This information is designed for USC students in F-1 status. It provides information on a type of employment that is available before and after you complete your studies (for a maximum total of twelve months) after each higher degree program. You are highly recommended to attend the OPT workshop session for maximum information.

Definition of "Optional Practical Training"
Optional practical training is designed to provide you
with an opportunity to gain actual employment experience in your chosen profession for a maximum of one year, before or after completing a degree program. Its purpose is to complement your academic work. Optional practical training falls into four categories:

(1) full or part-time employment during your annual vacation;
(2) part-time employment (20 hours per week or less) while school is in session;
(3) full or part-time employment after you have completed your course requirements but before you have finished your thesis; or
(4) full-time employment after you have completed your degree.

Eligibility Requirements
The work must be directly related to your major field of study and it must be appropriate for someone with your level of education. You need not have a specific job offer to apply for optional practical training but be aware that you cannot recover portions of the optional practical training period that you may have spent searching for employment. The work may be full time or part time, and may occur anywhere in the United States. To be eligible to apply for optional practical training, you must have been in lawful student status for at least six months, and you must submit your application no earlier than 120 days before the date you will complete the requirements for your degree and no later than your three weeks prior to your degree completion date.

Application Deadline
You may apply to the Office of International Services no earlier than 120 days before you complete your studies (or 120 days before you want to begin work, if the practical training is before completion of studies). You may not apply later than 3 weeks prior to your degree completion date, but keep in mind that your application must pass through the Office of International Services and the CIS California Service Center. Once CIS receives your application it may take 120 days for you to receive your work authorization. If you wait to apply for permission, you will forfeit a significant portion of the practical training period.

Importance of the Actual Date You Complete Your Program of Study
CIS regulations refer to the date you complete all requirements for a program of study, not to the date you participate in graduation ceremonies and receive a certificate or diploma. Many students, especially graduate students in thesis or dissertation programs, may complete requirements for a degree any day during the year. This means that the last day of an academic term may not be the date you complete program requirements. Your lawful F-1 status expires 60 days after the date you complete degree requirements, and you are expected to leave the country by that date unless you file a timely application for practical training or make other arrangements to lawfully remain in the United States.

Part-Time vs. Full-Time Optional Practical Training
Both part-time and full-time optional practical training count towards the twelve-month total you have. Part-time training (20 hours per week or less) counts at one-half the full-time rate. For example, if you work part-time for four months, this would be considered 2 months to be subtracted from your twelve-month total.

Application and Authorization Procedures
Recommendation by the International Student Advisor: You must first get all the necessary forms by attending a mandatory Optional Practical Training Workshop sponsored by the Office of International Services and complete each one:

• Application for Employment F-1 Students form
• I-765 form
• 2 Photos (write first and last name and 1-94 card number on the back of each photo)
• Original I-20
• $180 check payable to Department of Homeland Security (write date of birth and I-94 card number at the top of your check)
• Copy of I-94 (front and back)
• Verification of graduation form OR
• Verification of graduation form(Engineering) , if graduation date is different from I-20

Bring the completed forms to an immigration advisor at OIS. The immigration advisor will check your documents and then recommend you to CIS for optional practical training. OIS will mail your application to the California Service Center.

Authorization by the Immigration Service: Your permission to begin optional practical training is not official until you have received an "Employment Authorization Document" (EAD) from the CIS.

Number of Times a Student is Eligible for Optional Practical Training
One Twelve-Month Period of Optional Practical Training is Available for each higher degree you obtain. A student may be authorized for 12 months of practical training and become eligible for another 12 months of practical training when he/she changes to a higher educational level. For example: a student who completes his bachelor's degree in Business and has 12 months of optional practical training, is eligible to apply for a second opt prior to completing his Masters in Business Administration. The same student is eligible to apply for a third opt prior to completing his Ph.D. in Economics.

Rescinding Authorization. Once authorization to engage in optional practical training is granted and the EAD is issued by CIS, it may not be possible to rescind or cancel unused portion of practical training. All such requests must be made in writing to CIS. This means that, after optional practical training is authorized by the CIS, unexpected delays in completing degree requirements, inability to find an appropriate job, or loss of a job may reduce the time you have available for work.

Actual Date Practical Training Employment May Begin
You may not begin work until both of the following requirements are satisfied:

1. you have obtained an EAD from the CIS
2. the date is reached when the EAD authorizes employment to begin.

Change of Employer After Post-Completion Practical Training Has Been Authorized
You may change employers after you have begun authorized employment provided the new job is

1. directly related to your major field of study
2. appropriate for someone having your level of education.

Travel Outside the United States
Reentry provisions of the regulations require students on optional practical training to present

1. CIS Form I-20 ID (Student) Copy, endorsed for travel by the international student adviser "within the last six months,"
2. the "Employment Authorization Document" (EAD)
3. Valid, unexpired F-1 Visa
4. Valid, unexpired Passport (valid at least 6 months into the future).

Students who do not meet all of these requirements may not be allowed to reenter the United States and therefore should not travel out of the country until they receive their EAD from CIS and should not reenter the country until they have a renewed visa from the U.S. Consulate (if their visa has expired).

In addition, if you are coming back to the United States after completion of studies and you do not already have a job, you may have difficulty entering the United States, especially if a long period of time has passed since you completed your studies. Be sure to consult with the Office of International Services when contemplating travel outside the United States and reentry to continue optional practical training.

Employment Eligibility Verification
When you begin to work, you and your employer must complete a form entitled "Employment Eligibility Verification" (CIS Form I-9), which the employer retains.

Tax Concerns
In general, F-1 students who have been in the United States less than five years are exempt from Social Security (F.I.C.A.) taxes. Your earnings are subject to applicable federal, state, and local taxes. Students must file a tax return on or before April 15 of each year. Students may be entitled to a refund of taxes withheld from their wages if the amount of tax owed is less than the amount withheld.

Applying for an Interim EAD Card
Students who have waited 90 days from the date the California Servie Center began processing your OPT application, you may go to CIS District Office and apply for an 8 month Interim EAD card. You must bring the following documents with you

1. Notice of Action
2. Passport
3. I-20
4. Social Security Card

You will eventually receive your 12 month EAD card from California Service Center. You may work in U.S. and travel out of U.S. using Interim EAD Card, just as you would with the 12 month EAD card.

Further Information

If you have any questions, please go through OPT Frequently Asked Questions by clicking here.

Additional information on F-1 employment is available from the Office of International Services. The staff at OIS can advise you about federal regulations governing your nonimmigrant student status.

Adapted from a document published by NAFSA: Association of International Educators 1875 Connecticut Avenue, N.W., Suite 1000, Washington, D.C. 20009-5728 USA