Spring 2025 OPT Season Announcement
Recent OPT Presentations
Spring 2025 OPT Info Session Presentation
Spring 2025 OPT I-765 Walkthrough Presentation
Fall 2024 OPT Q&A Presentation
What is Optional Practical Training?
Optional Practical Training (OPT) is an opportunity for hands-on work experience in the U.S. related to your program of study. It is a work authorization granted by the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). There are two types of OPT:
- Post-Completion OPT: This is the type of OPT most F-1 students use. It is available after you complete the course requirements for your degree, but you should apply before graduation. In general, you will be authorized for 12 months.
- Pre-Completion OPT: Part-time OPT is available before you graduate, but a better option for working off campus is Curricular Practical Training (CPT). If CPT is unavailable to you and you want to learn more about pre-completion OPT, make an appointment with an OISS advisor.
OPT Eligibility
You do not need a job offer to apply for OPT. You must complete at least two semesters as a full-time student to be eligible for OPT. This also includes students who were enrolled in a Tulane study abroad program, provided they were enrolled for one full academic term in the U.S. prior to studying abroad.
You are eligible for 12 months of post-completion OPT for each degree level you complete, as long as each degree is at a higher level than the previous degree. For example, you are eligible for OPT after completing a bachelor’s degree, and you are eligible for OPT again after completing a master’s degree. You are not eligible for OPT twice in the same degree level. If you earn two master’s degrees at different times, you can only apply for OPT based on one of the master’s degrees. You must use your OPT opportunity when completing each degree level; you cannot save the OPT time and use it later.
If your major field of study is on the DHS STEM (science, technology, engineering, mathematics) approved list, you may be eligible for a STEM extension of OPT.
Applying for OPT
*Students must first request an OPT Recommendation I-20 from OISS before applying for OPT on the USCIS website. Applying to USCIS without an updated OPT I-20 WILL RESULT IN A DENIAL. Steps below outline how to request an OPT I-20.
The earliest you can submit your OPT application to the USCIS is 90 days before your program end date. We strongly recommend you apply as early as possible. The latest you may submit your application is 60 days after your program end date, but due to USCIS processing times this may result in you losing some of the 12 months of time you can work under OPT. The USCIS can take 3-5 months to process your application.
For PhD Students: In circumstances where you will complete all course requirements much earlier than your degree conferral date, you may consult with your academic advisor to request an earlier program end date. Please schedule an appointment with your OISS advisor to discuss the best possible OPT start date.
You decide your OPT start date as part of your application. You may choose any date between your program end date and up to 60 days after your program end date. This is an important decision: If you already have a job offer with a specific start date, you should choose this start date. If you are applying close to your program end date, or if you think you will need time to move or look for jobs, you should choose a later start date to give yourself time. Once your USCIS approved OPT start date arrives, your time on active OPT begins. However, you are only allowed to begin work after you have also received your EAD card.
On-campus student employment must end on your I-20 end date, which may be shortened to reflect your degree completion when applying for OPT. Non-student positions at Tulane can be used as OPT employment only between the dates on your EAD card after you have received the card.
Start the OPT Application Process Here - OPT I-20 Request E-Form
To complete the OPT Request E-Form above, you will need to gather the necessary documents in PDF format:
- Academic Advisor's Certification Form for OPT. You must complete the top portion of the form and your academic advisor must complete the bottom portion. Remember that the program end date on your I-20 is an estimate and you will use this to meet with your academic advisor to obtain your actual program end date.
- Your I-94 (visit CBP's website to print).
- Passport page that has your photo and passport expiration date.
- Previous I-20’s where CPT or OPT were authorized, or a different SEVIS ID number was used.
- Any previous EAD card(s) (only applicable if you have applied for employment authorization or OPT in the past.)
- Credit card payment receipt for $140.00 to Tulane University. Please use this link to complete payment.
- U.S. passport size photograph with a white background, taken in the last 30 days. No glasses are allowed and pictures must not have been used for a previous passport or visa applications. For more information about acceptable photos, visit The Department of State's website. You may also consider using their Photo Tool.
OISS recommends you e-file. If you would like to physically file by USPS, FedEx, or UPS, please contact OISS staff and view instructions and filing fees on the USCIS website. OISS staff will review and finalize your application, and contact you via e-mail when the application is ready to be submitted to the USCIS. In general it takes the OISS about 5 - 10 working days to review your OPT application.
The OPT application fee for the USCIS e-filing is currently $470. Paper filing is currently $520. There is an additional fee of $140 for Tulane University, to provide OPT application processing and continuing immigration support after you graduate. The Tulane fee is only payable by card.
Please follow the detailed instructions below when e-filing your I-765 OPT application:
Important: You must be physically present in the U.S. to apply for OPT. If you have not applied for OPT and leave the U.S. after your program end date, you lose your F-1 status and ability to apply for OPT.
