Initial OPT vs STEM OPT Extension

Initial post-completion OPT and the STEM OPT extension are both periods of F-1 work authorization, but they differ substantially in duration, employer requirements, reporting obligations, and compliance overhead. The STEM OPT extension is not simply more OPT — it is a distinct regulatory program with its own form (Form I-983), E-Verify mandate, and ongoing monitoring requirements introduced by the 2016 final rule.⁴

Duration

Initial post-completion OPT runs for 12 months from the date on the Employment Authorization Document (EAD) issued by USCIS.¹ Students who qualify for a STEM OPT extension receive an additional 24 months of work authorization, for a combined maximum of 36 months. Each 12-month OPT period counts toward the lifetime OPT cap at that degree level; the 24-month STEM extension is tracked separately and does not reduce a student's initial 12-month OPT entitlement.²

A second STEM OPT extension is available if the student later earns a qualifying STEM degree at a higher educational level. A student who already used the 24-month extension based on a bachelor's degree and subsequently earns a master's degree in a STEM field may apply for one additional 24-month extension, giving that student a theoretical maximum of 60 months of total OPT authorization across both degree levels.¹

Unemployment Limits

During initial post-completion OPT, a student may accumulate no more than 90 aggregate days of unemployment before violating F-1 status requirements. Days of unemployment accumulate continuously from the OPT start date, including weekends and holidays during any gap in employment.²

The STEM OPT extension adds an additional 60 days of allowed unemployment, for a maximum of 150 aggregate days across both the initial OPT and STEM extension periods combined. The 150-day limit counts all unemployment from the very beginning of the initial OPT start date, not just during the STEM extension window. A student who used 85 days of unemployment during initial OPT carries those days forward and has only 65 additional days of unemployment available during the STEM extension.¹

Students who exceed the aggregate unemployment limit have violated their F-1 status. Under current USCIS enforcement patterns, exceeding the 90-day limit during initial OPT has become grounds for denying the subsequent STEM OPT extension application.²

Employer Requirements

During initial OPT, employers are not required to be enrolled in E-Verify, and there is no formal training plan requirement. The student simply needs to work in a position that is directly related to their major field of study, and must maintain status by working at least part-time.¹

The STEM OPT extension imposes mandatory E-Verify enrollment on all participating employers.⁴ The employer must have a valid Employer Identification Number (EIN), must not be in a terminated or probationary status with E-Verify, and must complete Form I-983 detailing a formal training plan specific to the individual student. The employer must also provide compensation and working conditions commensurate with those of similarly situated US workers in the same role.¹

Staffing agencies, consulting firms, and sole proprietorships face additional constraints under STEM OPT. An employer that places students at client sites may use STEM OPT only if the employer—not the client—maintains the bona fide employer-employee relationship and provides the actual training. Arrangements where the signing employer merely provides labor for hire and the client company supervises and directs the work do not satisfy this requirement.⁴

Reporting and Monitoring

Initial OPT has minimal reporting requirements beyond maintaining general F-1 status (reporting address changes to the DSO within 10 days).¹

The STEM OPT extension has a structured reporting cadence. Students must report to their DSO every six months to confirm their legal name, residential address, email address, employer name, and employer address — even if nothing has changed.¹ Any change to these details must be reported within 10 days of the change. Students must also complete a self-evaluation using Form I-983 within 12 months of the STEM OPT start date and a final evaluation at the end of the extension period. Each evaluation must be signed by both the student and the employer and submitted to the DSO within 10 days of the evaluation period closing.³

Employers must report the student's termination of employment or departure to the DSO within 5 business days. DHS may conduct site visits to verify that the employer has the personnel, resources, and training infrastructure described in the Form I-983.¹

Application Process

Initial OPT is applied for by submitting Form I-765 to USCIS with an I-20 endorsed by the DSO, generally up to 90 days before the degree completion date. The application can be filed as early as 90 days before the OPT start date and no later than 30 days after the degree program end date.¹

The STEM OPT extension application requires additional steps. The student must first complete Form I-983 with the employer and submit it to the DSO. The DSO then enters a STEM OPT recommendation in SEVIS and issues a new I-20 with the STEM OPT endorsement. The student must submit Form I-765 to USCIS within 60 days of that I-20 issue date and no later than the expiration of their current OPT EAD.² The application window opens 90 days before the current OPT end date. Full details are in the application process article.

Grace Period Rules

After initial OPT expires, there is a 60-day grace period during which the student may remain in the US but cannot work. Students may not apply for a STEM OPT extension during the 60-day grace period — the extension application must be filed while the initial OPT is still active.²

If USCIS has not adjudicated the STEM OPT extension application by the time initial OPT expires, and the application was filed on time, USCIS automatically extends work authorization for up to 180 days while the application is pending. This automatic extension terminates the moment USCIS approves or denies the extension.¹