STEM OPT Extension

Students graduating from Towson University with degrees in the STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) fields are eligible for a 24 month STEM OPT extension.  

USCIS is taking a more severe interpretation of STEM OPT employer-employee relationship and third party placements. Review new requirements before submitting I-983 to ISSO.

Changes to STEM employer requirements

24 Month STEM OPT Extension Rules

  • Students are now allowed up to two periods of STEM OPT, each following a current Post-Completion OPT.
  • Students with a prior bachelor's or higher degree (completed within the last 10 years) in a STEM field can apply for STEM OPT after completion of a non-STEM degree OPT period.
  • Total number of allowed unemployment days while on OPT and STEM OPT is 150 days.
  • STEM OPT employment must be paid and salary must be commensurate to that of U.S. workers in similar positions
  • Students on STEM cannot use volunteer positions or self-employment to meet employment requirement. Many contract work positions and temporary agency work may no longer qualify for STEM extension employment. 
  • Students and their employers need to complete form I-983. Form I-983 is a formal training plan between the student and employer.
  • There are now additional reporting requirements and the possibility of site visits by the Department of Homeland Security.

Criteria to Apply for STEM OPT Extension

  • Be currently authorized for Post-Completion OPT AND working for a U.S. employer in a job directly related to your field of study. 
  • Completed a bachelor’s, master’s or doctoral degree in a STEM major/program or have a STEM degree from a previous institution.
  • Not have more than 90 days of unemployment during Post-Completion OPT.
  • Have a job or job offer from an employer registered with the E-Verify federal employment verification system. 
  • Students wishing to apply for STEM extension must be paid. Students cannot use volunteer positions or self-employment to meet employment requirement.  Many contract work positions and temporary work may no longer qualify for the STEM extension employment.

Applying for STEM OPT Extension

The earliest you can apply for STEM OPT is 90 days before the end date of your current Post-Completion OPT. Please allow 5 business days for the ISSO to review your STEM OPT Extension Request in the ISSO Portal.

Submit STEM requests through the ISSO portal.  Emailed requests will not be accepted or processed.

STEM Requests
  1. Work with your employer to complete the I-983 (PDF) Training Plan.  DHS instructions for I-983. 
  2. Submit STEM OPT request through the ISSO Portal.  You will need to upload the following information into the Portal. 
    1. Completed form I-983 (PDF) . Helpful tips (PDF) for completing I-983.
    2. Employment offer letter
    3. Copy of passport
    4. Copy of F-1 visa
    5. Copy ofmost recent I-94
    6. Copy of OPT EAD card 
  3. Complete the STEM request questionnaire with the required information.  You will nee to submit your employment information and describe how your position is related to your field of study.
  4. You will be notified by email if your form I-983 is approved or needs to be resubmitted.  
  5. Once approved, we will send you a email notification to download your STEM OPT Recommendation I-20 in the ISSO portal.

STEM OPT Application Checklist

You can now file your I-765 Application for Employment Authorization for STEM OPT online at the MyUSCIS website. If you are applying for STEM OPT, the type of employment authorization you are requesting is type: (c)(03)(C). As part of your application online, you will need the following documents

  1. STEM OPT recommendation I-20 (Do not submit your application before you have obtained this from the ISSO! Be sure you have signed it before you upload the copy.)
  2. Copy of the photo/biographical page of your passport
  3. Copy of your F-1 visa
  4. Copy of your most recent I-94 or copy of both sides of I-94 if it is the white card
  5. Copy of all previous I-20s with work authorization (any prior CPT or OPT or STEM OPT)
  6. Photograph of you meeting passport photo requirements - this can be a digital photograph, and you can edit it and compare your photo to samples using this Department of State Photo Tool.
  7. Copy of any previously issued EAD(s) - including the one issued for your post-completion OPT.
  8. Copy of your official or unofficial transcript for your most recent degree
  9. Copy of diploma demonstrating that you have been awarded a degree in a STEM field.
  10. Credit card to make the $470 application fee. Do not submit your payment info until you have triple-checked all of your application materials - once you pay, you cannot change your application!

