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F-1 Optional Practical Training (OPT)

Optional Practical Training (OPT) is a form of temporary employment authorization for F-1 students, which allows them to gain practical experience in their field. Post-completion OPT occurs after a student has finished his/her degree program. A student approved for Post-completion OPT is authorized to work in the U.S. in a job directly-related to his/her field of study for up to 12 months. F-1 students can apply for OPT following each higher degree level.

  • Am I Eligible for Post-Completion OPT?
  • How Do I Apply for OPT?
  • While Your Application is Pending
  • Employment While on OPT
  • Reporting Requirements
  • Travel on OPT

If all of the below statements are TRUE, then you are eligible to apply for OPT:

  • I have been lawfully enrolled full-time for at least one academic year
  • I have maintained my F-1 status
  • I have NOT been approved for 12 months or more of full-time CPT
  • I have not been approved for OPT in the past for this same degree level or a higher degree level
  • I will apply for OPT no more than 90 day before my graduation date and no more than 60 days after my graduation date

Step 1: Read through the information in this section of the website and determine whether you are eligible for OPT. If you are unsure whether you are eligible for OPT or have questions about the application process, you can meet with an International Student Advisor during walk-in hours.

Step 2: Submit an OPT Request. Please note: Applications will not be accepted more than five business days in advance of your earliest filing date (90 days prior to program end date). This policy is in place to help avoid application denials due to timing errors.

  • Your Academic Advisor will be notified that you submitted an OPT Request and will need to submit their confirmation.
  • Once all documentation and your Advisor's confirmation are on file, ISSS will begin processing your application. Please allow 5 (five) business days processing time.
  • An ISSS advisor will review your OPT Request and issue you a new I-20 document that reflects our recommendation for OPT and lists the requested employment dates on page 2.

Step 3: Pick up and sign your new I-20 from the OISP front desk at 102 Williams Hall. You will be notified via email when your I-20 is ready.

Step 4: Gather your OPT application materials. For full details on what is required for your OPT application, please visit the USCIS website. The below list of application materials is provided for your convenience and is not meant to replace the official instructions listed on the USCIS website.

  • Form G-1450 - Authorization for Credit Card Transaction OR
    Check or money order for $410 made out to "U.S. Department of Homeland Security"
    SampleOPTCheck
  • Two passport-size photos taken within the last 30 days (your name and I-94 number written lightly on the back of both using either a soft pencil or felt pen so that you are not pressing through and distorting the picture)
    SampleOPTPassportPics
  • Completed Form G-1145 (optional)
  • Completed Form I-765
    NOTE: It is VERY IMPORTANT that you fill this form out correctly. Any errors may result in delay or even possible denial of your OPT application. Please read carefully through the Instructions for Form I-1765 posted on the USCIS website and fill out the form accordingly. The eligibility category for OPT (question #27 on the form) is (c)(3)(B).
  • Copies of ALL previous I-20s (in order from newest on top to oldest on bottom; a copy of your newest OPT I-20 should be on top)
  • Copy of Passport
  • Copy of visa
  • I-94 Printout
  • Copy of front and back of any previous EAD cards

Step 5: Mail your complete application to USCIS. You should include all the documents listed in Step 4 above. If you would like ISSS to review your application prior to mailing, please visit the office during walk-in hours and bring your complete application with you.

  • ISSS recommends that you make a copy of your entire application before mailing it, so that you have a copy for your records. We also recommend that you mail your application using a method that allows for package tracking and/or receipt confirmation.
  • IMPORTANT: USCIS must receive your application within 30 days from the date your OPT request was entered into the SEVIS system by ISSS or within the 60 days following your program end date, whichever is sooner.
  • You are responsible for mailing your application. Please see the I-765 Direct Filing Addreses page of the USCIS website to find the appropriate address to use. The "If you live in..." state should correspond to the address you entered on your I-765 form.

General Application Processing

Two to three days after USCIS receives your OPT application, you should receive an email and/or text message from them indicating that they have received your application (USCIS will contact you based upon the information listed on the Form G-1145 you submitted with your application). Within two weeks of receiving the text/email, you should receive a paper Receipt Notice (Form I-797) in the mail. Both the text/email and the Receipt Notice should contain a Receipt Number which can be used to check your application status online.

To get a general idea of how long it will take USCIS to process your OPT application, you can visit the Check Case Processing Times page of the USCIS website. You will need to choose the appropriate service center from the pull-down. The service center processing your case will be listed in the bottom left corner of your I-797 Receipt Notice.

OPT processing times can range anywhere from 2-5 months. There is no guarantee USCIS will process your application within 90 days. If your application is processed and approved, your EAD card should arrive in the mail in approximately 7-10 days. 

You may only begin working after you have received your EAD card and the start date on the card has been reached.

Checking Your Case Status Online

Both the text/email from USCIS and the I-797 Receipt Notice should contain a Receipt Number which can be used to check your application status online at the USCIS Case Status website. You can also Create a USCIS Account to receive case status updates via email or text message.

If you have entered your Receipt Number in the USCIS website and the number was not recognized, you should email myuscissupport@uscis.dhs.gov.

