Step 2: Complete the following OGE forms and submit them to international@purchase.edu. Do not upload the OGE forms to your OPT application on the USCIS portal.
Any previous, employment authorization documents (EAD cards), if applicable.
Filing fee is $470 paid with a credit card online.
What you need to know about Post-Completion Optional Practical Training Employment Authorization
You may apply for OPT 90 days before the completion of your program of study or up to 60 days after, during your grace period. USCIS must receive your OPT application within 30 days of the new OPT 1-20 being issued.
OPT starts 1 to 60 days after your date of completion of your studies. You chose the start date, in consultation with a DSO. You may want it to start soon after your date of completion if you already have a job.
No. You may not begin to work unless you have received the Employment Authorization Document (EAD) card.
No, it is rare that students have jobs when they apply for OPT.
The employment must be directly related to your major (program of study).
The maximum period of work authorization is 12 months for each degree completed in the U.S. However, STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) students may be eligible for an additional 24 months.
You may change jobs during the 12 months, work part-time or work freelance. Students may only be unemployed for 90 days during OPT, however. Volunteer work in your field, for the purpose of OPT, is also considered “employment.”
Contact a DSO in OGE before making any travel plans if your OPT is still pending USCIS authorization. DHS regulations require that you have your EAD card and a job or job offer to return to the U.S.
Yes, but only if you have a valid Employment Authorization Document (EAD) card, an 1-20 with optional practical training approval and a valid visa in your passport. It is highly recommended that you carry proof of employment such as a pay stub, contract, or letter from your employer. The 1-20 must have been signed within the previous 6 months in order to re-enter the country in Practical Training Status.
If you plan to travel abroad after you graduate, but the F-1 visa stamp in your passport has expired, please be sure to speak with the Designated School Official (DSO) in the Office for Global Education (OGE) before you finalize your travel plans. It can be difficult for students from some countries to obtain another F-1 visa once they are on OPT.
You will be maintaining your F-1 status. OPT is considered an extension of the program of study you have completed.
Yes, you will need a new signature every six (6) months.
You must update your name and address changes within 10 days to the SEVP Portal during your OPT period. You must enter the name, address and start date of your employer information to the Portal, even if you are doing volunteer work.
Students in the arts can opt to have “multiple freelance gigs” listed in SEVIS, but they must keep track of the dates and locations of their OPT employers for their records.
You may not continue to work past the “end date” of your OPT. A change to Temporary Worker status (H-1B) or another immigration status must be filed before continuing employment. Consult with your employer’s attorney or a private attorney specialized in immigration issues for more information.
Students in STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) majors have the option of extending their OPT for an additional 24 months beyond the initial 12 months of OPT, if their employer is registered in the E-Verify system. STEM students must apply for a new EAD card for the additional 24 OPT months.
Students for whom an H-1B petition has been filed may be eligible for a so called “cap-gap” extension of their OPT so they can keep working if their OPT ends in the summer but their H-1B begins the following October 1. Students should check with OGE to make sure they are eligible for this benefit.
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) gives you a 60 day “grace period” after you complete your OPT. During this period you must:
Depart from the U.S, or,
Apply to continue in another educational program either at Purchase or another U.S. school, or,
Change to another immigration status
Yes. You are entitled to 12 months of OPT after each degree you complete, provided you have been in F-1 status for one academic year each time you apply