In general, you can see the validity dates of your OPT authorization on your EAD card.

Post-Completion OPT is granted for up to 12 months at a time.

The STEM OPT extension is granted for up to 24 months. This period begins on the day after the expiration of the initial Post-Completion OPT employment authorization and expires 24 months after, regardless of the date the actual extension is approved.

A student who has applied for a STEM extension can continue working for up to 180 days beyond the expiration of the prior Post-Completion OPT EAD while the STEM Extension is pending.

Note: Employment must conform to STEM conditions during this interim extension period, including the requirement that the student work only for an e-Verify employer.

Please note, our office is unable to provide advice about your H-1B application. Rather, we can only speak to your F-1 immigration record and how it interacts with the H-1B application process.

What Does This Mean For My Immigration Record?

Please upload a copy of your H-1B application’s receipt, approval, or denial notice to your next OPT Reporting eForm.

• Please Note: A receipt notice does not mean that your H-1B application has been approved, rather it is a notice to let you know that they have received your application materials.

If your H-1B visa application is approved, please be sure to submit a copy of your approval notice to our office so that we can provide you with the next steps for completing your F-1 immigration record. Emails are sent to all students currently on OPT providing specific instructions throughout the application process, typically between April 1st – October 1st of each year.

You must continue to maintain your F-1 immigration record until your H-1B status start date. This includes submitting any necessary OPT reports, providing STEM OPT evaluations, maintaining employment, etc.

The ISSS team is unable to provide any advising regarding your H-1B application and visa. Please direct any questions you might have to the attorney or person who helped you file your application.

Am I Eligible for the Cap-Gap Extension?

If your H-1B application was picked in the application lottery and your OPT authorization will expire before October 1st, you are likely eligible for a cap-gap extension. This extension allows you to continue working while your H-1B application is being reviewed by USCIS.

ISSS can print an updated I-20 to reflect the Cap-Gap Extension upon request. You will need to supply us with a copy of your application’s receipt notice. The new I-20 will reflect that your F-1 status and employment eligibility have automatically been extended through 09/30/202x.

A cap-gap I-20 may be required if you are applying for a benefit such as a driver’s license.

Note: You are required to continue submitting an OPT Reporting Form to ISSS every 3 months, or within 10 days of any changes, throughout your cap-gap extension.

If you need your password reset, please use the SEVP Portal’s “Forgot Password” link and follow the prompts.

If you are unable to access the SEVP Portal due to it being locked, please email our office at isss@colostate.edu and we will try to reset the Portal for you. This option is not always available in your record, so our office may not be able to unlock it for you.

Please review the information provided under the “SEVP Portal and OPT Reporting” tab above to learn more about the SEVP Portal and your OPT Reporting requirements.

OPT participants must report any updates in their situation within 10 days.

But STEM OPT participants must also report to their schools every 6 months, even with no changes. It’s called the ‘STEM OPT data validation report.’

SEVP sends a reminder email about this report 30 days before it is due.

We email our STEM OPT participants 2 weeks before it is due.

Do not report via the SEVP Portal. As always, you report through our OPT Reporting eForm.

Timing: You can submit your OPT report for this 6-month check-in anytime within the 30 days before your deadline. Our office will process your report and update your SEVIS record.

Until we process the OPT report, though, SEVP will keep emailing you. No need to worry. As long as you submitted all 3 pages of your OPT report to us by the deadline, you did what you’re supposed to do.

If you are approaching the 12- or 24-month mark of your STEM OPT authorization, you must also upload your STEM OPT Evaluation to the eForm. Your supervisor will need to sign off on this evaluation.

The STEM OPT evaluations are on page 5 of the I-983 here: https://www.ice.gov/doclib/sevis/pdf/i983.pdf

The 12-month evaluation is the “Evaluation on Student Progress” and is the top half of page 5.

The 24-month evaluation is the “Final Evaluation on Student Progress” and is the bottom half of page 5.

Yes, please upload a copy of your EAD card to your next OPT Reporting eForm, or email it to our office.

Students who have earned a degree in a program of study in certain Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics majors are eligible for an additional 24 months of OPT. Consult the STEM list to determine if you are eligible.

You can apply for the STEM extension up to 90 days before the expiration date of your post-completion OPT. Our office will send you an email once you enter your STEM OPT extension application window.

Your application for the STEM extension must be received by USCIS before your Post-Completion OPT expires.

As long as your 24-month STEM extension application is received by USCIS prior the expiration date of your Post-Completion OPT, you can continue working for up to 180 days while your STEM extension application is pending.

