Pre-OPT is a work benefit opportunity to gain off-campus work experience and is requested to be used before the completion of a degree program.
F-1 students are eligible for a total of 12 months of OPT per degree program. Those 12 months can be used while earning your degree (Pre-OPT), after earning your degree (Post-OPT), or a combination of both (Pre- and Post-OPT).
If 12 months of full-time Curricular Practical Training (CPT) have been used, the student will not be eligible for Pre-OPT or Post-OPT.
To allow for the 7-day ISSC processing time and the 90-day USCIS processing time, ASU ISSC recommends applying for Pre-OPT at least 97 days prior to the date you wish your employment authorization to begin. This will maximize your opportunity to receive your EAD card on time.
The ISSC processing time is up to 7 business days, which does not include weekends or ASU observed holidays. During peak seasons, processing times may be more than 7 business days as we deal with a higher volume of requests.
Pre-OPT recommended I-20s will be issued no more than 90 days prior to the recommended Pre-OPT start date.
We recommend that you attend an OPT Information Session prior to beginning the application process.
Submit your application materials to the ISSC through the Pre-OPT I-20 Request eForm through the ISSC eForm Portal no more than 97 days prior to your employment start date. ISSC will release your I-20 on or after the 90th day prior to your employment start date.
Please have the following materials ready prior to submitting the e-Form:
After receiving your Pre-OPT I-20 from the ISSC, you will need to submit your documents to USCIS within 30 days of the date the ISSC signed your I-20 (date issued). Applications received after the 30-day signature limit will be denied by USCIS.
There are two methods for submitting your Pre-OPT application to USCIS: online or paper. The ISSC highly recommends that you use the online method.
Carefully follow all instructions provided to you when submitting your application materials to USCIS, and keep copies of all completed applications for your personal records. If you have a job offer letter from a company, you may include it with your application, but it is NOT required (add the letter at the end of your packet for USCIS).
For a comprehensive step by step review of your Pre-OPT packet enroll in the Self-Guided Pre-OPT Packet Review Canvas course.
If you are interested in Premium Processing for your application, please visit the USCIS Premium Processing webpage for details.
Discounted optional shipping through eShipGlobal
If for any reason you receive a Rejection, Denial, or a Request for Evidence (RFE) Notice from USCIS, or if you receive your application materials back from the postal/shipping service, DO NOT resend the materials. Inform ISSC by completing the OPT/STEM USCIS Notice Upload eForm for further advisement.
Please remember, USCIS processes and approves your application, NOT ASU, therefore, contact USCIS (1-800-375-5283) regarding application issues and/or delays. They cannot change requested start/end dates nor can they change your completion dates. Once submitted, the only way to edit anything will be to request USCIS to withdraw your case. You MUST speak with an ISSC advisor prior to requesting application withdraw from USCIS.
If you submit Form G-1145, you will receive notification of application arrival (i.e., Receipt Notice) via text and/or email within 72 hours, and you will also receive a paper Notice of Action (i.e., receipt notice) from USCIS within four weeks of filing. If you filed online, you will receive your receipt notice and receipt number instantly through myUSCIS upon submission of your application. You will receive your EAD Card approximately two weeks after USCIS approves your application.
OPT is a benefit of F-1 students. Each F-1 student gets 12 months of OPT for each degree level. They can use OPT before the degree completion (Pre-OPT), after the degree completion (Post-OPT), or combine Pre-OPT and Post-OPT to make the total 12 months of OPT. For this calculation, use 50% of the actual period for part-time Pre-OPT; 100 days of part-time Pre-OPT period will deduct 50 days from 12 months of OPT Period.
Under the regulations, part-time Pre-OPT authorizes work for 20 hours per week or less, and full-time Pre-OPT allows work for more than 20 hours per week. The regulations do not state a maximum number of working hours per week. Thus, overtime is possible. However, we recommend that our students keep any overtime to a minimum. The primary activity while on an F-1 visa should be to study. Work should not delay the degree completion.
CPT is a work authorization that allows you to participate in an off campus internship as part of your curriculum. The authorization is processed through the ISSC after all academic unit processes have been completed. Pre-OPT is a benefit F-1 students may participate in. The process is completed by the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) after ISSC’s recommendation based on your academic unit’s endorsement. Can I accrue unemployment days during the Pre-OPT period? No. Until the degree completion date, study is the F-1 students’ primary activity. Pre-OPT is simply an extra-curricular activity.
There is not a regulation to prohibit having an on-campus job while working on the Pre-OPT authorization. However, it is important to remember that studying should be your primary activity while in F-1 status. We do not recommend any activities that may lessen your focus on your academic studies and possibly hinder your academic progress.
As long as work is directly related to your major, you can work. Paid employment/internship, work for hire, self-employed, employment through an agency or consulting firm, unpaid employment/internship. Multiple employers are also permitted as long as you comply with the authorized work hours (Part-time 20 hours or less per week; full-time more than 20 hours per week).