Pre-OPT

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).


Eligibility

 

Eligibility Requirements:

  • Maintenance of F-1 status for a minimum of one academic year in a degree program.
  • Students must maintain the full-time enrollment requirements while on Pre-OPT.
  • Employment must be directly related to your field of study.

Conditions:

  • Application and Authorization:
    • A job offer is not required to apply for Pre-OPT, as USCIS does not demand proof of employment.
    • Approved Pre-OPT is deducted from your 12 months of OPT time: part-time Pre-OPT accrues at half the rate, and full-time Pre-OPT during annual breaks accrues at the full rate.
    • Please note: Once your Pre-OPT EAD card is approved, the time period covered by the card will automatically be deducted from your Post-OPT eligibility, starting from the EAD's start date. This deduction occurs regardless of whether you secure employment or work throughout that entire period.
  • Part-Time Pre-OPT:
    • Can be requested for extended periods, not necessarily aligning with semester dates.
  • Full-Time Pre-OPT:
    • Permitted only during annual breaks and for graduate students who have completed all course requirements but are in continuous registration until their program completion date.
  • Working Hours:
    • Up to 20 hours per week during the semester (part-time) and up to 40 hours per week during annual breaks (full-time).
  • Additional Requirements:
    • If you want to switch from part-time to full-time Pre-OPT, especially during breaks like summer, you must submit a new application and pay the appropriate fee. For example, if you have part-time Pre-OPT during the spring semester and wish to work full-time in the summer, you’ll need to apply for a new I-20 with full-time Pre-OPT authorization and submit another application to USCIS. Conversely, if you know you will have off campus part time employment for a specific time you can request for your pre-opt dates to align as long as the end date is before your program completion date.
    • Employment can only start on the EAD card's printed date, and unemployment time is not a factor during Pre-OPT, though reporting employment through the ISSC portal is mandatory.

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.


When to apply

 

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.


How to apply

1. Submit Pre-OPT e-Form to ISSC


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:

  • Copy of biographical page of passport (page with your picture on it) valid at least six months into the future (NOT your visa).
  • Copy of recent I-94 arrival record (NOT your travel history).
  • Copy of the front and back of prior EAD cards at your current degree program level (if applicable).
  • Please allow the ISSC approximately 7 days to process your Pre-OPT request.
     
  • The ISSC cannot process your Pre-OPT request until AFTER your academic advisor has approved the eForm. Any delay in your academic advisor’s approval is NOT part of the ISSC’s 7-day processing time; please plan ahead.

2. Receive your Pre-OPT I-20 from ISSC

 

  • USCIS will reject applications received prior to the 90th day before the student’s employment start date. If the ISSC receives your eForm too early, your I-20 will be held and ready at or after the 90th day.
  • You will receive an email notification from the ISSC with your new Pre-OPT I-20 and instructions attached. 
  • If you would like a paper copy of your Pre-OPT I-20, please review our Receiving Documents webpage for more information
    You must review the information within your I-20 for accuracy, then sign and date in blue ink.

3. Submit your Application to USCIS for Processing

Once the ISSC issues your I-20 with the Pre-OPT recommendation, USCIS must receive your application within 30 days of the date your I-20 was issued.

Please Note: This deadline is critical - applications received by USCIS more than 30 days after your I-20 was issued will be denied by USCIS. This time frame is counted by the day, not by the month. Remember, not all months have the same amount of days, so you must count out the specific days to make sure you are within the correct time frame. The ISSC recommends applying online at least the day before this deadline to ensure your application is received by USCIS in time. The USCIS application portal does not have the same time zone as Arizona; therefore, depending on when you submit your application, it may be receipted by USCIS the next day.

USCIS recommends applying for Pre-OPT through their USCIS online application portal.

For detailed instructions on completing the application with USCIS, please refer to the Self-Guided Pre-OPT Packet Review Canvas course.

Disclaimer: The information provided in the Canvas course is general guidance and should not be construed as formal legal advice. ISSC cannot guarantee the approval of your application to USCIS nor be held liable for the outcome of your application.

If you are interested in Premium Processing for your application, please visit the USCIS Premium Processing webpage for details. You can apply for premium processing along with your application to USCIS.


Tips for Avoiding Application Rejections, Denials, Delays, and Receiving a Request for Evidence (RFE) from USCIS:

 

  • Do not submit your application to USCIS more than 90 days before your requested Pre-OPT start date.
  • USCIS must receive your application within 30 days of the date your I-20 was issued. The ISSC recommends applying online at least the day before this deadline to ensure your application is received by USCIS in time. The USCIS application portal does not have the same time zone as Arizona; therefore, depending on when you submit your application, it may be receipted by USCIS the next day
    • Please Note: This deadline is critical - applications received by USCIS more than 30 days after your Pre-OPT I-20 was issued will be denied by USCIS. This time frame is counted by the day, not by the month. Remember, not all months have the same amount of days, so you must count out the specific days to make sure you are within the correct time frame.
    • If you will not be able to submit your application to USCIS within 30 days of receiving your I-20, you must request a new I-20 from the ISSC by completing the Replacement and Travel I-20 eForm through the ISSC eForm Portal, and choosing the “I-20 cannot be submitted after 30th day of issuance” option.
  • The United States Postal Service (USPS/ “the post office”) will not forward EAD cards. If you are moving, you must update your address within 10 days by:
  • If for any reason you receive a Rejection, Denial, or a Request for Evidence (RFE) Notice from USCIS, complete the OPT/STEM USCIS Notice Upload eForm for further advisement.

Maintaining status

 

While your application is pending with USCIS

Please remember, USCIS processes and approves your application, NOT ASU. Therefore, you should contact USCIS regarding application issues and/or delays.

Once submitted, your requested dates cannot be changed. If you decide to not pursue your Pre-OPT application, you may be able to withdraw your application before it has been processed. We recommend consulting with the ISSC before withdrawing your application.

  • The average processing time for Pre-OPT applications can vary. We recommend checking the USCIS website for current processing times.
  • If your application is still processing after their currently posted processing times, you may submit a case inquiry with USCIS regarding their delay in processing times.
  • The United States Postal Service (USPS/ “the post office”) will not forward EAD cards. If you are moving, you must update your address within 10 days by:

Maintaining status while on Pre-OPT:

  • DO NOT work until you receive your EAD card, or before or beyond the dates authorized on your EAD card (this includes volunteering and unpaid internships).
  • Check your My ASU account and ASU email regularly for immigration updates.
  • Submit a copy of the EAD card by submitting the Pre-OPT EAD Upload eForm through the ISSC eForm Portal
  • Report your employment status by submitting the Pre-OPT Employment Update eForm through the ISSC eForm Portal. Unemployment time is not a factor during Pre-OPT. However, reporting employment is still required.
  • Review the accuracy of your name and the dates on the EAD Card and report any discrepancies to the ISSC immediately by email to issc.employment@asu.edu.
  • You must keep all original I-20s and all your prior immigration documents indefinitely, for possible use in the future. The ISSC does not retain the student’s original I-20s.
  • Report any changes in name, address, employer’s name and address, and updated status or interruption of employment in My ASU within 10 days.

FAQs

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).