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Optional Practical Training (OPT)

OPT Checklist and Application (click to download)

OPT is a temporary employment directly related to the student's major area of study and commensurate with his/her educational level. The purpose of OPT is to provide a student with an opportunity to receive on-the-job-training before returning to his/her home country. A student is eligible for 12 months of OPT per degree level. Any OPT time used prior to completion of program will be deducted from the total 12 months of eligibility.

Eligibility

• You have been in lawful immigration status and a full-time student for at least one academic year;

• You are currently in F-1 status;

OPT can be authorized at the following times ONLY:

          ● Full-time or part-time employment during the student's annual vacation and at other times when school is not in session if the student is currently enrolled and eligible, and intends to register for the next semester;

          ● Part-time employment (20 hour per week or fewer) while school is in session; Must be approved by Departmental Director of Graduate Studies and, if applicable, the student's dissertation advisor. Please see Employment Policy as listed in the Graduate School Announcement. While school is in session, a student may only work a total of 20 hours per week. This means that a student may not hold an AI (Assistantship in Instruction) or AR (Assistantship in Research) in conjunction with OPT;

          ● Full-time employment after completion of all course requirements for the degree, but while working on the theses or dissertation (for up to 12 months of ETDCC status);

          ● Full-time employment after completion of the course of study.

  Application deadline

You may apply up to 90 days before your program end date and no later than 60 days after your program end date. However, you may NOT request a start date that is more than 60 days after your program end date.

Processing Time

It may take the USCIS between 60 and 90 days to process your OPT application. The processing times may be delayed more than 12 weeks during busy times (for example, at fall and spring graduation time). If you wish to apply for OPT, please read and follow these instructions carefully. If your application has not met all of the criteria listed below, it will not be accepted until it is complete.

USCIS Case Status Online

The USCIS will send you a receipt notice in advance of approval with a number in the top left beginning with

EAC. You can use this number to track the progress of your application at the USCIS Case Status Online.

Authorization and Travel

Once OPT is authorized, it is not possible to cancel it, even if you do not complete your degree when expected. You may not begin your employment prior to the approved starting date on your EAD. Employment authorization will begin on the date requested or the date the employment is adjudicated, whichever is later.

If you complete your program and depart the U.S. before you have received the EAD card, you will not be permitted to enter the U.S. without the EAD card in your possession.

Reporting Requirements while on OPT

You are still in F-1 status while on OPT, and under Princeton University's visa sponsorship, so you must continues to report any change of address to the Office of Visa Services within 10 days of the change. The OVS will then update your SEVIS record and inform the USICS about your new address.

The immigration regulations ALSO require ALL students on the initial 12 month period of OPT to report their employment information, any change in their employment information and any "interruption of ...employment" to the OVS. Please report address changes, name changes, employment updates and employment interruptions to the OVS by submitting the following form:

OPT Address/Employer Change Form

Periods of Unemployment while on OPT

The changes will then be reported in SEVIS. Students authorized for OPT are required to be employed to maintain F-1 status. while a job offer is not required for the initial 12 months of OPT, maintaining status during OPT requires that a student may not be unemployed for more than 90 days of 12 months. Each day (including weekends) during the period when OPT authorization begins and ends that the student does not have qualifying employment counts as a day of unemployment. OPT authorization begins on the employment start date shows on the student's EAD.

The only exception is that periods of up to 10 days between the end of one job and the beginning of next job are not included in the calculation of time spent unemployed. This 10 day exception also applies to the first 10 days from the start date on the student's EAD.

Employment allowed while on OPT

All OPT employment must be in a job that is related to the student's degree program. This employment may include:

• Paid employment. You may work part time (at least 20 hours per week when on post-completion OPT) or full time.

Multiple employers. You may work for more than one employer, but all employment must be related to your degree program and for pre-completion OPT cannot exceed the allowed per week cumulative hours.

Work for hire. This is also commonly referred to as 1099 employment where an individual performs a service based on a contractual relationship rather than an employment relationship. If requested by the Department of Homeland Security, you must be prepared to provide evidence showing the duration of the contract periods and the name and address of the contacting company.

Self-employed business owner. Students on OPT may start a business and be self-employed. In this situation, you must work full time. You must be able to prove that you have the proper business licenses and are actively engaged in a business related to your degree program.

Employment through an agency or consulting firm. Students on post-completion OPT should be able to provide evidence showing they worked an average of at least 20 hours per week while employed by the agency.

• Unpaid employment. Students on OPT may work as volunteers or unpaid interns, where this does not violate any labor laws. the work must be at least 20 hours per week for students on post-completion OPT. If requested by the Department of Homeland Security, you must be prepared to provide evidence from the employer that you worked at least 20 hours per week during the period of employment.