Optional Practical Training (OPT) is 12-month work authorization available to F-1
international students who have been full-time students for at least two consecutive
semesters and plan to seek employment in the United States in their field of study.
To apply and receive this benefit, students must follow the application procedure
and timeline prescribed by USCIS, the U.S. government office which adjudicates applications
for OPT.
To apply for OPT, you must obtain an I-20 recommending you for it from a Designated
School Official. To receive this I-20, you must submit the following:
Review the sections below to learn more about the OPT application process. For a quick
overview, see our OPT Checklist and Spring 2022 Presentation.
Eligibility Criteria
To be eligible for post-completion OPT, you must:
Be a UT Tyler student in valid F-1 status.
Be in your final semester prior to graduation OR have graduated and have enough time
left in your post-graduation 60-day grace period to send and have USCIS receive your
completed I-765 OPT application on or before the 60th day.
Will have completed a minimum of a year of full-time, non-language training studies,
upon graduating, at an SEVP-approved post-secondary institution, i.e., one that issues
their own I-20s, including your final semester at UT Tyler.
Application procedure and timing (how early and late to apply) considerations are
discussed in greater detail in the Program End Date note below.
Procedure to Obtain Your OPT Request I-20 from UT Tyler
You may choose any OPT start date on our OPT I-20 Request form that is between 1 and
60 days after your Program End Date. For example, if your graduation is April 30,
you may chose any date between May 1 – June 29 as your opt start date.
A credit card with which you can pay the filing fee
File a form online
Application for Employment Authorization (I-765)
Select (c) (3) (b)
Please note the following timelines: you can submit your I-765 no earlier than 90
days before your program end date. The deadline to submit your I-765 is the last day
of your 60-day grace period. Applying outside these dates can result in an automatic
denial from USCIS.
You will receive an I-797C Notice of Receipt as soon as you successfully submit your
online OPT application. The receipt number in this notice allows you to track your
case status using USCIS CASE STATUS ONLINE.
You will receive an email from SEVP Portal with instructions on creating an account
on the start date of your OPT. The SEVP Portal is an important tool where F-1 students
on OPT must report the following within 10 days:
Update their physical home address.
Update their mailing addresses.
Update their telephone numbers.
Update employer information.
Monitor their employment authorization.
If you do not receive the link by the start date of your OPT, please contact our office so we can reset your account. It is very important that you report and update all
information listed above within the 10 days of the change.
Maximum Unemployed Days
You have a total of 90 days of unemployment for the whole OPT duration as printed
on your EAD.
Days of unemployment start on the OPT Start Date on your OPT Employment Authorization
Document (EAD)
Once you have 91 or more days of unemployment SEVP can terminate your record at any
time. If that occurs you are out of status.
The main things to remember are that all OPT employment must be in a job that is related
to your degree program AND you must work on average at least 20 hours per week. This
employment may include any or all of the following (Please note, the information below
does not apply to students on STEM OPT):
Paid Employment
Students authorized for post-completion OPT may work part-time or full-time as long
as the total employment averages at least 20 hours or more per week.
Multiple Employers
You may work for more than one employer, but all employment must be related to your
degree program.
If you are a musician, other performing artist, or you are doing other creative projects,
you may work for multiple short term employers (gigs). You should maintain a list
of all gigs, the dates and duration. If requested by the government, you must be prepared
to provide evidence showing a list of all gigs.
Work for Hire
Work for hire means that an individual performs a service based on a contractual relationship
rather than an employment relationship. If requested by the government, you must be
prepared to provide evidence showing the duration of the contract periods and the
name and address of the contracting company.
Self-employed business owner
Students on OPT may start a business and be self-employed. In this situation, you
must work full time. You must be able to prove that you have the proper business licenses
and are actively engaged in a business related to your degree program.
Employment through an Agency
Students on post-completion OPT must be able to provide evidence showing they worked
at least 20 hours per week while employed by the agency.
Unpaid Employment
Students may work as volunteers or unpaid interns, where this does not violate labor laws.The work must be at least 20 hours per week for students on post-completion OPT.
These students must be able to provide evidence from the employer that you worked
at least 20 hours per week during the period of employment.
