F-1 students with degrees in the fields of science, technology, engineering or math (STEM) may be eligible for a 24-month extension of their Post-completion OPT work permission. To learn more about STEM OPT, review the STEM OPT Hub and the information below:
Reporting Requirements while on 24-month STEM OPT
Traveling on 24-month STEM OPT
STEM OPT eligibility
- Be on a period of approved Post-completion OPT.
- Hold a bachelor's, master's, or doctoral degree in a field of study (indicated on the I-20) that is on the official STEM Designated Degree Program List.
- Have a paid job offer from an employer enrolled in E-Verify and that has a Federal Employer Identification Number. Your employer must pay you the same amount that they would pay a similar U.S. worker.
- Demonstrate the job is directly related to the STEM degree.
- Must work a minimum of 20 hours per week.
- If you have multiple employers, each employer must be enrolled in E-Verify, have a Federal Employer Identification Number and complete a form I-983 Training Plan.
- If the place of employment is at a location that is other than the employer's principal place of business, the employer must maintain a bona fide employer-employee relationship.
- Prepare and sign the Training Plan (Form I-983). You can find a sample of a completed I-983 form on our website.
- Submit an application to USCIS before the end date listed on your current Post-completion OPT EAD card.
Eligibility for a second period of 24-month STEM OPT after higher degree:
- If you enroll in a new academic program in the U.S. in the future and earn another qualifying STEM degree at a higher educational level, you may be eligible for a second period of 24-Month STEM OPT.
- Example: You earn a bachelor's degree in computer science and apply for Post-completion OPT and then 24-month STEM OPT. You then earn a master's degree in computer science. You are eligible to apply again for Post-completion OPT and another 24-month STEM OPT based on your earned master's degree.
Eligibility based on a previously obtained STEM degree:
If you are currently in a degree field (or on Post-completion OPT) that is not STEM eligible, but you have previously earned a STEM-eligible degree from an accredited U.S. higher education institution, you may be eligible to apply for the 24-month STEM OPT under certain conditions:
- You must have received both degrees from currently accredited and SEVP-certified institutions.
- Your previous degree cannot have been earned more than 10 years ago.
- Your previous degree is on the official STEM Designated Degree Program List.
- You did not already receive a STEM OPT extension based on the previous degree.
- Your employment is directly related to the previously obtained STEM degree.
- Your employer is enrolled in E-Verify and has a Federal Employer Identification Number.
How to apply
Do not submit the online or paper Form I-765 application to USCIS until you have received your OPT I-20 from the ISSS office. If you submit a Form I-765 application before you have received your OPT I-20, your application will be denied.
After receiving your I-20 and filing your application with USCIS, be sure to check the address that is listed on your receipt notice. If the address on your receipt notice is incorrect, email intlwork@binghamton.edu for assistance.
Submit your STEM OPT I-20 Request to ISSS
- Pay the $100 STEM-Extension OPT Administrative Services Fee. This fee supports the additional application review, monitoring, and services related to students on STEM OPT. You can pay the fee online and will need to provide the Order Number on the Request for STEM OPT Extension e-form.
- Submit the STEM OPT Extension Request to the ISSS Office. The earliest you can apply for STEM OPT is 90 days before your Post-completion OPT expires. You must upload a completed Form I-983 as part of the application. You can find a sample of a completed I-983 form on our website. Please note that ISSS processing time is 7-10 business days.
- You will receive an email from ISSS when your STEM OPT I-20 is ready, and an electronic copy of your I-20 will be attached to the email. You will need to print the I-20, sign it, and include a copy of the I-20 with your STEM OPT application to USCIS.
Prepare and submit your STEM OPT application
Do not submit the online or paper Form I-765 application to USCIS until you have received your STEM OPT I-20 from the ISSS office. If you submit a Form I-765 application before you have received your STEM OPT I-20, your application will be denied.
Whether applying online or by paper, you should keep in mind that the I-765 application is your personal application for employment authorization. You are responsible for following all USCIS instructions and making sure that the application is correct and complete. ISSS cannot troubleshoot technical issues with the online filing process. ISSS will not have access to your application and cannot correct, edit, or change any information on your application for you. If you have any issues or questions regarding your I-765 application, you will need to work directly with USCIS.
Filing Form I-765
Reporting requirements while on 24-month STEM OPT
- You must report/confirm your employment information and living address to the ISSS office every six months while on STEM OPT. You can confirm your employment by submitting a STEM OPT Employment Update Form.
- If you change your employer while on STEM OPT, or if your position at your current employment greatly changes, you must submit a STEM OPT Employment Update Form with a new Form I-983 within 10 days of the change. You must also submit a final evaluation signed by your previous employer. The final evaluation can be found on page five of the Form I-983.
- If you change your living address while on STEM OPT, you must submit the Address Change for Students on OPT form within 10 days of the change.
- You must submit an annual self-evaluation (found on page five of Form I-983) about the progress of your employment to the ISSS office. For more information about the annual self-evaluation, visit the Students and the Form I-983 page.
- SEVP has launched a portal where students on STEM OPT can report changes to their address and phone number. You will receive an email from SEVP after your approved EAD start date; that email will contain instructions for creating your portal account. You are still required to report all other changes to STEM OPT employment directly to the ISSS Office using the instructions and links above. If you have created your SEVP Portal account and forgot your password, you can reset it on the SEVP Portal login page. See the SEVP Portal Help pages for more information on accessing your portal account. If you are locked out of your account or did not activate your account within 14 days of your EAD start date, you can submit the SEVP Portal Access Request e-form.
- During the 24-month STEM OPT extension authorization period, you may not accrue more than a total of 150 days of unemployment between your 12-month OPT period and STEM OPT period. For example, if you accrued 30 days of unemployment during your 12-month OPT period, then you may have a total of 120 days of unemployment during your STEM OPT period.
- Time spent outside the United States, if not employed by a U.S. employer, counts towards the 150-day period of unemployment.
Traveling on 24-month STEM OPT
The ISSS Office strongly recommends that you do not travel outside of the U.S. after your Post-completion OPT EAD card has expired, until you receive your STEM OPT EAD card.
If you travel outside of the U.S. during your STEM OPT period, you are required to show the following documents to re-enter the U.S. in F-1 status:
- A valid I-20 that includes a travel signature that is less than 6 months old and lists your current employment information.
- A passport that is valid at least six months into the future.
- A valid F-1 visa.
- A valid EAD card.
- Proof of employment (Job offer letter).
Cap Gap Extension
F-1 students who are the beneficiary of a timely-filed H-1B petition may be eligible for an extension of work authorization called the “cap gap” extension. You may learn more about the cap gap extension on the USCIS website. If your employer has filed an H-1B petition on your behalf, you should review the ISSS Cap Gap Extension page for additional details and to request an updated I-20.