Please Note: You may not be permitted to renew your driver’s license while your OPT STEM extension is pending, so consider applying as early as possible if your license will expire when your OPT expires.

POST-COMPLETION OPT

Any employment you engage in while on OPT must be directly related to your major of study. Employment that is not directly related to the major area of study would be considered a status violation. It is your responsibility to ensure that any employment you engage in while on OPT meets this requirement and is reported to our office. Any unreported employment would also be considered violation of your F-1 status.

Most types of employment are allowed for OPT, including:

• Regular paid employment.
• Payment by multiple short-term employers.
• Work for hire (a service based on a contractual relationship).
• Self-employed business owner.
• Employment through an agency.
• Volunteers or unpaid interns (REMEMBER THIS OPTION!)
  • Unpaid employment is considered employment on OPT, as long as the unpaid employment is directly related to the academic major listed on the student’s I-20 and employment is for at least 20 hours per week. However, please keep in mind that volunteering to do work that other individuals normally get paid to do may be a violation of labor laws. If in doubt, please consult an ISSS advisor.

STEM OPT EXTENSION

• It’s a paid position (at least minimum wage, which varies by state)
  • Students on their STEM OPT authorization cannot use volunteer or unpaid internships as their STEM OPT employment.
• Your employer must be enrolled in eVerify
• You are working at least 20 hours per week
  • Multiple employers are allowed, but each one must be 20 hours per week and you must have an I-983 on file with ISSS for each employer.
• You are working in a bona fide employer-employee relationship
  • Self-employment is not allowed

POST-COMPLETION OPT

Employers do not need to be involved in the OPT Reporting process during your Post-Completion authorization. However, if you are eligible for the STEM OPT Extension and plan to apply, you will want to make sure your employer is a participant in the eVerify program or is willing to become a participant before you need to apply for your Extension.

STEM OPT EXTENSION

• Your employer must be enrolled and in good standing with E-Verify
• Your employer must work with you to complete and certify Section 3 of the Form I-983 before you apply for the OPT STEM extension
• Your employer must review and sign your 12-month self-evaluation and your final evaluation before you submit them to ISSS
• Your employer must work with you to report any material changes to your formal training plan by submitting a new Form I-983 to ISSS
• If you lose your job, your employer must report the loss of employment to ISSS within 10 days
• Your employer must provide you with a training opportunity that is commensurate with those of similarly situated U.S. workers in duties, hours, and compensation. Please encourage your employer to view the employer section of the Study in the States OPT STEM Hub.

Campus Resources

CSU provides a list of employers who have previously hired CSU international student alumni. We recommend you review this list for any potential employers.

Additionally, the CSU Career Center is an excellent place to start when trying to find employment. They provide helpful resources and one-on-one consultations in person, on the phone, through Skype, or by email! These consultations may include resume and cover letter critique, job search strategies, career assessments, mock interviews, mock salary negotiation, and so much more!

We recommend you begin searching for an employer even before your OPT is approved since finding employment and the interview process can take several months.

Unemployment Allowances and Ramifications

OPT authorization begins on the employment start date shown on your EAD card. Students may not be unemployed for more than the following allowances:

• Post-Completion OPT: 90 Days
• STEM Extension OPT: 60 Days
  • Any days of unemployment remaining from Post-Completion OPT can be used during a student’s STEM Extension OPT authorization for a total of 150 days of unemployment.

Failure to report or gain employment will result in the termination of your immigration record by DHS which will require that you depart the United States immediately. Termination of your record does not come with a grace period.

If you choose not to use your OPT authorization and have returned home, please complete a Departure eForm and mention in the notes that you no longer plan to use your OPT.

Note: During periods of unemployment, weekends do count toward the 90 or 60 day unemployment limit. Weekends are not counted toward the 90 or 60 day unemployment limit for students who are employed throughout the week.

You must submit an OPT Reporting eForm to ISSS within 10 days of any changes to your employer, address (mailing or email), or name.

If you are on STEM OPT, you must also submit an OPT Reporting eForm every six months to verify your name, address, employer name and address, and current status of employment. At 12 and 24 months, a self-evaluation must be included with your OPT Reporting eForm.

Please review the information provided on the OPT Reporting webpage regarding your OPT Reporting requirements.

An EIN (Employer Identification Number) is issued by the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) and is used to identify businesses for tax purposes. It is a 9-digit number in the format 00-0000000. ISSS is required to include your employer’s EIN when we report your employment in the SEVIS system. Your employer will need to provide you with the number.