OPT vs STEM OPT: Key Differences Every F-1 Student Should Know

Duration: What USCIS Rules Establish

USCIS regulations document that standard post-completion OPT provides up to 12 months of employment authorization. This 12-month period is shared across all OPT authorized for a given degree level — pre-completion OPT used during enrollment counts against the 12-month total.

The STEM OPT extension provides an additional 24 months of employment authorization beyond the standard 12-month OPT period, for a combined potential total of 36 months at a given degree level. USCIS established this 24-month STEM OPT extension through regulations finalized in 2016.

Eligibility Requirements

For standard OPT, USCIS regulations require that the student be in valid F-1 status, have a DSO recommendation entered in SEVIS, and have their program end date fall within the applicable filing window. OPT is available for bachelor's, master's, and doctoral degree programs across all fields of study.

STEM OPT eligibility requires additional conditions documented by USCIS: the student's degree must appear on the DHS STEM Designated Degree Program List, the employer must be enrolled in and use E-Verify, the employer and student must complete Form I-983 (Training Plan), and the student must already be on a valid standard OPT EAD. USCIS rules also require the STEM OPT application to be filed with at least 90 days remaining on the current OPT EAD.

The E-Verify Requirement for STEM OPT

USCIS regulations establish that every employer wishing to employ a STEM OPT student must be enrolled in the E-Verify program and in good standing. This is a statutory requirement with no waiver — an employer not enrolled in E-Verify cannot employ a STEM OPT student under the documented rules.

Standard OPT carries no E-Verify requirement for employers under current USCIS regulations. The employer for standard OPT is not required to participate in E-Verify or complete any specific training plan form.

Reporting Requirements

USCIS regulations document reporting obligations for both programs, but the STEM OPT obligations are substantially more detailed. For standard OPT, students are required to report changes in employer, address, and legal name to their DSO within 10 days.

STEM OPT regulations additionally require formal self-evaluations by the student every 12 months using Form I-983, annual employer attestation reports, and reporting of material changes to the training plan. USCIS rules state that failure to comply with STEM OPT reporting requirements can jeopardize the student's employment authorization.

Unemployment Day Limits

USCIS regulations document that standard OPT holders are limited to 90 days of cumulative unemployment during the 12-month OPT period. STEM OPT holders face a stricter limit: an additional 60 days of unemployment allowed during the 24-month STEM extension period. These limits are tracked in SEVIS and apply independently for the OPT and STEM OPT periods.

Applying for Each Program

Both programs require filing Form I-765 with USCIS. Standard OPT applications are filed through USCIS with a DSO-recommended I-20. STEM OPT applications additionally require a completed Form I-983 signed by both the student and employer, a copy of the current OPT EAD, and the DSO's STEM OPT recommendation in SEVIS. USCIS processes each as a separate application and issues a new EAD card for the STEM OPT extension.