Immigration

F-1 24-Month STEM Optional Practical Training (STEM OPT) Extension

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What is the STEM OPT Extension?

Recipients of a Bachelor’s, Master’s, or Doctoral degree in a field listed among the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) STEM-Designated Degree Program List, and who are currently authorized for post-completion F-1 Optional Practical Training (OPT) may be eligible to apply for a 24-month STEM OPT Extension. Students may be eligible for a maximum of two periods based on different STEM degrees in their lifetime following the completion of eligible degrees.

The STEM-Designated Degree Program List is organized based on U.S. Department of Education CIP Codes and can be found at the Study in the States website.

CIP Codes at MIT are assigned to each academic program based on the MIT program curriculum and is determined in coordination with departments and the Office of the Provost, Insitutional Research
The CIP code is used to determine eligibility for a 24-month STEM OPT Extension
Please check your CIP Code on page 1 of your Form I-20 (under ‘Program of Study’ in the middle of the page) against the DHS STEM-Designated Degree Program List to confirm that your program is a STEM-designated degree program

For more information, Study in the States has launched the STEM OPT Hub.

Eligibility Requirements

To qualify for the 24-month STEM extension, individuals must meet the following eligibility requirements:

Is participating in an authorized period of post-completion OPT (for any period of the 12-months available at the degree level POST-completion of degree) in a field that is based on your most recent degree on May 10, 2016
Most recent earned degree must be a Bachelor’s, Master’s, or Doctoral degree in a field that is currently on the DHS STEM-Designated Degree Programs List OR for eligibility based on a previous STEM degree, the degree must be earned within the last 10 years at an accredited institution in the U.S.
Employed/have a position offer from an employer registered in the DHS E-Verify Program; STEM OPT Extension restricts work to E-Verify employer only
NOT planning to participate in self-employment or volunteer work for STEM OPT Exension
Be able to complete the Form I-983 Training Plan with your employer (all employers, if you have multiple)
Accumulated no more than 90 days of unemployment during the current post-completion OPT authorization
Employment during the 24-month STEM OPT Extension must be directly related to your MIT primary/major field of study and the STEM degree in which you qualify for the extension
Have not previously received more than one STEM OPT extension in total and have not yet received an extension under the qualifying STEM degree
Be within 90 days of the end of the current OPT benefit period

IMPORTANT NOTE: Please be advised that not all employers are certified by the U.S. DHS for E-Verify for a number of institutional reasons. Therefore, please check with your current employer to ensure that they are an E-Verify certified employer before you assume that you are eligible to continue work with that employer under the 24-month STEM OPT Extension.

E-Verify Employer Search Tool - http://www.uscis.gov/e-verify/about-program/e-verify-employers-search-tool It is recommended that even if your employer appears on this E-Verify listing that you contact your employer to confirm that your employer is E-Verify for the position for which you are hired.

Application Deadlines

The USCIS Processing Center must receive the complete STEM OPT Extension application and all required documents before your current OPT authorization/EAD card expires. Failure to comply with this deadline will result in loss of the entire STEM OPT Extension benefit.

The ISO recommends that you begin preparing the STEM OPT Extension documents and request for a new I-20 from the ISO approximately 100-120 days prior to the expiration of your EAD card.
You may submit your application for STEM OPT Extension to USCIS no earlier than 90 days prior to the expiration date of your current OPT authorization/EAD card.
The 24-month STEM OPT Extension begins on the day after the approved OPT end date printed on your current Employment Authorization (EAD) card.
The student’s employment authorization is automatically extended for up to 180 days if the 24-month STEM Extension application remains pending after the current post-completion OPT EAD expires.
(This allows for continued employment at the STEM OPT employer while the application is pending. However, travel outside the U.S. is not recommended. See below for details.)

USCIS processing times can take as long as 3-4 months. Please apply as soon as possible to ensure that you receive Employment Authorization Document (EAD) on time. The EAD is the offical work permit issued by USCIS that allows you to be hired and work in the U.S.A. during OPT. It is not possible to request an expedite of an OPT application from USCIS, so please plan your application process accordingly.

How to Apply for F-1 STEM OPT Extension

To request the 24-month STEM OPT Extension recommendation from the ISO, you must submit a request for your STEM OPT Extension Form I-20 online at iMIT.mit.edu;

Log in to Limited Client Services for Alumni
Request your PIN if you do not yet have one. If you do not receive this PIN, we may have your incorrect email on file. Please email or call the ISO to give us your new email information.
Then, choose “F-1 Practical Training”, then “STEM OPT Extension Application”.

