F-1 Students: OPT & STEM OPT
Optional Practical Training gives F-1 students 12 months of work authorization after graduation — and STEM degrees can extend it by 24 more.
How OPT works
Apply through your school's DSO and USCIS (I-765) up to 90 days before your program end date. The 12 months of authorization must be used within 14 months of graduation, and unemployment is capped at 90 days.
The STEM extension
Degrees on the STEM Designated Degree Program List qualify for a 24-month extension — but only with an employer enrolled in E-Verify and a formal training plan (Form I-983). The unemployment cap rises to 150 days total.
Cap-gap and the H-1B bridge
If your employer files an H-1B petition while you're on OPT and your status would expire before October 1, cap-gap rules automatically extend your work authorization to the start date. Many students use OPT years to enter the H-1B lottery multiple times.
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