Does unpaid work count against my unemployment days?

Unpaid volunteer or internship work can count as employment if it is at least 20 hours a week, directly related to your major, and does not violate labour laws. Report it to your DSO so it appears in SEVIS.

Do the 90 days reset when my STEM extension is approved?

No. The extension adds 60 days to the original 90, giving 150 in total across the whole OPT period. Days already used still count.

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OfficialUSCIS — Optional Practical Training (OPT) for F-1 Students · Last verified 17 Aug 2026

How many unemployment days you have on OPT

Post-completion OPT allows 90 days of unemployment in total. The STEM extension adds 60 more, for 150 across both. Going over ends your status.

The limits

During post-completion OPT you may accrue a total of 90 days of unemployment. If you are approved for the 24-month STEM OPT extension you get an additional 60 days, which is 150 days in total across the whole period. These are aggregate days, not consecutive ones, so a week here and a month there add up.

Source: USCIS — Optional Practical Training (OPT) for F-1 Students · in effect from 2016-05-10

What counts as employed

Work must be directly related to your major area of study and must be at least 20 hours per week. Paid employment, multiple employers, short-term multiple employers, work for hire, self-employment, employment through an agency and unpaid volunteer or internship work can all count, provided the 20-hour and relatedness conditions are met and the work does not violate labour laws.

Source: USCIS — Optional Practical Training (OPT) for F-1 Students · in effect from 2016-05-10

Reporting is what protects you

Report every employer, every change of employer, and every change of address to your designated school official so your SEVIS record shows the employment. Unreported work is indistinguishable from unemployment in the record, and the record is what counts. Report within 10 days of any change.

Source: USCIS — Optional Practical Training (OPT) for F-1 Students · in effect from 2016-05-10

Official

Frequently asked questions

Does unpaid work count against my unemployment days?: Unpaid volunteer or internship work can count as employment if it is at least 20 hours a week, directly related to your major, and does not violate labour laws. Report it to your DSO so it appears in SEVIS.
Do the 90 days reset when my STEM extension is approved?: No. The extension adds 60 days to the original 90, giving 150 in total across the whole OPT period. Days already used still count.