With a pending STEM OPT application with USCIS, you may continue to work for up to 180 days until USCIS adjudicates your application.

Submission Reminder:

We recommend that you triple-check all of your entries and documents for accuracy before you submit your application on the MyUSCIS website: if you submit an application with an error, you will have to pay another $470 for a new application.

STEM OPT Reporting Requirements and Responsibilities for Students and Employers

  • Every 6 months students on STEM OPT must confirm continued employment with ISSO using the STEM OPT Validation Report request in the ISSO Portal.  If there are any changes to the students’ name or email address you must submit that information directly to the ISSO.  If there is a change in your address and/or phone number, you may submit that information through the SEVP portal.  Students must report changes to the ISSO or through the SEVP portal within 10 calendar days.
  • Students may not accrue more than 150 days of unemployment during the total 36-month period.
  • The student must submit their 12-month and 24-month self-evaluation reports to the ISSO using the STEM OPT Validation Report request in the ISSO Portal. The ISSO will keep these evaluations in the student’s immigration file.
  • If the student changes employers or moves to a position in the same company with different responsibilities, a new I-983 must be submitted through the ISSO Portal via an OPT Employer Update request within 10 calendar days to the ISSO.

STEM OPT FAQ

On your I-20, you will find a numeric code "XX.XXXX" under your Major. This is the CIP code for your major. The Department of Homeland Security determines which of these codes is eligible for STEM OPT. You can find their list of STEM-eligible codes here.

Alternatively, here is a list of majors at Towson which are STEM-eligible:

Bachelor's-Level: Biology, Business Systems & Processes, Chemistry, Computer Science, Earth Science, Enviornmental Science & Studies, Forensic Chemistry, Geology, Information Systems, Information Technology, Mass Communication, Mathematics, Molecular Biology, Biochemistry & Bioinformatics, Physics

Master's-Level: Accounting & Business Advisory Services, Actuarial Science & Predictive Analytics, Applied & Industrial Mathematics, Applied Information Technology, Applied Physics, Biology, Computer Science, Environmental Science, Forensic Science, Instructional Technology, Marketing Intelligence, Supply Chain Management

Doctoral-Level: Information Technology, Instructional Technology

 

Yes.

Your job must meet the following requirements:

  1. Must be directly related to your degree and in the STEM field
  2. Must be paid with more than 20 hours per week
  3. Must be with an employer who has enrolled in the e-Verify system
  4. Cannot be self-employment or through a Temp agency
The Form I-983 is a Training Plan that is required by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. The training plan must clearly articulate the STEM OPT student’s learning objectives and affirm the employer’s commitment to helping the student achieve those objectives.

Remember that for the government, your job while on STEM OPT is still Optional Practical Training: not employment, but training. The Form I-983 documents you and your employer's training plans and expectations.

The Department of Homeland Security has their own instructions, which can be found at this link.

Additionally, the ISSO also has some tips on how to complete the Form I-983, found on this handout.

Some key things to remember:

  • the I-983 asks for your employer's EIN, but does not ask for their e-Verify number
  • The descriptions in section 5 must include a timeline of your training. At minimum, you should include what will be covered/learned/accomplished in the first 12 months of the STEM OPT and then what will be covered/learned/accomplished in the second 12 months of STEM OPT. You will use this information to inform your completion of the I-983 self-evauation and final evaluation at the 12- and 24-month points in your STEM OPT.

No.

E-Verify is an Internet-based system that allows businesses to determine the eligibility of their employees to work in the United States. It is 4-7 digits.

EIN is Employer Identification Number. It is a 9-digit number assigned by the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) for the purposes of taxation and identification.

Your STEM OPT dates are determined by the end date of your post-completion OPT.Your STEM OPT start date will be the day after your post-completion OPT end date. Your STEM OPT end date will be two years later (see example below).

For example, if your post-completion OPT end date is June 16, 2022, then your STEM OPT start date will be June 17, 2022. Your STEM OPT end date will then be June 16, 2024.