It will take our office up to two weeks to prepare your new Form I-20 with STEM OPT Extension recommendation, after which you need to submit your application to the USCIS.

For the STEM OPT Extension I-20 request to the ISO, please prepare the following documents. You will need to submit all the information below and a copy of all documents via iMIT.mit.edu.

MIT Administrative fee, paid by Bank Certified Check / Money Order for $200 made payable to "MIT" (please, no personal checks or cash)
Copy of your current valid Employment Authorization Document (EAD) card
Letter, on company letterhead, signed by your employer verifying:

That the employer is enrolled in E-Verify (provide E-Verify number, if possible)
Employer’s name and complete address (including zip code)
Supervisor’s name, title, and contact information (e-mail and phone number)
Employment start date
Position title and description of how the employment is directly related to your primary field of study

A completed Form I-983 signed by you and your employer for every employer
A written summary of previous employment while on post-completion OPT, including names and addresses of companies, start and end dates of employment, job title and description of how work was related to your major degree program, name of supervisor with contact information.
Copy of completed Form I-765 Application for Employment Authorization. (Please download the I-765 Form from the USCIS website www.uscis.gov.)

Once eligibility is determined, the ISO advisor will issue a new I-20 Form with STEM OPT Extension recommendation on page 2 of the I-20 form. After approximately 10 business days, the ISO will email you to inform you that your I-20 has been issued and make the document available to you based on your specified preference. Please sign it and make a copy of pages 1 and 2. You will need the copy of this I-20 form to apply for the STEM OPT Extension.

When you have the Form I-20 with the STEM OPT Extension recommendation in hand, you will need to mail the documents listed in the following section to the appropriate USCIS Service Center.

Mailing the STEM OPT Extension Application to USCIS

After you receive the new Form I-20 with the 24-month STEM OPT Extension recommendation, mail the following documents to the correct USCIS Processing Center. Please note that the Processing Center (Lockbox) address where you mail your documents depends on the address and State you write on the Form I-765, Section 3. See Form I-765 instructions at www.uscis.gov/i-765 to determine the correct USCIS mailing address for your application.

Important Notes and Tips:

The application and the required documents must be mailed and received at the USCIS Processing Center within 59 days from the date the ISO advisor recommended the STEM OPT Extension and issued the new I-20 form.
Students must be physically present in the US at the time the application is received/receipted by USCIS; therefore, students can only mail/submit the application to USCIS while you are physically present in the US.
We strongly recommend that you express mail the application to USCIS and keep the mailing return receipt of your package as evidence that you submitted the application in a timely manner.
Please keep a photocopy of the full application including all documents submitted to USCIS for your records.

Checklist of documents to be mailed to USCIS:
(Please put together your application in the following order.)

(Optional) To receive a text message and/or email when USCIS accepts your Form I-765, complete Form G-1145, E-Notification of Application/Petition Acceptance, and attach it to the front of the entire application (including check) in the package. You will also receive a physical receipt notice in the mail.
Check or Money Order for $410 made payable to US Department of Homeland Security
2 passport photos less than 30 days old
(write your name and SEVIS # number in pencil on the back of each photo, https://travel.state.gov/content/passports/en/passports/photos.html for more information)
Original I-765 form application (https://www.uscis.gov/i-765, 01/17/2017 edition, see all instructions) Check 'Renewal of my permission to accept employment' and in field #16, indicate (c)(3)(C) for eligibility code.
Copy of I-20 form with STEM OPT Extension recommendation (pages 1 and 2; please remember to sign your I-20 form)
Copies of any previous I-20 forms (pages 1 and travel signature page, all MIT and previous school forms, please sign your I-20 forms)
Copy of F-1 Visa (even if the visa is expired)
Copy of I-94 card (front and back) or electronic I-94 Form as PDF
(retrieve the I-94 number from https://i94.cbp.dhs.gov/)
Copy of identity pages in passport (passport must be valid)
Copy of any previous Employment Authorization Documents (EAD cards)
Copy of STEM degree (official transcript, or copy of your diploma with level and program of study)
Letter from STEM OPT eligible employer as mentioned above (confirming positon offer and E-verify information)

Travel while on 24-month STEM OPT Extension

Travel while on STEM OPT Extension is not restricted. During the 24-month extension, you must carry the following documents in order to return to the U.S.:

STEM OPT Employment Authorization (EAD) card
STEM OPT Form I-20 form with a valid travel signature (valid for 6 months)
valid F-1 entry visa stamp in passport (issued by US Consulate abroad, to enter the U.S. in F-1 status for STEM OPT)
valid passport
letter from your E-Verify employer confirming your STEM OPT employment

If you are missing any one of these documents, you risk being denied entry to the United States. If your current OPT EAD card is expired and you do not yet have the STEM OPT Extension EAD card, you should NOT travel outside the U.S.

