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Practice Areas > Student Visa
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CURRICULAR PRACTICAL TRAINING " CPT " |
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CPT must relate to your major and the experience must be part of your program of study. When you enroll at the graduate level, your designated school official (DSO) may authorize CPT during your first semester if your program requires this type of experience. Ask your DSO for details.
Your DSO will provide you a new Form I-20, "Certificate of Eligibility for Nonimmigrant Student Status," that shows that the DSO has approved you for this employment. You can work on CPT either full-time or part-time. CPT requires a signed cooperative agreement or a letter from your employer.
If you have 12 months or more of full-time CPT , you are ineligible for OPT , but part-time CPT is fine and will not stop you from doing OPT . |
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OPTIONAL PRACTICAL TRAINING " OPT " |
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OPT must relate to your major or course of study.
You can apply for 12 months of OPT at each education level, (i.e., you may have 12 months of OPT at the bachelor's level and another 12 months of OPT at the master's level). Your DSO will provide you with a new Form I-20 that shows the DSO recommendation for this employment. You must apply for work authorization by electronically filing a Form I-765, "Application for Employment Authorization," with U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) and paying a filing fee. USCIS will send you a Form I-766, "Employment Authorization Document," (EAD) upon approving your FormI-765.
Wait to start work until after you receive your EAD. While school is in session, you may only work 20 hours per week. |
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17-Month OPT STEM Extension |
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You may qualify for an additional 17 months of OPT under the following circumstances:
The degree for your current period of post-completion OPT is a bachelor's, master's or doctoral degree in a science, technology, engineering or mathematics ( STEM ) program listed |
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The employer from which you are seeking employment uses the E-Verify program.
You have not previously received a 17-month extension of OPT .
Your DSO will provide you with a new Form I-20 that shows the DSO recommendation for this employment on page three.
You must apply for work authorization by electronically filing a Form I-765 with USCIS and paying a filing fee. USCIS will send you an EAD upon approving your petition.
You may continue to work on your expired EAD for OPT up to 180 days while your 17-month extension petition is pending if you meet these conditions: You are currently in a period of post-completion OPT .
You properly and in a timely manner filed your application for the 17-month extension with USCIS.
You must report changes in name, address, employer and loss of employment to your DSO within 10 days of any change. |
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