What is OPT?
OPT season is officially here! For those of you who don't know,
Optional Practical Training (OPT) is temporary authorization for F-1 students to work off-campus in jobs that are directly related to your major field of study. You have one year of OPT available per academic level of study as long as you meet the eligibility requirements.
Who is OPT for?
If you will finish your degree this December, and will no longer be a student at NYU, you can work in the US for up to 12 months after graduating if you have
Post-Completion OPT. If you are completing a degree in a STEM field, you may be eligible to apply for an additional 24 month extension of employment authorization:
STEM OPT after your Post-Completion OPT.
If you are an F-1 student who wants to work off-campus before graduation, you have two options: apply for
CPT (Curricular Practical Training) or
Pre-Completion OPT. If you've been offered an internship position related to your major, and your program has an internship elective or a fieldwork requirement, look into applying for CPT. Otherwise, you can look into pre-completion OPT. You do not need a job offer to apply for OPT.
I’m graduating in December. When should I apply?
If you want OPT and are graduating this semester, start preparing NOW! To allow for adequate processing time, we encourage you to apply as early as possible, especially if you plan to start work right after graduation. We've created a recommended OPT timeline below that puts you in the best position at every checkpoint of the application process. We hope this serves as a great reference tool during this semester.
Today
October 9
Once you understand the process and are ready to apply, the first major step is submitting a request to OGS for an OPT recommended I-20. We encourage you to do this by October 9 if you want to work once this semester is over. You can access the request form for your OPT application here:
Pre-Completion OPT or
Post-Completion OPT. Once you've made your request, get your passport photos while waiting for the new I-20. If you don't have photos from the last 30 days, you'll need an updated photo. You can get your photos taken the same day at the
StudentLink Center.
October 16
After you've received your new I-20, attend a session on How to Prepare your OPT Application for the US Government (USCIS). At this session OGS staff will go over all OPT application documents in detail, and you can make sure your documents meet the application guidelines. These
OPT application prep sessions will take place at various times via Zoom. You can also view a previously
recorded session (you must login with your NYU netID and password for access) if upcoming sessions don’t work with your schedule.
October 18
Once you have prepared your complete application, you are now ready to submit your application to the US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS).
Do not delay submitting your application after you get your new OPT I-20 from OGS because USCIS must receive it within 30 days of the date your I-20 was issued.
December 4
Confirm the US government received your application and track your application status. Receive an electronic and paper receipt from USCIS within 60 days. Your approval notice and EAD (OPT card) should arrive within 3-5 months of the date of your receipt notice.
