Pre-Completion OPT - International Students and Scholars Office (2024)

Fast Facts

• F-1 students may be eligible for one year of OPT per educational level, whether pre-completion or post-completion.
• USCIS processing is typically 90 days, however it may take longer.
• Full-time enrollment required fall and spring semesters.
• Full-time enrollment required in summer if it is your graduating semester. In your graduating semester, you meet your full-time enrollment requirements by enrolling in the courses remaining to earn your degree.
• Part-time employment (20 hours or less) during fall and spring, full-time (more than 20 hours) during official school breaks and student’s annual vacation.
• OPT must end by the student’s program completion date.
• No unemployment limit.
• Splitting OPT between pre- and post-completion requires two USCIS applications and fees.
• Most UT Dallas students preferCurricular Practical Training(CPT).
• Apply to USCIS using Employment Category Code C3A. This is the code for Pre-Completion OPT.

Apply for Pre-Completion OPT

Eligibility

• Enrolled full-time for at least one full academic year (two long semesters).
• Currently in valid F-1 status.
• Will complete your degree in a future semester.

Apply for your Pre-Completion OPT I-20

1. Carefully review the information in theOPT Guide.
2. Submit toISSODocuments@utdallas.edu:
   • OPT I-20 Request Form
   • Copy of any previous EAD cards
3. You will be sent an email that the OPT I-20 is ready. You will be given filing instructionswith your I-20.
   • The category code for Pre-Completion is C3A. You must select this option when filing your I-765 with USCIS.

Send your application to USCIS

After receiving your OPT I-20 from the ISSO, you will prepare documents for your application to USCIS. You can file your application online or mail your application packet to USCIS. For mailing addresses and instructions, see ourUSCIS Applications webpage.

For a detailed checklist of the documents you should prepare, see ourPost-Completion OPT Guide.

Tips

1. Compile the application, make a copy for your personal file and submit the application to USCIS.USCIS mustreceiveyour application within 30 days of the date you were recommended for OPT in SEVIS. If the recommendation is more than 30 days old at the time ofreceiptingyour application will be denied.
2. USCIS will provide a receipt after your submission. Check it for errors!
3. If approved, an Employment Authorization Document (EAD) will be sent typically within 30 days (however it may take longer) to the mailing address listed on the I-765.
4. You can begin work once you receive the EAD and the start date listed on it has arrived.

Report OPT Employment

To maintain F-1 status during OPT you must comply with U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) employment and reporting requirements. DHS requires students to report all changes of address and periods of employment and unemployment while authorized for OPT. To meet your reporting obligations, you must report the information to the ISSO.

Updates must be reported within 10 days of the start of your OPT work authorization and no later than 10 days after any subsequent change.Pleasecontact an advisorif you have any questions.

What to Report

Within 10 days of the start of your period of OPT work authorization you should upload a copy of your EAD card to thePost-Completion OPT Reporting Form in iComet.Both Pre-Completion and Post-Completion OPT students use this reporting form.
You must also report within 10 days of any of the following changes:

• Change in your current U.S. address
• Legal name change
• Start or end of employment
• Change of your employer’s work-site address
• Change of your employer’s name

How to Report

Although you may report some changes to SEVIS via theSEVP Portal, doing To meet your reporting obligations, you must submit thePost-Completion OPT Reporting Form in iComet, found under the “F-1 Alumni” category.

You will receive a confirmation email after the ISSO processes yourOPT Reporting Form. The ISSO will issue a new I-20 for the following types of updates:

• Legal name change
• Start or end of employment
• Change of your employer’s work-site address
• Change of your employer’s name

Report Job Description in iComet

Effective February 15, 2021

When you report new employment information through the Post-Completion OPT Reporting Form in iComet, you must provide proof of employment and a brief job description.

Keeping documentation of your employment history is an important part of the time spent participating in OPT. While on OPT, it is you and your employer’s responsibility to prepare and keep sufficient records, in the event that they are required for future immigration applications

The ISSO requires submission of a job offer letter (or other proof of employment) for OPT Reporting Requests. An ideal job offer letter or employment verification document includes:

• Company letterhead
• Employer name
• Start date, and if applicable, end date
• Work-site location and, if different, company mailing address
• Average hours per week
• Summary or list of job duties

You must also write a brief description of how the job relates to your degree program. Two to four sentences are sufficient. This description will be pasted into your SEVIS record when an ISSO advisor processes your OPT Reporting request, so ensure that it is clear, thorough, and professional. Save a copy of this description for your own records. An ideal description includes:

• Employer name
• Job Title
• Major area of study
• Hours per week
• Regular duties
• Brief explanation of how the job is directly related to the studies. For example, you can explain how the job duties relate to what you learned in your courses for your degree.

Example descriptions:

• I am employed as a Computer and Information Research Scientist at ABC Research Institute. I work 30 hours a week as part of a team of scientists and engineers that designs experiments to test the operation of various software systems. My work builds on research in complex algorithms and machine learning, which I studied as part of my dissertation.
• I am working 25 hours a week in a health food store as a consultant for Self-Made Inc., designing and teaching exercise classes that are incorporated into a customer’s overall nutrition and exercise plan. My designs and customer instruction draw upon my studies and class work in exercise therapy and physical reconditioning.
• I work full time as an Electrical Engineer at ABC Corp., a government contractor. In my job, I analyze client requirements for electrical systems and provide them with cost estimates of such systems. My work requires an understanding of electrical circuit theory, which I studied in-depth at UTD.