OPT Season Starts Soon for F-1 Spring Graduating Students!

Office of International Students and Scholars oiss@tulane.edu
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If you are an F-1 student graduating in Spring 2025, you should think about applying for Post-Completion Optional Practical Training (OPT) soon! To be eligible for OPT, you must have held F-1 status for at least two semesters. OPT allows you to work in your field of study for up to 12 months (or 36 months for certain STEM fields). OISS will begin to accept applications on February 7, and we will start processing on February 17 if your expected graduation date is May 17.

Please note: 

  • Currently the processing of OPT applications by the USCIS is taking approximately between 90 - 120 days, so we suggest you apply early. 
  • If you are graduating and located outside of the U.S. this semester but are interested in applying for OPT, please schedule an appointment with your international student advisor to discuss your situation

OISS will host both in-person and virtual OPT events to help you prepare to file. During these info sessions, you can ask questions to OISS staff about the application materials, forms you need to complete, and what the costs are associated with filing for OPT.

Click here to register for upcoming OPT events!

If you have any questions about OPT, you can reach out to your International Student Advisor and ask! You can find your advisors email or make an appointment on this page here.  

- The OISS Team