About Optional Practical Training (OPT) STEM Extensions

The OPT STEM Extension is a work authorization extension granted by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) through the United States Citizenship & Immigration Services (USCIS), which enables a student to continue working after their first year of OPT has ended.

Students who have earned a degree from an accredited and SEVIS approved U.S. Institution, either currently or previously, in a STEM field (Science, Technology, Engineering, or Mathematics) may qualify to apply for an extension of their OPT for an additional 24 months.  

Students must be employed by an E-verify company.  There must be an established employer-employee relationship between the employer and the F-1 student.

OPT STEM Extension Eligibility Requirements

In order to apply for OPT STEM Extension, students must meet the following requirements:

  • Must have graduated from a qualifying STEM program with a qualifying CIP Code

  • Must be currently authorized on post-completion OPT

  • Must have an E-Verify employer

  • Must be employed for a minimum of 20 hours per week

  • Must be employed in your major field of study

  • Must be receiving compensation for your work

Students can apply for a STEM Extension based on a previously awarded STEM degree as long as:

  • They have not previously used the STEM Extension for this program before

  • They are currently on post-completion OPT

  • They meet all of the other eligibility criteria listed above

Students will also need to be employed in a position that is related to their qualifying STEM degree that has been previously earned.

If you have any questions about this, please contact your International Advisor.

When Students can Apply for an OPT STEM Extension

Students may apply for STEM OPT extension up to 90 days prior and no later than their current OPT expiration date. USCIS must receive your application by your OPT expiration date at the latest.

OPT STEM Extension Application Process

Complete the following forms and upload them to your International Student and Scholar Services Portal.

Note: Save each form individually and upload all government forms to your International Student and Scholar Services Student Portal. Please fill them out on your computer and save them as PDFs – do NOT print them out or fill them out with a pen.

All documents must be typed. Electronic signatures are not valid on the I-765 - Do not sign the I-765.

Once International Student and Scholar Services receives all of these documents and the request, a DSO will review them and contact you if corrections need to be made and when the I-20 is ready.

Processing your I-20 for OPT may take up to seven business days.

Submit your online I-765 application to USCIS and pay your application fee. Your application must be received/submitted within 60 days of the date on the OPT I-20. It is your responsibility to submit your application on time!

After you submit your application, You will receive your receipt notice in your myUSCIS portal and in an email/text 7-10 days after USCIS has accepted your application. This does NOT mean that your OPT has been approved, or that you have been granted any benefits.

When applying for the OPT STEM Extension application, you will be asked to upload and include the following documents: 

  1. 1 passport photo (2" x 2") with white background (use photo tool to verify)
  2. Copy of Passport ID page
  3. Copy of F-1 visa stamp page
  4. Copy of your most recent I-94
  5. copy of original EAD card
  6. copy of signed STEM OPT-recommended I-20 
  7. canned copy of your degree and unofficial transcripts or scanned copy of your official transcripts
    • Transcripts must show the level of degree, the field of study, and graduation/degree conferral date.
  8. Copy of UNLV-NWCCU institution accreditation document
  9. Credit card/debit card to pay application fee

Updating Mailing Address while OPT is Pending

If you move while your OPT application is pending with USCIS and you did not give them a separate mailing address, you will need to update your mailing address with USCIS.

It is recommended that all OPT students also verify their address with USPS before updating USCIS.

Responsibilities and Maintaining F-1 Status while on OPT STEM Extension

After you receive your EAD card from USCIS, submit a copy of the card (front and back) through your International Student and Scholar Services Portal. This is necessary to check that there are no errors on the card. If either you or your international student advisor finds errors on the card, it will need to be mailed back to USCIS for correction. Please contact your international student advisor for this situation.

Within 10 days of any changes to the student’s address or employment (moving to a new address, starting a job, quitting a job, adding a second job, etc.), contact your international advisor.

OPT SEVP Portal

Since your OPT will have already been approved, you will not receive a new email to activate the SEVP OPT Portal. While this account will have been automatically generated for students on OPT, International Student and Scholar Services strongly recommends that students instead use the International Student and Scholar Services Portal to complete all employer reporting so that International Student and Scholar Services can better assist if there is a problem. 

Employment on OPT

After being approved for the OPT STEM Extension, your unemployment time will increase from 90 days to 150 days that will cover all three years of your OPT (first year of OPT and the following two-year extension). Any time that was used in the first year of OPT will be deducted from the total 150 days.

