approved AND the OPT authorization is active, you will get an invitation email within a few days from do-not-reply.SEVP@ice.dhs.gov. When you create your account, you will be asked to enter your SEVIS ID number and create a password. You can find your SEVIS ID in the top left corner of your Form I-20.

Within 90 days of the start date of your EAD you must be employed and your employment must be updated in SEVIS.  If you are approaching that date and are not employed, you should prepare to leave the country unless you qualify for other immigration options.

Below is the information you will need to report directly to the portal if any of it has changed:

• Employer name
• Employer address
• Your title in the company
• Start date at your current job
• End date at your prior job (if you had a prior job under OPT)
• Explain how your employment relates to your field of study
• How many hours are you working each week at this job?
• Your full legal name (If you have had a legal name change, you must also e-mail oiss@tulane.edu to inform us.)
• Your current U.S. address (Include apartment # if you have one; No P.O Boxes)
• Your current U.S. phone number
• Your personal email address 

You may change employers after practical training has been authorized provided that your new job is directly related to your major field of study. You may also have multiple employers under OPT.

You may work as a volunteer or unpaid intern, where this practice does not violate any labor laws. You should be able to provide evidence to verify that you volunteered or interned at least 20 hours per week during the period of employment. Unpaid internships in the public sector and for non-profit charitable organizations, where the intern volunteers without expectation of compensation, are generally permissible. If you will volunteer or intern at a for-profit organization, first educate yourself on labor laws relating to unpaid work with the Department of Labor's Fact Sheet #71: Internship Programs Under The Fair Labor Standards Act.

As long as you worked and did not accrue more than 90 days of unemployment while on OPT, you can stay in the US for up to 60 days after completing your OPT.

STEM OPT Extension: This is a 24-month extension of standard 12-month OPT work authorization that is available to students with specific degrees in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM).  You must have a bachelor’s, master’s or doctoral degree on the DHS STEM-Designated Degree Program List. Check the CIP Code printed on your I-20 under “Major” against the CIP Codes on this list.  For more information visit our STEM OPT page.

Cap Gap Extension: The government provides an extension of your current OPT if you/your employer filed a timely application for an H-1B with an October 1 start date.  Please contact OISS if you believe you have been granted the 'cap gap' extension so that we can issue a new I-20.

Please contact the OISS to start this process. Make sure that you begin this process in a timely manner, as it must be done before the the end of the 60 day grace period of your OPT. Keep in mind that if you pursue another course of study in the same academic level you would not be eligible to apply for OPT again.

First of all, congratulations! If your H-1B application was approved by the USCIS, make sure to e-mail the OISS with a copy of your approval notice so that we can keep it in your records.  Your F-1 status will be changed to 'Completed,' and your immigration status will be under the purview of your current employer.