STEM OPT Extension

During your post-completion OPT, you must meet all of the following eligibility requirements:

• Your program was a degree program (bachelor's, master's, doctoral). Associate's and certificate programs are not eligible.
• The major CIP code on your I-20 is on the ICE STEM Designated Degree List.
• You are currently on an approved post-completion OPT and you have not exceeded 90 days of unemployment.
• You have a paid employment offer for at least 20 or more hours per week from an E-Verify employer. Please review the employment requirements below.
• You have not previously used STEM OPT more than once. Please note that you cannot have more than one STEM OPT extension based on the same degree.

If you earned a previous STEM degree from an accredited US institution, you may be eligible for the STEM OPT extension. If you have questions, please make an appointment with an ISSS advisor.

In order for you to qualify for a STEM OPT extension, the following employment criteria must be met:

• You are employed full-time (at least 20 hours per week).
• Your position is paid. Unpaid or volunteer positions are not permitted.
• Your position is related to your STEM degree.
• Your employer is e-verified. Self-employment is not permitted.
• You have submitted to ISSS a completed and ink-signed Form I-983. For assistance with filling out the I-983, review the instructions created by Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
• You will not exceed the limit for days of unemployment. The maximum amount of unemployment time is 150 days, this includes days accrued while on both post-completion and STEM OPT.

Please review the new guidance about acceptable types of activity during the 24-month STEM OPT extension, which is substantially different from guidance for post-completion OPT and past guidance for the STEM OPT extension.

All of the eligibility and employment requirements must be met in order for you to be eligible for the STEM OPT extension.

The earliest you can apply is 90 days before the end date of your current post-completion OPT.

USCIS must receive your application within 59 days of the date your new I-20 was issued and no later than the last day of your post-completion OPT (whichever is sooner).

You must be on approved post-completion OPT in order to apply for the STEM OPT extension.

While you are on post-completion OPT, you must:

• Submit a STEM OPT Request in iglobal.newschool.edu.
• Meet the eligibility requirements for the STEM OPT extension. Please see information above.
• Get your new I-20 with the STEM OPT Recommendation from ISSS and submit the I-20 to USCIS within 60 days of the date it was issued and before your post-completion OPT expires.

Within a few weeks, USCIS will send you an I-797 Receipt Notice in the mail to confirm that your application has been received and to provide a USCIS case tracking number. If you do not receive this notice, please inform us. You can check your case status with that number on the USCIS website. USCIS reports a processing time of two and a half to five months.

If you receive any correspondence from USCIS that is not the receipt notice or the approval notice, please contact ISSS immediately.

International travel after your approved OPT end date is at your own risk. Departing from the United States with a pending application can put you at risk of a STEM OPT extension denial. If you have questions about this, please contact [email protected].

You can continue to work at your company for up to 180 days after your OPT end date while you await your application decision. If your application is still pending after 180 days, you should contact ISSS and end your employment.

Once you receive your EAD card, please provide ISSS with a copy via iGlobal using the Document Upload e-form.

If you want to change employers or add an employer or if there are any material changes with the employer, including the end of employment, please contact ISSS immediately. In order to change employers, you must submit a new I-983 to ISSS and the change must be approved before you start employment at the new company. The new employer must also meet all the STEM requirements.

Please note that you are allowed a maximum of 150 days of unemployment for the duration of your post-completion OPT and STEM OPT extension. If you exceed the 150 days of unemployment, you will be violating your F-1 status.

You must report any of the following events within ten days:

• You change your legal name.
• You change your mailing, residential, or employer address.
• You change your employer or add a second employer.
• You end your current employment.
• You change your immigration status within the United States (for example, you change to H1B or another non-immigrant or immigrant status).
• You depart from the United States and forfeit any remaining STEM OPT time you have.

You are required to complete participation reports for your STEM OPT employment at the following times after STEM begins: six months, 12 months, 18 months, and 24 months. At the 12-month mark, a mid-term evaluation must also be completed, and at the 24-month mark, a final evaluation must be completed.

ISSS will email your New School account asking that you complete these mandatory participation reports, which we will report to the U.S. government through your SEVIS record. Please complete the participation reports (and, if necessary, evaluations) and submit them within one week of receipt of the email.

If there have been any changes in your employment or you have questions about your situation, please email [email protected].

Students, designated school officials (DSOs), and employers can use Study in the States to learn about the rules and regulations issued by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) for the optional practical training (OPT) extension for F-1 students with science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) degrees. Visit the STEM OPT Extension Overview to learn more.