STEM OPT Extension

• Students must apply for STEM OPT before their Post-completion OPT EAD expires. The earliest they can apply online is 90 days before the expiration date on their OPT EAD card.
• Students must work with their E-Verify Employer and complete Form I-983: Training Plan for STEM OPT Students. 
• Students must have STEM OPT I-20 issued by an International Student Advisor. Allow 5 business days to have this new I-20 issued.
• Students may continue to work with an expired Post-completion EAD card for up to 180 days while their STEM OPT application is pending with USCIS. However, certain companies may require students to have a valid EAD card at all time in order to keep their employment. 
• USCIS takes 90 days or longer to process, so act early! 

See I-983 instruction created by Immigration and Custom Enforcement and a sample Form I-983: I-983 Sample

Once you complete the I-983, request STEM OPT I-20. To request this, log into the ISSS-Portal, navigate to "Student Requests and Documents" section and click on STEM OPT I-20 Request.

NOTE: STEM OPT I-20 Request form will only be visible to students with post-completion OPT expiration date within the next 90 days. 

Allow 5 business days for processing.   

According to the 2016 STEM OPT Final Rule, the following employment types are not eligible for STEM OPT:

• multiple employer arrangements
• sole proprietorships
• employment through "temp agencies"
• employment through consulting firm arrangements that provide labor for hire, and other relationships that do not constitute a bona fide employer-employee relationship

On August 17, 2018, USCIS made an announcement that they have updated the STEM OPT page and clarified that “STEM OPT participants may engage in a training experience that takes place at a site other than the employer’s principal place of business as long as all of the training obligations are met, including that the employer has and maintains a bona fide employer-employee relationship with the student. DHS will review on a case-by-case basis whether the student will be a bona fide employee of the employer signing the Training Plan, and verify that the employer that signs the Training Plan is the same entity that employs the student and provides the practical training experience.”

In order to minimize the risk of STEM OPT denial or cancellation, we advise students to avoid working for third party placement companies if possible. Consult with an experienced immigration attorney for your case-specific questions. 

• Make sure you write your US mailing address correctly! Or you may not receive your EAD. Please use this USPS Address Look Up Tool. 
• USCIS will send your I-797C, Notice of Action (NOA) and Employment Authorization Document (EAD) to your U.S. postal mailbox. 
• Make sure your full name appears on the mailbox of where you currently live. 
• Thinking about moving within the next 6 months? 
  • U.S. Postal Service will NOT forward government mail, even if you file a forwarding address/ change of address request with USPS.
  • Ask permission from a friend to use their address OR Set up a P.O. Box (available for about $10/month)
• Sign up for USPS Informed Delivery if available. 
• Once you graduate, you can no longer update your address in MyUW. Always keep your address up to date in SEVP Portal. 

• A digital copy U.S. passport style photo (must be new taken less than 6 months ago)
• A digital copy of  I-94 OR F-1 Approval Notice (I-797)
  • Trouble downloading I-94?  
•  A digital copy of previously issued EADs (front and back)
• A digital copy of UWT unofficial transcript showing you have been granted a STEM degree.
• A digital copy of STEM OPT requested I-20 (make sure it is signed and dated)
• A digital copy of a valid passport ID page (optional) 
• A digital copy of most recent F-1 visa (optional)
• A valid credit card or U.S. bank account information with enough funds to pay the $410 fee

We have created a guide to online filing using Microsoft OneNote. To view this notebook, you need to log in using your UW NetID. STEM OPT Filing Guide for UW Tacoma Graduates

Reporting Requirement: 

• There are enhanced reporting requirement during STEM OPT. ISSS won't remind students to report. See the table below for different scenarios and what students need to do:

Unemployment:  

• During post-completion OPT, students are allowed to accrue 90 calendar days of unemployment. After STEM OPT approval, students are allowed an additional 60 calendar days of unemployment for a total of up to 150 days. 

After Completion of STEM OPT:

• Students who successfully complete their STEM OPT have a 60 day grace period.
• During the grace period, students can do the following:
  • Depart from the U.S.
  • Change to different immigration status.
  • Be admitted to a new program of study and request SEVIS Record Transfer. To request this, log in to the ISSS portal and submit "Transfer Out" form. 

Students should not depart from the U.S. once their post-completion OPT EAD expires and while their STEM OPT application is pending with USCIS. This can be considered as an abandonment of their STEM OPT application and they may not be readmitted into the U.S.

Once STEM OPT application is approved, students may travel outside the U.S. and seek readmission into the U.S. with the following documents:

• Passport valid for at least 6 months into the future:
  • Countries listed here have a special agreement with the U.S. that allows their citizens' passports to be valid for reentry purpose up to the date of expiration.  
• F-1 Student Visa:
  • Check the expiration date and the number of allowed entries on your visa. Most visas have "M" (multiple) printed under entries. This means there is no limit on the number of entries for which you can use your visa. If your visa is expired or if you have already used the number of entries you are allowed, you will need to renew your F-1 student visa at the U.S. Consulate/Embassy office outside of the U.S. (preferably in your home country).
  • If you are seeking re-entry to the U.S. after traveling back from a contiguous country (Canada, Mexico, or adjacent islands) for less than 30 days, you may be permitted to reenter with an expired F-1 visa. This is called Automatic Visa Revalidation. 
• Form I-20, endorsed for travel by DSO:
  • I-20s need to be authorized for travel on page 2 by an International Student Advisor.
  • For students engaged in STEM OPT, the signature is valid for six months. To request a travel signature, log into the ISSS Portal and fill out "I-20 Update Travel Authorization" form. 
  • We recommend student's I-20 to be up to date showing, "STEM OPT Approved" and their employer's name and location printed. 
• EAD (Employment Authorization Document) Card   
• An employment offer letter or letter of employment from your employer, internship, or volunteering site (optional).
• Evidence of Financial Resources (optional)