Full-Time Employment on OPT

Full-time employment on OPT STEM has the following requirements that must be met:

  • The job is more than 20 hours per week,

  • The job is in the student’s major area of study,

  • The employer is registered in the E-Verify Program, and

  • The student must be compensated for their work

In September 2019, USCIS and SEVP determined that students must provide a clearer relationship between the job and the student’s major area of study. Some examples include:

  • Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering: I work full-time as an Electrical Engineer at ABC Corporation, a government contractor. In my job, I analyze client requirements for electrical systems and provide them with cost estimates of such systems. My work requires understanding of electrical circuit theory, which I studied in-depth at the University of ABC.

  • Master's degree in Music: I am working at a hospital playing the harp in patient rooms. I also conduct hands-on, harp beginner workshops for long-term patients. On average, I work at the hospital 35 hours a week. My duties directly utilize the skills and knowledge I acquired from my coursework and degree in music therapy.

Students should follow this example when completing the OPT STEM Extension Request form. 

Read the official notice.

Unlike when applying for the first year of OPT, students can continue working for 180 days after their original OPT end date while on their OPT STEM extension, even if the application is pending with USCIS and have not received their new EAD card.

If the 180 days pass and you have not received the new EAD card, you must stop working until your OPT application is approved and you have received your new EAD card.

Once the OPT STEM Extension application has been approved, USCIS will backdate the start date of the EAD card to the day after the first year of OPT expired. For example, if the first year of OPT ended on June 30, 2021, the new EAD card will start on July 1, 2021.

Students are allowed to change employers while on the STEM extension. The new employer must also be E-Verified and the student must work for a minimum of 20 hours per week with compensation.

In order to change employers, students must submit:

You must check in with your International Student and Scholar Services advisor every six months once your OPT STEM Extension has been approved. Depending on which month of your STEM extension it is, you will have to submit different documents. Please see the table below:

OPT Stem Six-Month Validation

Check-In Date

Documents to Submit

6-Month Check-In (6 months after OPT STEM Start Date)

Optional Practical Training (OPT) STEM 6-Month Check-In Form

12-Month Check-In (12 months after OPT STEM Start Date)

Optional Practical Training (OPT) STEM 6-Month Check-In Form

and

Top half of page 5 of I-983 (1st Evaluation)

18-Month Check-In (18 months after OPT STEM Start Date)

Optional Practical Training (OPT) STEM 6-Month Check-In Form

24-Month Check-In (24 months after OPT STEM Start Date)

Optional Practical Training (OPT) STEM 6-Month Check-In Form

and

Bottom half of page 5 of I-983 (Final/2nd Evaluation)

EAD Card was not Delivered or was Lost by USPS

If the USCIS Case Tracker says that the EAD card was delivered but it is not in the mailbox, there are not a lot of options available.

International Student and Scholar Services recommends that students first contact their local USPS to file an inquiry.

If students are unable to find the EAD card, then it is recommended to contact ISSS for additional guidance to request a replacement EAD by filing a new Form I-765 online and paying a filing fee. If you did not receive an EAD that USCIS mailed, you can also submit an inquiry on non-delivery of a card.

Options After OPT STEM Has Ended

Just like with completing your degree program and first year of OPT, you will have a 60-day grace period after your OPT STEM extension has ended. You will need to choose to do one of the following:

  • Return to your home country before the end of your 60-day grace period,

  • Change your immigration status by filing an application with USCIS

  • Begin a new degree program (either at UNLV or another school)

If you decide to change your immigration status, you will need to submit the application to USCIS as soon as possible and at least have the receipt notice by the end of your 60-day grace period. 

USCIS has issued guidance that students must maintain their current status while the change of status application is pending. Therefore, International Student and Scholar Services recommends that students maintain their F-1 status until their new immigration status is approved. If you have questions about how to do this, please contact your international advisor.

If you decide to return for another program at UNLV, you will need to work with the proper admissions office to be admitted and be issued your new, Change of Education Level I-20. This new I-20 must be issued before the end of your 60-day grace period and your new program must start within five months of your OPT STEM Extension end date or the next available semester (whichever is first).

If you decide to transfer to another school to begin a new program, you will first need to be admitted to the new program and follow the steps listed in the Transfer-Out Request in the OISS Portal. A new Transfer-Pending I-20 from your new school must be issued before the end of your 60-day grace period and your new program must start within five months of your OPT STEM Extension end date or the next available semester (whichever is first).