1. Prepare your immigration documents and Academic Advisor's Recommendation Letter for your OPT application.
2. Use those documents to complete the OPT application form for the Office of International Student Services.
3. Receive your new OPT Recommendation I-20 from our office.
4. Submit all documents to USCIS for their adjudication.

To be eligible for Optional Practical Training, ...

• The student must have been in full-time status consisting of 12 months of full time enrollment preceding the OPT application.
• The student must not have worked in the United States without authorization from the United States Citizenship & Immigration Services.
• The student must be in valid F-1 status at the time of application.

Students seeking to apply for OPT:

• Must apply within 30 days of your DSO entering the recommendation for OPT into your SEVIS record, and
• May apply up to 90 days before you complete your degree, but no later than 60 days after you complete your degree. Refer to LU's Academic calendar for dates.

Documents copies you will need include, but are not limited to,:

1. All previous I-20s issued to you
2. F-1 Visa page and Passport ID pages (which include your photo, passport number and expiration date)
3. Two recent photographs on thin, glossy paper per instructions from USCIS. Write your name and SEVIS number in pencil on the back of the photos. Do not cut to size or staple
4. (If applicable) All previous employment authorization documents (EAD cards), including your current EAD card.
5. Your Most Recent I-94 record (obtained here; Print or save as .PDF)
6. Your academic advisor's recommendation form
7. The completed USCIS I-765 form
8. $410 payable to U.S. Department of Homeland Security. We highly recommend a cashier’s check or money order. Always check and ensure you are paying the correct filing fee amount by verifying the information on the USCIS I-765 webpage here.

Contact your academic advisor for completing the form found here. In addition to their approval, you must seek the signatures of your academic department's Chair and the academic college's Dean.

If you are an Graduate student, the Graduate Studies office must also provide a signature. For Undergraduates, the Associate Provost's office must provide a signature instead.

Once all four required signatures are gathered and the form is properly filled, the document can be considered complete.

The purpose of the Form I-765 found here is used to request initial permission to accept employment. We encourage student's to carefully read and follow the form line-by-line in filling out the information. Please review slides #11-29 on the Post-Completion Optional Practical Training (OPT) Tutorial and the I-765 USCIS Online Instruction Guide for assistance with completing the I-765 form.

• Step 1: Set up a USCIS account.  
• Stept 2: Fill out the I-765 form but do not hit the 'Submit' button. 
• Step 3: Download the Draft Snapshot. 

For detailed USCIS guidance on filling and completing the I-765, please see their document HERE.

You will now need to petition our office to obtain a new I-20 with our OPT Recommendation. You must do so by completing our online webform found here. This form will be your formal request to our office along with your confirmation of understanding the rules and regulations pertaining to your hopeful OPT allowance. Scanned copies of both the Recommendation Form and your Draft I-765 Snapshot must be uploaded within this online webform, so please ensure you have your scanned, digital copies ready to attach when asked.

Again, Post-Completion OPT applicants should submit the following documents to the OISPS at least 60 days prior to the expiration of their Program End Date (check I-20). Allow our office 3 - 5 business days for review and processing. If there are concerns or questions, the advisor will attempt to contact you.

OISPS will notify you by email when your OPT I-20 is ready for your pick-up or mailing. Those choosing to have the document mailed to them must arrange payment and shipping through eShipGlobal (detailed instructions will be given with the notice). You may opt to have a friend pick up your I-20 for you by notifying the OISPS via an email (international@lamar.edu) that includes the authorization statement, the student's name, and his/her LU ID.

The updated SEVIS I-20 will be submitted by the student with their I-765 application and all other documents/materials listed. It is the student's final responsibility to ensure they are correctly filing their petition to USCIS. OISPS always recommends that students should carefully read and review the filing instructions for submitting their I-765 application to USCIS, which can be found here in the links below:

• I-765 - Main form page (includes Special Instructions and Related Links)
• Instructions for Form I-765 (PDF)

To receive a electronic notice from UCSIS when they accept your packet, please also include the G-1145 (application and instructions found here).