You must e-file the I-765 on your own. However, you can contact your OISS advisor with general questions.
Premium Processing
Premium processing is available from USCIS for the form I-765 for OPT and OPT STEM Extension. If you pay for premium processing, USCIS will process your OPT/STEM I-765 request within 30 days of your submission. The current filing fee is $1,685. You will be asked if you want to file the I-907 premium processing form when you file the I-765 OPT form on the USCIS website. You may want to check the current I-765 processing time before you decide on premium processing. You may also want to factor in the timing of when you file your I-765, if you already have a job start date, and/or travel plans.
After Applying for OPT
After you submit your OPT application to USCIS, the OISS will receive your Employment Authorization Document (EAD) card and other OPT-related mail if you use our mailing address. We recommend you use the OISS mailing address if there is a possibility your mailing address will change in the next 6 months; updating your mailing address with USCIS can be complicated. The OISS mailing address is 6901 Willow Street, New Orleans, LA 70118. We will email your Tulane email account when we receive this mail, so make sure to check it regularly after you apply.
USCIS processing time varies from 3 to 5 months. Once you have received your USCIS receipt notice, you can check the status of your application on the USCIS website. If your application has been pending for more than 120 days, we recommend you submit an inquiry with USCIS.
The OISS remains your immigration support for the duration of your OPT and the 60-day grace period after your OPT end date. Contact us if you need assistance.
Working under OPT
You must have your EAD card in hand before you begin any work under OPT. You cannot work before the start date or after the end date printed on your EAD card. Please check the start and end dates on your EAD card when you receive it; USCIS sometimes adjusts your requested dates.
You must work a minimum of 20 hours a week, and your work must be related to your major field of study. If you have questions about whether a job is related to your field of study, it is best to consult with your department advisor. You may have multiple employers under OPT.
OISS has compiled a list of employers that have hired Tulane international students who have obtained work authorization via CPT or OPT. You can access that list here.
You are allowed up to 90 cumulative days of unemployment under OPT. If you exceed 90 days of unemployment your F-1 status may be automatically terminated in SEVIS.
OPT Reporting Requirements and the SEVP Portal
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 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
Explaining how your employment relates to your field of study:
As a student in F-1 OPT you are responsible to only engage in practical training opportunities that are directly related to your major area of study. You must also provide a written description of how your practical training opportunity relates to your major in the SEVP Portal. It is best to include your job tasks in the description, as seen in the example below. If it is not clear from the job description that the work is related to your degree, SEVP highly recommends that you obtain a signed letter from your supervisor or manager or the employer's hiring official stating how the degree is related to the work performed for your own records.
Sample explanation of a direct relationship:
Bachelor's degree in Business: I work full time as a Loan Officer at a mortgage company, Happy Homes, where I meet with clients and evaluate, authorize and recommend approval of loan applications. On a daily basis, I use the knowledge I gained in my credit analysis, sales and marketing classes that I took as part of my major program of study.
Master's degree in Music: I am working at a hospital playing the harp in patient rooms. I also conduct harp-on harp beginner workshops for long-term patients. On average, I work at the hospital 35 hours a week. My duties directly utilize skills and knowledge I acquired from my coursework and degree in music therapy.
PhD in Computer Science: I am employed as a Computer and Information Research Scientist at ABC Research Institute. I work as part of a team of scientists and engineers that designs experiments to test the operation of various software systems. My work builds on research in complex algorithms and machine learning, which I studied as part of my dissertation.
Termination/Failure to Report/Completion of Records
Going over your 90 days of unemployment while on OPT is a violation of your F-1 status. USCIS may auto-terminate your SEVIS record if you pass the 90 days of unemployment. In other words, if you are reaching the end of your 90-day unemployment limit, and have not been able to find employment, are planning to leave the US, change statuses, or any other situation that would imply you are no longer going to continue your OPT, please let us know immediately. This will help us determine whether we need to complete your record, so that you can avoid a potential auto-termination in the future.
Travel on OPT
If you leave the U.S. under OPT, you will need the following to re-enter:
- Valid passport, at least 6 months into the future, with a valid F-1 visa
- I-20 with travel signature no more than 6 months old on the date you re-enter
- Unexpired EAD Card
- Proof of employment, such as a letter from your employer or your employment contract.
- I-901 SEVIS fee receipt (print at www.fmjfee.com)
If you require a new I-20 travel signature, request one here.
Travel while your OPT application is pending is not recommended. Until your program end date you are still an active F-1 student, and you can travel normally. After your program end date, you must follow the Travel on OPT instructions listed above.
OPT Frequently Asked Questions (OPT FAQ)
Schedule an Appointment with an Advisor
