OPTIONAL PRACTICAL TRAINING OPT

1
OPTIONAL PRACTICAL TRAINING (OPT)
University of Florida International
Center International Student Services Revised
01-23-09
2
Heres what were going to discuss

• PART 1
• What is OPT?
• OPT Facts
• Three Kinds of OPT
• Pre-Completion
• Post-Completion
• PART 2
• 17 Month STEM Extension
• Reporting Requirements / Travel
• Applying for OPT

STANDARD OPT
3
What is OPT?

• Optional practical training is temporary
  employment authorization that allows F-1 students
  to gain practical work experience (on- or
  off-campus) by applying their academic knowledge
  to a position directly related to their area of
  study.

4
STANDARD OPT Facts

• To be eligible, you must have completed at least
  one full academic year of study (fall and spring
  semesters only)
• You can work on OPT before you graduate
  (pre-completion OPT) or after you graduate
  (post-completion) however, the guidelines are
  slightly different for each.
• MUST work in a position directly related to your
  field of study
• summer semesters are considered vacation time
  for international students and do NOT count
  toward full academic year of study.

5
STANDARD OPT Facts, cont.

• You do not need to have a job before you apply.
• Must be employed within 90 days of the OPT start
  date
• OPT is obtained through the US Citizenship and
  Immigration Service (USCIS).
• You are only eligible for 12 months of full-time
  OPT for each higher degree level earned.
• If your OPT is approved you will be issued an EAD
  card, which you must have BEFORE you begin
  working.
• Application fee for OPT is 340.

6
STANDARD OPT Pre-Completion

• Pre-completion OPT is granted to students who
  will work BEFORE graduation or program
  completion.
• Your OPT cannot begin until after you have
  completed your first year of full time study
  (fall and spring semesters).
• After you have completed the first academic year,
  the earliest you can apply for OPT is 90 days
  before you wish to begin working.
• You can choose what date you begin OPT.

7
STANDARD OPT Pre-Completion cont.

• Since you are working on OPT while you are still
  in school, you must be enrolled full-time (12
  credits undergraduate/ 9 credits graduate).
• You can only work 20 hours per week except during
  breaks from school, when you can work 40.
• The time you work using pre-completion OPT takes
  away from the 12 months total OPT, deducted at a
  50 rate.
• i.e. If you work 4 months using pre-completion
  OPT, you will have taken away 2 months of
  post-completion OPT, leaving you with only 10
  months of post completion OPT.

8
STANDARD OPT Post-Completion

• Post-completion OPT is granted to students who
  will work AFTER graduation/degree completion.
• You choose the date you wish to begin working.
• Start date MUST be within 60 days of graduation
• You should apply for OPT BEFORE you
  graduate/finish coursework or Clear Prior
• The earliest you can apply for post-completion
  OPT is 90 days before your graduation or
  completion date.
• You must work at least 20 hours or more per week.

USCIS does allow OPT application during the
grace period, BUT the application MUST be at the
USCIS office BEFORE the grace period is over and
you must still choose an OPT start date within
the grace period. Clear Prior You will finish
degree requirements before the beginning of the
next semester, but will not actually graduate
until the end of that next semester.
9
Applying for OPT

• Meet with an international advisor. Bring with
  you
• Departmental Confirmation letter, on departmental
  letterhead, stating graduation/completion date
  (if post-completion).
• Your passport (BRING THE ORIGINAL).
• Your I-94 (BRING THE ORIGINAL).
• Two passport-regulation photos which are less
  than 6 month old. On the back, write your name
  and I-94 number in pencil.
• Completed I-765 form (Fill this form out BEFORE
  meeting with your international advisor
  preferably TYPED.)
• Any EAD cards or employment records from previous
  jobs in the US.
• A check, money order, or cashiers check for
  340, payable to the Department of Homeland
  Security.

10
OPT Application Form
11
I-765 Application (numbers 3 and 16 will already
be filled in for you do not put anything in
number 17)
12
Departmental Confirmation Letter
13
Passport Photo Requirements (your photos must be
less than 6 months old)
14
Applying for OPT, cont.

• You will be responsible for mailing your
  application through the USPS to
• USCIS Texas Service Center
  PO Box 851041
  Mesquite, TX
  75185-1041
• Recommended to mail as Certified Mail
• The receipt notice and the OPT card will arrive
  at the UFIC, and you will be notified via your
  GatorLink email address as each arrive.
• If you cannot graduate/complete your program by
  the expected graduation/completion date, contact
  your Immigration Advisor at UFIC BEFORE your I-20
  expires.

15
Reporting RequirementsWhile on OPT

• Address Update
• You must update your address within TEN days of
  moving. There are three things you need to do
• Complete an AR-11. The form can be found at
  http//www.uscis.gov/AR-11 or you can complete
  your change of address online. Follow the
  instructions on the same link above.
• Update your personal info in MyUFL at
  https//my.ufl.edu
• Send an email to your International Student
  Advisor with your full name, new address and
  telephone number.

16
Reporting RequirementsWhile on OPT, cont.
Employer / Volunteer Info

• Employer Name
• Employer Address
• City, State, Zip Code

• Date Began/Started
• Date Ended/Stopped
• Supervisor's Name
• Supervisor's Email
• Supervisor's Tel

17
Volunteering(allowed only during Standard OPT)

• USCIS has allowed volunteering.
• Must still be related to your major.
• Must be at least 20 hours or more weekly.
• You should still obtain a Letter of
  Commitment/Volunteer for records.
• Must still be reported to you International
  Student Advisor

18
Travel During OPT

• You are still on an F1 visa during OPT
• Traveling out of the US is always risky, but if
  you choose to do so, in order to return to the
  U.S. you must have
• Valid Passport
• Valid F1 Student Visa
• I-20 (which has been endorsed for OPT)
• Valid travel signature (signature good for 6
  months at a time while on OPT)
• Employment Authorization Document (EAD/OPT card)
• Letter of Employment (on employers letterhead,
  stating your name, job title, brief description
  of duties, and a general idea of OPT start date
  if you have already started, just a letter
  confirming employment and knowledge of your
  travel plans, 2-3 pay stubs)

19
University of Florida International Center (UFIC)

• FORMS
• http//www.ufic.ufl.edu/issdownloads.htm
• Appointments 352-273-1538
• International Advisors
• Ethel Porras (A-I) ? eporras_at_ufic.ufl.edu
• Scott Davis (J-Q) ? sdavis_at_ufic.ufl.edu
• Martine Angrand (R-Z) ? mangrand_at_ufic.ufl.edu

20
The End(of Part 1)Questions?