What is STEM OPT
STEM refers to majors in Sciences, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics. It allows a student who majored in one of those areas to obtain a STEM OPT extension of an additional 24 months, bringing the total OPT time to 36 months. Minors do not count for STEM. Students with a previous STEM degree may be eligible for the STEM extension.
DHS maintains a complete list of fields that fall within the regulatory definition of "STEM field" that qualifies certain degrees to fulfill the extension requirement. This list is known as the STEM Designated Degree Program List. The Department of Education's Classification of Instructional Program (CIP) taxonomy system serves as the basis for the STEM OPT extension.
DHS will publish any subsequent updates to the STEM Designated Degree Program List in the Federal Register.
STEM OPT Application: Online Filing:
USCIS announced that Optional Practical Training applications (Regular and STEM OPT) can be submitted online via myaccount.uscis.gov. You will receive the receipt notice immediately; however, the processing time for EAD cards will not change. USCIS will continue to receive and process paper OPT and STEM OPT applications.
Below is a checklist of the items you need to prepare before you may file an Optional Practical Training Extension for STEM Students (STEM OPT)
application. VISA must issue a new STEM OPT I-20 indicating a recommendation for OPT, which you must have before sending your
application to USCIS; please allow 2-3 weeks from when your request is submitted to VISA to be issued a new STEM OPT I-20. You will be
contacted by email when the Form I-20 is ready. A full description of eligibility for STEM OPT, the application process, and maintenance of
F-1 status during STEM OPT can be found in the Required STEM OPT Workshop.
To generate the STEM OPT I-20 you will need to Submit a Request for STEM OPT Application for Review.
NOTE:
- SUBMITTING AN OPT /STEM OPT APPLICATION WITHOUT A STEM OPT I-20 FROM ODU WILL RESULT IN APPLICATION REJECTION OR DENIAL.
- The online filing requires the same documentation—it will be uploaded to the USCIS portal. The OPT I-20 will have to be signed, scanned and uploaded. Electronic signatures on I-20s are not accepted.
- A Filing Fee Payment of $410.00. See USCIS guidelines for paying fees.
Payment Options: credit/debit/online checking account. You will know when you payment is accepted immediately
Application Checklist
- Online I-765 form AFTER creating myaccount.uscis.gov
--- select the option to 'file a form online' - Completed I-983 Training Form (pages 1-4)
- Passport-style photo (photos must be jpg, jpeg or png)
- Copies of any previous CPT I-20s (if applicable)
- Copies of any previous OPT I-20s (if applicable)
- Copy of Passport Biographical Information Page(s)
- Copy of Passport Visa Stamp
- I-94 Form printed from https://i94.cbp.dhs.gov (or I-94 card copied front and back from a pre-May 2013 entry)
- Copies of any previous Employment Authorization Documents (EAD Cards), front and back (if applicable)
- Copy of STEM Diploma -- showing the degree completed
- Official or Unofficial transcripts with degree conferral date or showing the degree completed
- Two passport-style photos. Photos must be JPG, JPEG or PNG.
- STEM OPT I-20 issued by ODU after applying for STEM OPT with VISA Office; MUST upload and apply within 30 days of OPT end date.
Frequently Asked Questions
Notify our office immediately via e-mail AND submit the OPT Employment Update as well as a new I-983. In your e-mail, be sure to provide both your UIN and your SEVIS ID number, and specifically state that your STEM OPT application is pending. We will update USCIS on your behalf.
You should submit your STEM OPT application 90 days before your Regular OPT expires—no sooner than that. As always, your application will take up to ten business days to be processed in our office. As with Regular OPT, you will be sent an e-mail to notify you when it is ready for you to pick up and then you will mail it to the address we have indicated in that e-mail.
Please submit OPT Employment Updates every six months regardless if there is any change in your employment.
- At 6 months: OPT Employment Update online form
- At 12 months: OPT Employment Update online form & 12-month self-evaluation (last page of I-983)
- At 18 months: OPT Employment Update online form
- At 24 months: Final Employment evaluation (last page of I-983)
Provided you have submitted your application to VISA within the time period mentioned in the previous question, you should get a receipt notice from USCIS that will allow you to continue working up to 180 days while your EAD is being issued. Be sure to keep your receipt--even after your EAD is issued.
Your employer must be registered with E-Verify, a Department of Labor system. STEM OPT employment must be a paid position for at least 20 hours per week. The employment must be directly related to your major.
Yes, however, USCIS states that you may not travel while your application is pending. Once your STEM OPT EAD has been issued, you'll be able to travel with proof of employment with an E-Verify employer and other documents as detailed on our Traveling Aboard and Re-Entering the U.S. page on our Resource webpage. If you need to get a new visa in your passport, you'll get an F-1 stamp.
Yes. You should have the following:
- Proof of employment that you'll be starting or resuming a job
- Pay stubs from current employer(s)
- STEM OPT I-20 with a travel signature that is less than six months old upon re-entry
- EAD
- Valid F-1 visa stamp
Yes. For your regular OPT plus STEM OPT employment authorization, you have a total of 150 days of unemployment. That means that if you were continuously employed while on regular OPT with no unemployment days, you have 150 days of unemployment while on your STEM extension. If you used 89 days of unemployment while on regular OPT, you have just 61 days of unemployment while on your STEM extension.
No, USCIS no longer allows this for STEM extensions.
Yes, but all employers must be registered with E-Verify. You must submit the I-983 form for each of your employment to our office.