In addition to typical physical application instructions, USCIS is now allowing I-765 applicants to file their I-765 application online. Students will be required to create an online account with USCIS in order to take advantage of this feature. Students may go to https://myaccount.uscis.gov to create their account. Any questions regarding this service should be directed at USCIS.

• Student must have been lawfully enrolled on a full-time basis at a DHS-approved school for one full academic year before being eligible for OPT. Available both before and after completion of the educational objective, but different rules apply to pre- and post-completion OPT. Students in English language training programs are not eligible for OPT. OPT must be “directly related to the student’s major area of study.”

• Students may engage in OPT for any employer for the duration of OPT authorization, as long as the employment qualifies under OPT standards.

• Standard OPT is available for a cumulative maximum of 12 months per educational level.
• A one-time extension of 24 months (for a total of 36 months) is available to certain STEM degree recipients. For more information, please see our STEM Extension information here.

• 20 hours/week limit for pre-completion OPT done while school is in session and student still has coursework to complete.
• Full-time employment can be requested for pre-completion OPT done during official school breaks, and for students who have completed all requirements for their degree except for thesis or dissertation.
• For post-completion OPT, according to SEVP guidance a student must be adequately employed to avoid limits on unemployment.

• Must be directly related to the student's course of study.

• No offer of employment is required to apply for standard OPT, but the student is expected to work during the OPT EAD validity period. Students on post-completion OPT are limited to a maximum of 90 days of unemployment.
• To apply for a 24-month STEM extension, student must have an offer of employment from an employer registered with E-Verify.

• Prior use of full-time Curricular Practical Training for one year or more eliminates eligibility for Optional Practical Training.

• DSO recommends OPT in SEVIS.
• Student files I-765 application for EAD with USCIS Lockbox Facility.
• Work can begin only after receiving EAD issued by USCIS, and on or after the start date on the EAD.
• Special rules govern applications for the 24-month STEM OPT extension.

• If doing pre-completion OPT, must maintain a full course of study during the period of employment (unless done during school breaks).
• Degree candidates that have completed all coursework must continue to make normal progress towards completing the thesis or dissertation required for their degree.

Note: F-1 students with approved employment authorization (OPT) from USCIS Service Center must present their EAD card when applying for a social security card.

The following activities are considered allowable employment on both pre-completion and standard post-completion OPT, provided that the job is directly related to the student's program of study. While a student engages in such activity during a period of post-completion OPT, he or she is not considered "unemployed":

• Regular paid employment in a position directly related to the student's program of study.
  • For post-completion OPT, the work must be for at least 20 hours per week.
  • Students may work for multiple employers, as long as it is directly related to the student's program of study.

• Payment by multiple short-term multiple employers. SEVP says that "Students, such as musicians and other performing artists, may work for multiple short term employers (gigs). The student should maintain a list of all gigs, the dates and duration. The student should maintain a list of all gigs, the dates and duration."
  
  
• Work for hire. SEVP says, "This is also commonly referred to as 1099 employment where an individual performs a service based on a contractual relationship rather than an employment relationship. If requested by DHS, students should 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. SEVP says, "Students on OPT may start a business and be self-employed. The student should be able to prove that he or she has the proper business licenses and is actively engaged in a business related to his or her degree program."
  
  
• Employment through an agency. SEVP says, "Students on post-completion OPT must be able to provide evidence showing they worked an average of at least 20 hours per week while employed by the agency."
  
  
• Volunteers or unpaid interns. SEVP says, "Students may work as volunteers or unpaid interns, where this practice does not violate any labor laws. The work should be at least 20 hours per week for students on post-completion OPT. A student should be able to provide evidence, acquired from the student's employer, to verify that he or she worked at least 20 hours per week during the period of employment."
  • Note that a volunteer position or unpaid internship would be a valid option for someone who otherwise might not meet the minimum employment requirement.

For additional information regarding OPT requirements, refer to USCIS web site here.

While on OPT, a student is required to report the following to their DSO:

• Change in student’s legal name.
• Change in student’s address while on OPT.
• Changes in employment or interruption of employment.