STEM OPT Application Process

The STEM OPT application involves four sequential steps: completing Form I-983 with the employer, obtaining a new I-20 from the Designated School Official (DSO), filing Form I-765 with USCIS, and then fulfilling ongoing reporting obligations once the extension is approved.¹ Each step has strict deadlines, and a missed deadline at any stage can result in a gap in work authorization or an outright denial.

Step 1: Complete Form I-983 with the Employer

Form I-983, "Training Plan for STEM OPT Students," is the foundational document of the STEM OPT extension. The student must download the current version from ICE, complete Section 1 (student and school information), and then work with the employer to complete Sections 2 through 6 (employer information, training goals, objectives, and attestations).³

Section 1 requires the student's full legal name exactly as it appears on the Form I-20 and in SEVIS, the student's current SEVIS ID number, the name of the SEVP-certified school recommending the extension, the name of the school where the qualifying STEM degree was earned (which may be different), the SEVIS school code, the DSO's contact information, the qualifying STEM degree's CIP code, the degree level (bachelor's, master's, or doctorate), and the date the degree was conferred.³

Sections 2 through 6, completed by the employer, require the employer's legal name as it appears in E-Verify, the E-Verify Company Identification Number, the employer's EIN, the work location address, the student's job title, a detailed description of the practical training goals and objectives, the knowledge and skills the student will acquire, the performance evaluation criteria, and the name and contact information of the supervisor who will oversee the training.⁶ Every training plan must describe the direct relationship between the STEM OPT opportunity and the student's qualifying STEM degree — a generic job description without this connection will trigger a Request for Evidence.⁴

The student submits the completed, signed Form I-983 to their DSO before the DSO can enter the STEM OPT recommendation in SEVIS.³

Step 2: DSO Recommendation and STEM I-20

After receiving the completed Form I-983, the DSO reviews the form for completeness and enters the STEM OPT recommendation in SEVIS. The DSO then issues a new Form I-20 with a STEM OPT endorsement — this I-20 will show the new OPT end date (24 months after the current OPT end date) and will include the employer's name as listed in E-Verify.¹

The application window opens 90 days before the current OPT end date. Applications filed earlier in the window allow more processing time before the OPT EAD expires and give the student a longer window to file Form I-765 after receiving the STEM I-20.⁵

Step 3: File Form I-765 with USCIS

After receiving the STEM-endorsed I-20, the student has 60 days to file Form I-765 with USCIS.⁴ This 60-day clock starts from the date the I-20 was issued, not the date the student received it, and it runs concurrently with the remaining days of the current OPT period. The application must reach USCIS before the current OPT EAD expires AND within 60 days of the STEM I-20 issue date — both deadlines must be satisfied.⁵

Form I-765 for STEM OPT must include:¹

• The correct application fee (check the current I-765 fee schedule at uscis.gov/i-765, as USCIS updated fees in April 2024)
• The employer's name exactly as listed in E-Verify
• The employer's E-Verify Company Identification Number or valid E-Verify Client Company Identification Number
• A copy of the STEM-endorsed I-20 (issued within the last 60 days)
• A copy of the qualifying STEM degree diploma or transcript showing the degree was conferred
• A copy of the student's current EAD
• A copy of all previous EADs (if any)
• Two passport-style photos (if filing by paper)

The student selects the correct eligibility category on Form I-765: category (c)(3)(C) for STEM OPT extension. Filing under an incorrect eligibility category is a common rejection reason.⁴

The 180-Day Automatic Extension

If the student files on time (by the OPT end date and within 60 days of the STEM I-20 issue date) and USCIS has not adjudicated the application by the time the current OPT EAD expires, work authorization automatically continues for up to 180 days.¹ This automatic extension is not a new EAD — the student works using the expired OPT EAD plus proof of timely filing (typically a copy of the I-765 receipt notice). The 180-day extension terminates immediately when USCIS approves or denies the application, not after 180 days if USCIS acts sooner.²

USCIS processing times for STEM OPT I-765 applications have historically ranged from 3 to 5 months, meaning most students will work under the 180-day extension for at least part of the processing period. Applications filed earlier in the 90-day window give USCIS more time to adjudicate before the OPT EAD expires, reducing the length of time the student works under the 180-day automatic extension.

After USCIS Approval: Reporting Obligations

Once USCIS approves the extension and the student receives the new EAD, the student must report to the DSO to confirm SEVIS records and initiate the six-month reporting cycle. The student must then report to the DSO every six months to confirm name, address, employer name, and employer address — even if all information is unchanged.¹

The student must complete the first self-evaluation using Form I-983 within 12 months of the STEM OPT start date and submit it to the DSO within 10 days of the 12-month mark. A final self-evaluation is due at the end of the STEM OPT period (or within 10 days of early termination of employment). Both evaluations must be signed by the employer.³

Any material change — a change in job duties significant enough to alter the training plan, a change in work location, or a change in the supervisor identified on Form I-983 — must be reported to the DSO as soon as possible by submitting a modified Form I-983. A change of employer requires submitting an entirely new Form I-983 and a new I-20 from the DSO; however, it does not require a new Form I-765 filing with USCIS as long as the new employer is also E-Verify enrolled and the position is directly related to the qualifying STEM degree.¹