OPT and STEM OPT for F-1 Students: The Rules, From USCIS
Pre-completion and post-completion OPT draw on the same twelve months — the single most common misunderstanding. Here is what USCIS actually says, including the 24-month STEM extension and the filing window.
Optional Practical Training is the work authorisation most Indian students in the United States use first. It is also the one people most often get wrong — usually by misunderstanding that pre-completion and post-completion OPT draw from the same twelve months.
The two types, and the single shared limit
USCIS recognises two kinds of OPT, and the distinction is about when you work, not what work you do.
| Type | When | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Pre-completion OPT | Before you finish your degree | 20 hours or less per week while school is in session; full time when school is not in session |
| Post-completion OPT | After you complete your degree | Part time (at least 20 hours per week) or full time |
Each type allows up to 12 months. The trap is that they are not separate allowances. As USCIS puts it, all periods of pre-completion OPT are deducted from the available period of post-completion OPT.
The 24-month STEM extension
If your degree is in a qualifying field, you may be eligible for a 24-month extension of post-completion OPT. Three conditions apply together:
- You are an F-1 student who received a degree from a programme on the official STEM designated degree programme list.
- Your employer is enrolled in E-Verify.
- You received an initial grant of post-completion OPT based on that STEM degree.
The E-Verify requirement is the one that quietly decides things. It is a property of the employer, not of you, and smaller companies often are not enrolled. It is a fair question to ask before accepting an offer.
Applying: the form and the window
OPT is requested on Form I-765, Application for Employment Authorization.
For post-completion OPT, the filing window is specific: you may apply up to 90 days before you complete your degree, and no later than 60 days after you complete it.
What this page does not tell you
You will see specific unemployment-day limits quoted everywhere for post-completion OPT and for the STEM extension. Those limits exist — but the USCIS OPT page cited here does not state them, so we are not printing numbers we have not verified against the source.
This matters more than it sounds. OPT guidance circulates through forums and consultancy blogs where figures get copied, go stale and are never corrected. If a number decides something for you, confirm it on the USCIS page or with your Designated School Official. The DSO is the right first call for anything specific to your SEVIS record.
A sensible order of operations
- Confirm with your DSO whether your programme appears on the STEM designated degree list — before you plan around a 24-month extension.
- Decide early whether to use any pre-completion OPT, knowing it comes out of the same twelve months.
- Mark your programme end date, then mark the window: 90 days before, 60 days after.
- When evaluating employers, ask whether they are enrolled in E-Verify if the STEM extension matters to you.
- File Form I-765 inside the window, and keep a copy of everything you submit.
Questions
How long is OPT?
How many hours can I work on pre-completion OPT?
How long is the STEM OPT extension?
Which form do I use to apply for OPT?
When can I file for post-completion OPT?
Does my employer need to be in E-Verify for regular OPT?
Why does this guide not list the unemployment day limits?
Who should I ask about my specific case?
Sources: USCIS — Optional Practical Training (OPT) for F-1 Students · USCIS — Form I-765
