International Information

OPT (Optional Pratical Training)

What is Optional Practical Training?
Optional Practical Training (OPT) is legal F-1 status employment authorization, which enables you to gain a maximum of 12-17 months of professional work experience in your field of study. The length of your OPT allotment is based on your program of study.  While many students are eligible for 12 months of OPT, the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement have published a list of STEM Designated Degree Programs that allow a student to apply for 17 months of OPT.  You must have completed at least one full academic year as a full-time student in F-1 status before you are eligible for OPT. OPT must be recommended by the Designated School Official (DSO) and authorized by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) before you begin to work.

Your OPT may occur anywhere in the U.S. You may change employers after you have begun authorized employment, provided the new job is directly related to your field of study.


Full-time vs. Part-time/ Before or After Completing Studies?

Pre-completion:
You may apply for OPT after you have been a full time student for one academic year in F-1 status. OPT used before completing your studies is deducted from the 12-month allotment. With OPT authorization, you may work part-time while school is in session, or full-time during vacation periods. Part-time pre-completion OPT is defined as 20 hours-per-week or less and is deducted at one-half the full-time rate from the 12 months allotment of OPT. In other words, if you work part-time for two months in pre-completion OPT, one month will be deducted from your 12-month allotment and you will have 11 months of post-completion OPT remaining.

Post completion:
You are only eligible for full-time post completion OPT. There is no part-time post-completion OPT. You must apply for post-completion OPT prior to the completion of all course requirements for the degree or prior to the completion of the course of study. Please be aware that in order to receive authorization for post completion OPT, you must not have used up your 12 or 17 month allotment with pre-completion OPT. If, during your course of studies, you have participated in 12 months or more of full-time Curricular Practical Training, you are no longer eligible for OPT.



Who is eligible for OPT?

The employment must be directly related to your major or field of study and it must be appropriate to your level of education. You are eligible for OPT if you:

  • Have been enrolled full-time for at least one full academic year (rare exceptions can be made for graduate students with extenuating circumstances).
  • Have not previously used your 12 or 17 month OPT benefit.
  • Have not had more than 12 or 17 months of full-time Curricular Practical Training.
  • If you are applying for pre-completion OPT, it is recommended that you are sure of a job offer before applying or else you will lose your unused benefits.


When should I apply and what date should I request to start my OPT?
For purposes of applying for OPT, completion of studies is defined as the last day you complete your degree requirements, not necessarily graduation day. The earliest date on which you can apply for OPT is 90 days before your completion of studies. The latest date is your graduation date. You are strongly recommended to apply at least 60 days before the day you would like to begin your OPT. In previous years, the average wait time for receipt of OPT approval was between 50 and 100 days.

You can begin your OPT work up to 60 days after completion of studies. For instance, if you complete your studies on May 14, you may begin your OPT anytime between May 15 and July 13. You are encouraged to choose the latest date possible (the 60th day after completing coursework) if you think it is unlikely that you will receive a job offer before then or if you think that you will not get approved in time to begin earlier.

The College cannot guarantee that you will receive the exact date that you requested from USCIS.

Steps to complete your OPT application:
After completing the I-765 application form, obtaining the necessary photos and copies of your current and past I-20s, I-94, passport and visa (see below for details), you will need to schedule a 30-minute appointment with Dean Sheila Murphy by calling the Office for Student Life at 617-521-2124. Dean Murphy will update your I-20 and endorse it for OPT. It will be your responsibility to send the application with all the necessary components (see below) to the USCIS Service Center. Remember the USCIS needs to receive the application prior to your graduation date.

OPT Application Components:
Listed below are the component parts of an OPT application. Please use the checklist at the back of this packet to be sure you have all the parts in order.

1. Form I-765 <Link to I-765 Form

  • Complete items 1-15 and then sign certification.
  • Item 3 - Your full and secure address in the U.S. - this is the address that the EAD card will be sent to. You may not use a "care of (c/o)" address - if your name is not on the mailbox, the EAD card will not be delivered and will be returned to USCIS.
  • Item 10 - Enter the same admission number from your I-94 card, unless the INS has previously assigned you an "A number".
  • Item 11 - Indicate if you have ever applied for Economic Hardship Employment or OPT before. If yes, enter where and when you applied and whether it was granted or denied. You will need to attach a photocopy of the Form I-20 or EAD card that contains the employment authorization to the application.
  • Item 16 - Eligibility Categories - write in (c) (3) (b) - this means F-1 Student Seeking post-completion Optional Practical Training in an Occupation Directly Related to Studies.  If you have opted to apply for pre-completion OPT write in (c) (3) (a).
  • Certification - sign; indicate your telephone number and date.


2. Two Photographs
You need two official photographs for OPT Applications. You may want to get your photo taken at:

CVS

300 Longwood Ave
Boston, Ma 02115
1-617-975-3500

This is just a suggestion. You are of course free to have your photo taken at any photography shop or other venue that is convenient for you. Many international students have reported that they have been pleased with both the service and the quality of the photos from this local merchant. They have a lot of experience in photographing for USCIS purposes.

·         Follow the following requirements exactly! Many applications are sent back if the pictures are not exactly the way they should be!

·         The photo should show your full face, front view with open eyes with a natural expression. The head should be centered in the photo and should measure about 1inch to 1-3/8 inch from chin to the top of the head. The background should be plain white or off-white. There should be no distracting shadows on the face or background.

·         Do not ever cut your photographs.

  • Lightly print your name on the back of each photograph in pencil.


