Optional Practical Training (OPT) – Post-Completion OPT

Any employment on post-completion OPT must be directly related to your declared major.

Types of acceptable employment on post-completion OPT include:

• Paid Employment (i.e. employed on the employer’s regular payroll)
• Unpaid employment: Students may work as a volunteer or unpaid intern so long as this position does not violate labor laws. You must maintain your own records with appropriate confirmation from the employer to document that the employment is in your field of study and that you meet the required hours. Note that this type of work is not eligible for STEM Extension.
• Multiple employers: You can work for multiple employers in your field of study.
• 1099 contract employment: This is where an individual performs a service based on a contractual relationship rather than in an employer/employee relationship. Student should keep detailed records of such employment. Note that this type of employment has very different tax obligations depending on whether you are a resident or non-resident for taxes. Since 1099 employment is generally considered self-employment (which is not allowed on STEM OPT), this type of employment should be avoided during STEM Extension.
• Self-employed/business owner: A student on OPT can start their own business and work for it full-time. Self-employment also includes creating works of art or designing web applications with the expectation of later sales. Note that this type of employment is not eligible for STEM Extension.
• Employment through a staffing agency: Student must keep records to prove that employment assignments are in their field of study and are for at least 20 hours per week. Note that this type of employment is not eligible for STEM Extension.

While on post-completion OPT, you must be working at least 20 hours per week over a month. This work can be either paid or unpaid.

You are allowed 90 days of unemployment while on post-completion OPT. These days accumulate whether you’re in the U.S. or not. Going over 90 days of unemployment may result in your record being terminated by the government, which would negatively affect future travel back to the U.S.

Important: If you decide to return to your home country and not use your post-completion OPT, inform the ISSS Office right away. Unless the ISSS Office completes your SEVIS record, the system will assume that you are still pursuing OPT, and you will continue to accumulate unemployment days.

While on post-completion OPT, you must report any changes to your job or address within 10 days of the change. You can report these yourself via the SEVP portal. Changes that you need to report include:

• Job title
• Employer name address
• Employer identification number (EIN)
• Work site address (if different than employer’s address)
• Supervisor’s name
• Supervisor’s contact information (name and phone number)
• Start and end dates

If you plan to complete your OPT earlier than your approved time period (due to returning home or beginning graduate studies), notify the ISSS Office directly so the appropriate changes can be made to your SEVIS record.

1. No earlier than 90 days before your Program End Date, fill out an online I-765 (Application for Employment Authorization) application. Save the application as a draft and do not submit before you meet with the ISSS Office and obtain a new I-20. Submitting the application without a new I-20 with OPT recommendation will be rejected by USCIS.
2. Schedule an online appointment with a Designated School Official (DSO) in the ISSS Office to screen-share your online application. The DSO will review for completion. After reviewing your application, the DSO will recommend OPT for you in SEVIS and email you a new I-20 with the OPT recommendation notated.
3. Print and sign the new I-20.
4. Upload a scan of the signed I-20 with OPT recommendation to your I-765 application.
5. Submit the application and pay the filing fee.

When USCIS receives your electronic application, you will receive an email notification with a receipt. You will also receive your official receipt as a physical copy in the mail. Both will have your individual receipt number, which you can use to track the status of your application online on the USCIS Case Status website.

You may receive a request for evidence (RFE) if there is a correction or clarification that needs to be made with your application. RFEs can either be issued on your USCIS portal or physically in the mail.

If you receive an RFE, read it carefully and follow its exact instructions. Be sure to respond with all the information requested and within the designated timeframe to avoid further delays with your application.

After your application is approved, you will receive an Employment Authorization Document (EAD) card in the mail. This card will show the official dates you can work. You must wait until you receive this card to begin working. If you notice any errors on your card (e.g. name, dates, etc.), contact the ISSS Office for guidance.

Important: While waiting for your EAD card, do not throw out any mail without examining it first. The EAD is mailed in a plain priority mail envelope. This envelope will not have a USCIS return address or other signs that indicate it as a government document.

​If you do not receive your card in the mail within 90 - 120 days after applying, contact the ISSS Office for further assistance.

On your OPT start date, you will receive an email from SEVP to create an account on the SEVP Portal. In this portal, you can add and self-report changes to the following:

• Residential address
• Phone number
• Employment start/end dates
• Changes to supervisor
• Additional employment (e.g. adding a second employer)

If you do not receive your SEVP portal invitation on the first day of your OPT, email the ISSS Office so we can reset your portal account. Note that the portal invitation will be sent to the email in your SEVIS record.

You can leave the U.S. at any time during your 60-day grace period. Once you leave the U.S., you cannot re-enter the country on your Pomona I-20.

If you want to explore a new visa category, we recommend working with an immigration attorney. The ISSS Office is only able to provide advice regarding the F and J visas. For limited information about switching to H-1B immediately after OPT, see Cap-Gap Extension.

If you have been accepted to a new academic program for study, we can transfer your F-1 record to your new school. To request a transfer of your record, send the ISSS Office the following information as early as possible. Your transfer must be initiated with Pomona College and completed by the new institution within your grace period and before traveling outside the U.S.:

• Acceptance letter from the new school
• Your new program’s start date (if not included in acceptance letter)
• New school’s SEVIS code
• The date you’d like the ISSS Office to transfer out your record

If your new program begins within 5 months of your program end date, you can remain in the U.S. until your new program’s start date. You will need to receive an I-20 from your new school to return to the U.S. if you plan to travel abroad after your record has been transferred.

If your new program begins more than 5 months after your program end date, the ISSS Office will be unable to transfer your record. Instead, you will need to leave the country by the end of your 60-day grace period, then re-enter on a new initial I-20 from your new school. Consult your new school for more information about their procedures and timelines for requesting an initial I-20.

No. You earn 12 months of OPT per degree level. If you continue onto graduate studies, you lose your OPT eligibility on your bachelor’s degree, but will earn 12 months of OPT based on your graduate degree.

Your start date for OPT must be between the day after your program end date and 60 days after your program end date. It is up to you to decide what to put for your OPT start date given your individual circumstances. Some factors to consider include:

• How long you think you’ll need for your job search (remember that your 90 days of unemployment start counting from your OPT start date)
• Whether a job opportunity you’re pursuing has a required start date/time frame (remember you cannot start working before your OPT start date)

Note that it is very difficult to change your OPT start date once your application has been submitted to USCIS.

No, unless they are recreational or avocational classes. Because your purpose during post-completion OPT is to work, enrolling in classes is restricted.

Studying full-time or starting a new program of study (such as a Masters or Doctoral program) while on OPT will result in your OPT being terminated. That means you would lose the remaining time left on your OPT and be no longer able to work on OPT authorization.