ELIGIBILITY
In order to qualify for an extension of your post-completion OPT, you must:
- Have graduated with a degree in a USCIS-approved STEM major—(BYU list of majors & codes),
- Be currently participating in OPT related to your major, and
- Be employed by an employer that is enrolled in the USCIS' E-Verify program.
REQUIREMENTS Detailed Q&As
- Submit your OPT extension application so that it is received by USCIS up to 120 days before your current OPT expires.
- USCIS must receive your OPT I-20 within 30 days of the Designated School Official’s signature date.
- Receive your Employment Authorization Document (EAD) and wait until the start date to continue your OPT.
- Keep records for each employment experience including the position held, proof of the duration of that position, the job title, contact information of the supervisor and a description of the work as explained below.
- You may accrue no more than 120 days of unemployment during your entire time of OPT–exceeding this time limit will cause you to lose your status.
- Each day during the period when OPT authorization begins and ends that you do not have qualifying employment, it counts as a day of unemployment. The only exception is that periods of up to 10 days between the end of one job and the beginning of the next will not be included in the total.
- If you travel outside the U.S. while unemployed counts in the calculation.
- If you travel while employed either during a period of authorized leave or as part of your employment, the time spent outside the U.S. will not count as unemployment if authorized by your employer.
- USCIS has placed responsibility upon you to report any employment events as defined below within 10 days.
- This is done through a Web form sent to International Services. Click here to access the reporting form.
- The following table suggests the best way to report the required information.
| Situation | Reportable Information |
|---|---|
| Add a second employer to your primary current employer | Employer name Employment start date Employer mailing address |
| Change to a new job | Previous employer name Previous employment end date New employer name Employment start date Employer mailing address |
| More than 10 days of unemployment | Indicate "unemployed" Ending date of last job |
| You decide to exit the U.S. and complete your F-1 status prior to the end date of OPT | Indicate "Completing OPT and exiting the U.S." Date of exit |
Application Procedure 
Step 1—Submit the following to International Services:
- Letter from your employer on company letterhead and signed by a company officer confirming:
- You are engaged in employment directly related to your major,
- Company agrees to notify International Services when you are terminated or leave employment and
- Company is enrolled in the E-Verify program.
- Completed Request for Extension of Optional Practical Training for Science, Technology, Engineering or Mathematics (STEM) Majors which will result in a new Form I-20 recommending your OPT extension
- Completed Application for Employment Authorization Form I-765—answer Item #16 on page 10 with ( c ) ( 3 ) ( C )
- Step 2—Receive from International Services and sign your new I-20
Step 3—Mail your application to USCIS paying attention to the following:
- It is advisable to make a copy of everything you send to USCIS for your personal records.
- Assemble your application materials in the following order:
- Completed Form I-765
- Copy of your BYU diploma which will show your degree and major
- 340 dollar check—preferred—or money order payable to U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services
- Copy of your new application Form I-20, properly endorsed, showing recommendation of your OPT and dated within 30 days of USCIS receipt
- Copies of all previous Form I-20s if you have participated in Curricular Practical Training (CPT)
- Copy of your Form I-94 Departure Record (front and back)
- Copy of your OPT EAD (front and back).
- Two identical passport-style color photos of yourself taken within 30 days of filing—we recommend you place them in a small plastic bag
- We recommend that you use certified return receipt mail as you send your materials to:
(for U.S. Postal Service deliveries)
USCIS
P.O. Box 21281
Phoenix, AZ 85036
(for courier/express non-U.S. Postal Service deliveries)
USCIS
Attn: AOS
1820 E. Skyharbor Circle S
Suite 100
Phoenix, AZ 85034
Step 4—After you have sent your application to the USCIS Phoenix lockbox:
- Wait until your EAD arrives before you begin your OPT extension.
- Make sure that you fax, send or leave a copy of your EAD with International Services.
- Report your employment information as described above.
- Report any changes in the above information within 10 days and confirm it again every six months even if there have been no changes.
- Terminate your employment when your EAD expires or when you transfer your SEVIS record to another school or begin study at another educational level with a new I-20 whichever occurs earliest.
Change of Address During the Application Process for OPT
If you move during the processing of your OPT application to an address not in your application materials, within 10 days of the move submit the information to both places listed below:
- USCIS, using Electronic AR-11 to inform those processing your application of your new address.
- BYU, using Route Y to update your personal information which also automatically updates your address in the SEVIS database. Submitting #1 does not update #2. Remember, you must update in Route Y within 10 of any address change.