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OfficialStudy in the States — STEM OPT Hub · Last verified
The 24-month STEM OPT extension: who qualifies and when to file
The STEM extension adds 24 months to post-completion OPT. It needs an E-Verify employer, a signed training plan, and a filing window that closes when your current EAD expires.
What you need to qualify
You must be on valid post-completion OPT, hold a degree in a field on the Department of Homeland Security STEM Designated Degree Program List, and work for an employer enrolled in E-Verify. The employer must complete and sign Form I-983, the training plan, with you. The job must be paid and at least 20 hours a week.
Source: Study in the States — STEM OPT Hub · in effect from 2016-05-10
The filing window
You can file up to 90 days before your current OPT employment authorization document expires, and you must file before it expires. Your designated school official must first recommend the extension in SEVIS. If you file on time and your current EAD expires while the extension is pending, you may continue working for up to 180 days while U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services decides.
Source: Study in the States — STEM OPT Hub · in effect from 2016-05-10
What the training plan commits you to
Form I-983 describes what you will learn, how you will be supervised, and how your performance will be measured. You and your employer must report material changes, and you must submit a self-evaluation at 12 months and again at the end. The Department of Homeland Security may visit the employer's site.
Source: Study in the States — STEM OPT Hub · in effect from 2016-05-10
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Frequently asked questions
- Can I keep working while my STEM extension is pending?
- Yes, for up to 180 days past the expiry of your current EAD, provided you filed the extension before that EAD expired and your DSO recommended it in SEVIS.
- Does my employer have to be on E-Verify?
- Yes. E-Verify enrolment is a condition of the STEM extension, not a preference. An employer who is not enrolled cannot support it.