Historically, USCIS has taken 90-110 days to process STEM OPT. Sometimes applications are processed in a shorter time.

You can check the most current USCIS processing times on their website. Select Form I-765 Application for Employment Authorization, and most STEM OPT applications are processed by the Potomac Service Center. Scroll to the bottom of the page to see your particular form type. Please note that these processing times can change at any point in time.

You can, but it may result EAD card delays or a lost EAD card. You should use a mailing address on your STEM OPT application that you know will be valid for 3-5 months.

If you MUST change your address, please complete USCIS’ Change of Address form online – you will need your Receipt number, old address and new address, and your email address.

You can apply for STEM OPT 90 days before your post-completion OPT End Date. USCIS must receive your STEM OPT application before the last day of your post-completion OPT.

You will first need to find a STEM-eligible job (must be with e-Verify employer, more than 20 hours per week, in your field, at your level), and you must work with your employer to complete the Form I-983.

You will then apply through the ISSO Portal for a STEM OPT Extension, and upload the Form I-983 as part of your application for a STEM OPT I-20. We will review your I-983 form and either approve it or ask for changes. Once we approve the I-983, we will then issue you a STEM OPT Recommendation I-20.

You will then use the STEM OPT Recommendation I-20 to apply for STEM OPT, and you can now do this online via the MyUSICS online system. You will be filing an I-765 application for employment authorization online, and the type of employment you are requesting is the (c)(03)(C) type: STEM OPT. You will upload the required documents and triple-check your application before submitting payment, which submits your application.

USCIS must officially receive your application before your post-completion OPT End Date.

You will need to submit:

  • Copy of STEM OPT Recommendation I-20 (Issue Date must be within 60 days of your submission to USCIS)
  • Copy of previous EAD Card including your OPT EAD card
  • Passport-style Photographs (See photo requirements here, including link to editing tool)
  • Copy of Passport biographical page
  • Copy of most recent I-94
  • Copy of F-1 visa
  • Copy of Degree diploma and transcript (STEM degree)
  • Copies of any I-20s with previous OPT or CPT authorizations (any work authorization)
  • You will need your STEM OPT employer's EIN and e-Verify number - they will be different numbers

You DO NOT need to submit your Form I-983 to USCIS as part of your STEM OPT application: you only need to submit this to the ISSO.

 

The e-Verify system has a search tool where you can find all employers that are currently using the e-Verify system. You should check to make sure your employer is on the list.

If your employer is NOT using e-Verify, they can find out more about how to join the e-Verify system here. Remember, you cannot work for an employer who is NOT in the e-Verify system.

 

While on post-completion OPT, you get 90 days of unemployment. When your STEM OPT begins, you are eligible for an additional 60 days, for a total of 150.

For example, if you use 45 days of unemployment while on post-completion OPT, you will have 105 days of unemployment to use while on STEM OPT.

If you go over the 90 days of unemployment during your post-completion OPT, you are not eligible for STEM OPT.

Yes. If your STEM OPT application to USCIS is still pending after your post-completion OPT End Date, you can continue to work for up to 180 days while you are waiting to hear back from USCIS about your application for STEM OPT work authorization.

If your STEM OPT is not approved in those 180 days, then you must stop working until you hear back from USCIS.

If your employer changes BEFORE your STEM OPT Start Date, you will need to complete a new I-983 form with your new employer, and submit it with your new employer's information via a OPT Employer Update request on the ISSO Portal.

If your employer changes AFTER your STEM OPT Start Date (but your application is still pending with USCIS), you will need to complete the Final Evaluation portion of the I-983 form for your first employer, and submit it via a OPT Employer Update request. You will also need to complete an I-983 form with your new employer and include it in an additional OPT Employer Update request. You will be submitting 2 Report STEM OPT Participation forms in total.

Yes, you must complete a Report STEM OPT Participation form on the ISSO Portal at the 6, 12, 18, and 24-month marks of your STEM OPT, even if there are no changes to your information.