3. $340.00 check or money order - payable to the Department of Homeland Security.
Please note that this amount may change without notice - check the current filing fee at the bottom of the page <Link to current filing fee

·         Copy of current I-20 and, if applicable, all previous I-20(s).

·         Copy of both sides of your current Form I-94.

·         Copy of the first 4 pages of your passport, or the informational pages of the passport.

·         Copy of your visa.

 

 

 

4. Mail the application package:
After Dean Murphy has reviewed your paperwork and has signed off on the documents, it is your responsibility to send your application to the INS Vermont Service Center. Keep a copy of the material for your records. Be sure to send the application materials certified mail or by a mail service that can be tracked, such as FedEx.

 

Vermont Service Center
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services
75 Lower Weldon Street
St. Albans, VT 05479-0001

How long does it take to get OPT Employment Authorization?
Once the application package is received by the Service Center, you will receive a receipt notice from USCIS indicating they have received your application. SAVE THIS RECEIPT! The application then takes approximately 2 to 3 months to be processed. One of three things will happen:

·         If approved, your EAD will either be mailed to you or you may be required to appear at your local INS office to pick it up.

·         If additional information or documentation is required, a written request will be sent to you specifying the information or advising you of an interview.

·         If your application cannot be granted, you will receive a written notice explaining the basis of your denial.

What if I travel before graduation or receipt of OPT?
Before graduation, you should not have trouble reentering the U.S. (as long as you have the back of your I-20 signed by a DSO) because your intention for returning to the U.S. would be to finish school.

After graduation, and prior to obtaining authorization for OPT, you may travel within the U.S. However, before traveling outside the U.S., you must have filed your OPT application and received your OPT Employment Authorization Document (EAD card) and have this in your possession. You also must have your signed and authorized Form I-20 (signed within the last 6 month) for reentry to the U.S. Also, since your intention is to work, we strongly advise you to have with you a letter offering you employment at the organization at which you will be doing OPT - the USCIS may give you a hard time if you are traveling back to the U.S. without a job to go back to.

NOTE: You cannot leave the U.S. after graduation and return hoping to apply for OPT when you return.

When can I work?
You can only start working on the date that is printed on your EAD card. You must have the EAD card in your possession before starting your job. Your OPT employment must end on the date indicated as the end date on the EAD card.

Other Issues
All student who are employed with OPT must obtain a Social Security Number from the Social Security Administration. In general, F-1 students who have been in the U.S. fewer than 5 years are exempt from the Social Security (F.I.C.A.) tax. Earnings are subject to applicable federal, state and local taxes.

You may become eligible for another 12 months of OPT after your original rights have been used if:

·         You spend at least 5 months outside of the U.S. and then return in F-1 status to begin a new program

  • You change from F-1 status to another status, spend at least 5 months in the other status, and then return to F-1 status to begin a new program. Students who change from F-1 to H-1B and then back to the same F-1 program are not eligible for a new 12-month period.

While on OPT, DO NOT return to the U.S. under a different visa. Once you enter the U.S. under a different visa status than F-1, your OPT will become null and void.

OPT Checklist
You may want to check off the items on this checklist before sending your OPT application to the INS Service Center. It is important to have a complete application. An error may cause you considerable delay!

Make sure that you:

·         Enclose the original I-765 (check to see that it is complete). Put your signature clearly on the bottom of the form in the designated space (in the section marked "Certification").

  • Put in an address on the I-765 that will be valid at least until you receive the EAD card.
  • Enclose the correct fee for Form I-765 payable to Department of Homeland Security or U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Please make sure that the check has your name and address printed on it. If you do not have a check with your name and address, we recommend that you send a Cashiers Check or Money Order instead of a personal check. You may attach the check on top of the entire application - on the upper left-hand corner.
  • Enclose a photocopy of your SEVIS I-20 (make the photocopy after the OPT recommendation is endorsed).
  • Enclose photocopies of any previous I-20(s) that you may have had (either from Simmons or from another school).
  • Enclose a photocopy of your I-94 (both sides - even if there is no notation on the back).
  • Enclose a photocopy of either the visa page (it is ok if the visa has expired) or a photocopy of the passport picture page (it is not ok if your passport has expired).
  • Enclose 2 "immigration" (INS) photographs in an envelope and attach the envelope to the rest of the application. (Please make sure that the photographs are as per the Instructions on form I-765.
  • Know the correct INS Service Center address that you will need to send our application to. Remember, if you do not put a local address on your I-765, you may need to send it to another INS Service Center.

Some General Tips:

  • DO NOT staple the photographs or check to the application. Put these two items in a separate envelope or Ziploc bag and staple the envelope or Ziploc bag to your application.
  • Make sure to send the application materials either by certified mail or mail service that can be tracked, such as FedEx.
  • We strongly recommend that you make photocopies of the entire application for your own records!

Assembling your Application:
The recommended order in which you should assemble your documents is as follows (in order of priority, the ones mentioned first should be in front):

  1. Check/Money Order and Photographs in a separate envelope/Ziploc bag
  2. I-765 original
  3. Photocopy of SEVIS I-20
  4. Passport Picture page/Visa page photocopy
  5. I-94 photocopy
  6. Previous I-20(s) (if applicable) photocopy

If you have any questions while filling out your application for OPT, please contact Sheila Murphy, Dean for Student Life at 617-521-2126 or sheila.murphy@simmons.edu or Valerie Foster at 617-21-2124 or valerie.foster@simmons.edu.