Apply early for Optional Practical Training
Optional Practical Training (OPT) is an employment benefit offered through the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) that enables international students with F-1 status to gain 12 months of off-campus work experience in their field of study.
Graduating F-1 students who are eligible and interested in applying for Post-Completion OPT work authorization are encouraged to apply early.
Application completion dates
To allow for both ISSC and USCIS processing times, you may submit your Post-OPT I-20 eForm request to ISSC up to 97 days prior to your program completion date.
- Undergraduate students: The program completion date for undergraduate students is Dec. 14, 2026.
- Graduate students: The program completion date for graduate students depends on your final academic requirements. However, in most cases, it is Dec. 14, 2026. You may wish to consult with your academic advisor to determine your program completion date.
Note: You do not have to have a job in order to apply for Post-OPT. Therefore, if you know that you want to work in the U.S. after graduation, it is recommended that you apply for Post-OPT even if you have not yet secured a job.
Apply for Post-OPT
Be advised that USCIS processing times generally increase with applications submitted later in the semester. It is not uncommon for applications to take an average of 4 months or more. Therefore, we recommend you apply early in the application season!
Please note: Students cannot receive a Post-OPT authorization end date more than 14 months from the end of their program completion date. This means that for students who apply later, their Post-OPT may be authorized for a period of less than 12 months. Applying early in the application window increases your chances of obtaining your authorization by your requested start date and receiving Post-OPT for the entire 12-month period.