Alumni/ae who need an updated travel signature during STEM OPT Extension should request a new I-20 from your ISO advisor directly by email with subject line: ‘STEM OPT Travel I-20, MIT ID#xxxxxxxxx’. Please make sure that your reporting requirements to the ISO are up-to-date prior to your email request and include a mailing address in your email.

Periods of Unemployment while on 24-month STEM OPT Extension

During the 24-month STEM OPT Extension, maintenance of your F-1 status depends on your employment. You are not permitted to accumulate more than a total of 150 days of unemployment for the entire period of OPT (including the first 12 months of OPT prior to the STEM OPT Extension). The limits of unemployment time are 90 days for the first 12-months of OPT and 60 days during the 24-month STEM OPT extension. Accumulating more than 150 days of unemployment during the OPT period is a violation of your immigration status that could result in termination of your practical training.

What constitutes Qualified Employment while on 24-month STEM OPT Extension?

Paid employment, full or part-time for one or more employers, contracting activity, employment through an agency or through a consulting firm, as long as all employers are registered with E-Verify and the employment is at least 20 hours/week (variable schedule, within a month, must average out to at least 20 hours/week)
AND
Employment in a position directly related to the student’s STEM degree on which the STEM OPT is based and/or earned at MIT
Valid Form I-983 completed for each employer and position

Alumnus/ae Responsibilities While on Authorized STEM OPT

After an F-1 student is granted the 24-month STEM OPT Extension, the student must report to his or her DSO (within 10 days) any change in:

Issuance of STEM OPT EAD card - must submit a copy via iMIT
Alumni/ae’s Legal name
Alumni/ae’s Residential or mailing address
Alumni/ae’s E-mail address and phone number
Employer name
Employer address
Supervisor’s name and contact information (phone, email address)
Dates of employment (beginning and ending dates) at each employer
Verification of how the job is related to the degree/field of study
Loss of employment (within 5 business days)
Decision to end employment/ STEM OPT Extension and leave the U.S.A.
Transfer and/or beginning of new program of study
Change of visa status (provide documentation of change of status)
Validation report every 6 months
Student self-evaluation report every 12 months

How to Report a Change of E-Verify Employer during 24-month STEM OPT Extension

Within 10 days of change, you are required by law to report a change of your employer to the ISO.

You must submit a letter from your new employer and an updated Form I-983 to the ISO so that we can update your SEVIS record and issue an updated Form I-20 with your new employer information printed on Page 2 of the I-20. Please refer above to the requirements of the employer letter.

If your employment is terminated, your employer and/or you must report this termination to the ISO within 5 business days.

To report your changes, see our STEM OPT Reporting Requirements page for more information.

Validation Report Required Every 6 Months

During the 24-month STEM OPT extension, you are required by law to send a Validation Report to the ISO every 6 months starting from the date the 24-month extension begins and ending when the student’s F-1 status is completed or the 24-month extension ends, whichever is first.

This Validation Report is required even if there have been no changes in your employer, living address, or other required reporting information.

To submit your validation report, see our STEM OPT Reporting Requirements page for more information.

Student Self-Evalution Required Every 12 Months

During the 24-month STEM OPT extension, you are required by law to send a Self-Evaluation Report on the Form I-983 to the ISO every 12 months starting from the date the 24-month extension begins and ending when the student’s F-1 status is completed or the 24-month extension ends, whichever is first.

The 12-month and the 24-month Self-Evaluation Report can be found on page 5 of the Form I-983.
Students who have changed employers during the STEM OPT Extension period are requred to submit a new Form I-983 at the time of the employment change.

To submit your self-evaluation report, see our STEM OPT Reporting Requirements page for more information.

NOTE: The requirement to report any updates while on OPT continues if the student’s 24-month STEM OPT Extension is extended further by the automatic H-1B OPT Cap-Gap extension.

Please feel free to contact your ISO Advisor if you have any questions concerning the F-1 STEM OPT Extension Process.