Learn about the application procedure for Optional Practical Training.
You are strongly advised to submit your OPT application to USCIS 90 days prior to your expected employment begin date (for pre-completion OPT) or program completion date (post-completion OPT).
USCIS must receive your post-completion OPT application within 60 days of your program completion date. You must be in the U.S. in F-1 status at the time you submit your application to USCIS.
OISSS offers a comprehensive OPT video series that you are encouraged to watch before applying. If you have any questions after completing the video series, please schedule an appointment with your OISSS advisor.
Log in to your OISSS Gateway portal and complete the Optional Practical Training (OPT) Request.
May 2024 graduates: Please wait until February 19, 2024 to submit the OPT I-20 request in your Gateway portal.
Upon the fulfillment of all application requirements, OISSS will issue a new I-20 with recommendation for OPT on page 2. Please allow 5 business days for processing.
Please note: OISSS will not issue the OPT I-20 more than 90 days before graduation to prevent students from applying to USCIS too early. If an I-765 is submitted to USCIS more than 90 days before graduation, it will be processed and denied.
Create or log into your USCIS Online Account. Look for the "File a Form Online" option and select “Application for Employment Authorization (I-765).”
Tips for completing the I-765 online can be found here.
IMPORTANT: USCIS must receive your application no more than 30 days after the date the new I-20 was issued.
Looking for faster processing? USCIS now accepts Premium Processing requests (Form I-907) for OPT. There is an additional filing fee, but your application is guaranteed to be adjudicated within 30 days.
Track your application on USCIS Case Status website with the receipt number generated from online filing. Check for the receipt notice arriving by mail and also in the Documents tab in your USCIS online account.
The I-797 "Notice of Action" (receipt notice) will be mailed to the address you provide on Form I-765. This receipt notice indicates the date your application was received by USCIS.
Please contact OISSS if you do not receive your paper receipt notice within one month of submitting your application to USCIS.
Applicants who anticipate changing addresses should note that USCIS mail will not be forwarded by the Postal Service or the Brown Mailroom. Please update USCIS with any mailing address changes.
If using your own off-campus mailing address, consider signing up for Informed Delivery through the U.S. Postal Service to get daily images of the mail being sent to you to avoid missing notifications from USCIS.
The evidence that you have been approved for OPT is the Employment Authorization Document (EAD), a laminated card with your photo and employment authorization begin and end dates. After graduation, upload a copy of your EAD to your OISSS Gateway portal.
You should receive the EAD within 3 months (normal processing time) of the receipt date listed on the receipt notice. If you have not received the EAD within the normal processing time, contact OISSS.
After your approved OPT has begun, you will receive an email from do-not-reply.SEVP@ice.dhs.gov with an individualized link for creating an SEVP portal account. Use this account to report any address and employment changes throughout your OPT. Reporting your employment through the portal will stop the accrual of unemployment days in your SEVIS record.
If you decide not to use your OPT or you change your immigration status, please inform OISSS.
A student may not begin employment until all three of the following requirements are satisfied:
Please note that all on-campus employment (including fellowships and teaching/research assistantships) must stop by the program end date listed on page 1 of the student's I-20. Any OPT-eligible employment on-campus may resume after the start date of the EAD and should be reported by the student through the SEVP portal as OPT employment.