F-1 students are eligible for Optional Practical Training (OPT). OPT allows you to work off-campus after graduation for up to 12 months, depending on your status, academic standing, and past OPT time.
Come to an information session to learn more about this opportunity! Sessions are Tuesday, Feb. 3 and Wednesday, Feb. 4.
Register on our website. For questions, contact Christina Pope at
popec@umsl.edu.
Recommended OPT Filing Time for Spring 2015 Graduates
February 17 - April 1*
Should I attend an info session?
If you are an F-1 student graduating spring 2015 and want to apply for OPT, you must attend a session.
If you will graduate in summer 2015, I recommend you attend one of these sessions.
Any interested F-1 student may attend to learn more, even if you are not graduating.
What will I learn at the info session?
how to file the OPT application
tips for a successful OPT experience
the regulations that apply to F-1 students on OPT
What is the OPT processing timeline?
After ISS processes your OPT application, you will send your application to U.S. Citizenship & Immigration Services (USCIS). USCIS can take up to 90 days to process your application. The entire process, including mailing time, takes approximately 3.5 months total.
It is important to apply early so you can receive your full work authorization time. Applications processed at the end of the semester will not receive a full 12 months of OPT. Apply early to avoid delays, especially if you have developing job offers.
You can choose the day your OPT will begin. Therefore, you can actually choose a start date that is more than three months in the future. In other words, there is no disadvantage to applying early!
*If you file after these dates, you risk losing days of work authorization or may miss the deadline to apply for OPT.