Once your application is approved and the EAD card is shipped, the USCIS Case Status website will provide the USPS tracking number for the envelope containing your EAD card. If you created a USCIS account and signed up for case status updates, you should automatically be notified via email when your card has been shipped.

Address Changes

While your OPT application is pending, you must report any changes in address to both ISSS and USCIS within 10 days of moving to the new address. It is also important to update USPS with any changes of address to ensure the proper delivery of your EAD card.

  • Update ISSS by updating your contact information in your MyIllinoisState account.
  • Update USCIS by completing the online Change of Address form
    • This form creates a service request that is sent to the service center processing your case
    • The service center has 5 days to update your application with the new address. Make sure to take this delay into consideration when updating your address.
  • Update the United States Postal Service (USPS)

Application Pending More Than 90 Days

If your application has been pending more than 90 days, and you have not received your EAD card, you can call the USCIS Customer Service number listed on your Receipt Notice and ask that they open a service request. You can also submit a case inquiry for Outside Normal Processing Time online.

EAD Card Issues

Non-delivery

If the USCIS site shows that your card was delivered, but you have not yet received it, then you should contact your local post office. If you are still unable to locate the card:

  • First, make sure that the address on file with USCIS is correct and submit the online Change of Address form if needed.
  • Then submit a case inquiry for Non-Delivery of Card online.
  • Follow up in a few days by calling the USCIS Customer Service number listed on your Receipt Notice to check the status of your inquiry request.

Possible reasons for non-delivery:

  • The address you wrote on the original I-765 was illegible or incorrect. For example, if you live in an apartment and you did not include the apartment number on the I-765, then the envelope may not be delivered.
  • You requested USPS to forward your mail to a new address, and did not update your new address with USCIS. EAD cards are mailed by USPS as "Return Service Requested". This means they will not be forwarded to a new address.
  • You updated your address with USCIS but did not change your address with USPS. EAD cards are mailed by USPS as "Return Service Requested". This means they will only be delivered if the individual named on the envelope is officially associated with the address on the envelope.

EAD Card Errors

After you receive your EAD card, you should look it over and make sure everything is correct. If you find any errors on the card, the process of correcting them depends upon the cause of the error:

  • If the error was caused by USCIS, then the Notice of Action you received with your EAD card should have instructions on how to fix the error.
  • If the error was caused by you (the applicant), then you must refile an entirely new I-765 OPT application with USCIS, including submitting the full filing fee again.

Any job you take while on OPT must be directly related to your field and level of study and must be for at least 20 hours/week in a paid or unpaid position.

You cannot begin working on OPT until you have the EAD card in your hand and the start date has been reached, and you must stop working on the end date listed on the EAD card.

While on OPT, you cannot exceed 90 days of unemployment for the entire 12 months. Staying past the 90-day limit may be considered a violation of status by DHS.

If you are uncertain whether a potential job would be considered in your field of study, ISSS recommends that you obtain a signed letter from a faculty member within your previous ISU academic department stating how the job duties relate to your field of study.

Though you may no longer be an ISU student, your are still in F-1 student status while on OPT and continue to have requirements to report information to ISSS.


On March 23, 2018, the Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP) Portal was launched. All Illinois State University F-1 students on OPT must report changes to their information via the SEVP Portal. For more information regarding the portal, including a user guide and helpful videos, please visit the SEVP Portal Help page.

To help ensure that you are given proper access to the SEVP Portal, you should:

  • Just before the end date of your OPT I-20, add a personal (non ilstu) email address to your MyIllinoisState account, and mark it as "preferred". This will help ensure that your personal email address is uploaded to SEVIS and used to give you access to the SEVP Portal.
  • Provide a copy of the front and back of your EAD card to ISSS (once you have received it). This will help ensure that your SEVIS record is updated to indicate that your OPT was approved. You will only receive access to the SEVP Portal after your SEVIS record shows your OPT as in approved status.

You can use the SEVP Portal to update your:

  • Physical home address
  • Mailing address
  • Telephone numbers
  • Employment Information

Remember, you must submit your updates via the SEVP Portal within 10 days of any change in the information.

The SEVP Portal cannot be used to update your email address. To request a change to your email address, please complete the SEVP Portal Account/Email Reset form. If any major change related to your visa status occurs, such as the following, please notify ISSS directly by emailing InternationalStudents@ilstu.edu:

  • You plan to depart the U.S. prior to your OPT end date, with no plans to return and resume OPT
  • You plan to transfer to another US institution to begin a new program of study
  • You have applied or been approved for a change of status

Traveling outside of the U.S. prior to receiving work authorization is strongly discouraged. Attempting to enter the U.S. without proof of employment may result in denial. When traveling outside of the U.S. following OPT approval, the following documents are required:

  • Valid Passport
  • Valid F-1 Visa
  • I-94 Printout marked D/S
  • Valid EAD card
  • I-20 will a valid DSO travel signature on page 2 (the signature is only valid for 6 months from the date it was signed)
  • Employment letter (stating: start dates, hours, and duties)

Request a Travel Signature

If the travel signature on page 2 of your most recent I-20 has expired, you can request a new signature by completing the Travel Signature form.

2018-09-18T20:31:36.771-05:00 2018