Eligibility
You can only extend OPT under the following situations:
H-1B Cap-Gap Extension: If your employer has applied for H-1B visa and requests a change of status as part of the application, your employment is extended until Oct. 1 when that visa starts. You should send Carleton a copy of your H-1B receipt or approval notice by fax or email to verify that you qualify for the Cap-Gap Extension. If your H-1B petition is rejected, denied, or revoked, employment and F-1 status ends. You have 60 days to prepare for departure, change degree level, transfer, change status, etc.
F-1 STEM Extension: If you are a student who has received a degree in Science, Technology, Engineering, or Mathematics (STEM), that appears on the STEM-designated Degree Program List published on the SEVP website, you may be eligible for a 24-month extension of your OPT. You must submit a copy of your transcript reflecting your major field of study.
Carleton majors that currently qualify for STEM Extension:
Biology
Chemistry
Cognitive Science
Computer Science
Economics
Environmental Studies
Geology
Mathematics
Physics
Psychology
Statistics
In addition, the employer with whom you are seeking the 24-month OPT extension must be registered in E-Verify. Accordingly, you must list the employer’s E-Verify Company Identification Number or a valid E-Verify Client Company Identification Number in Item 17 of the Form I-765. Please refer to the Form I-765 instructions for Foreign Students, and Carleton’s Extensions of OPT for further information.
Types of STEM OPT Employment
STEM 24-month Extension Employment must be at least 20 hours/week for an E-Verify employer in a position directly related to his or her DHS-approved STEM Major CIP code.
- Multiple employers. Work for one or more employers, but all employment must relate to the student’s degree program and each employer must be enrolled in E-Verify and must complete an I-983 training plan.
- Work for hire. Referred to as 1099 employment, where an individual performs a service on a contractual relationship rather than an employment relationship. The company to whom the student is providing service must be an E-Verify participant and employment must also be related to the student’s degree. If requested by DHS, the student must provide evidence showing the duration of the contract period and the name and address of the contracting company.
- Self-employed business owner. Students on STEM extension may start a business and be self-employed, but the student’s business must be registered with E-Verify and the student must be actively engaged full-time in the business that relates to the student’s degree. Students must prove that they have the proper business licenses(s).
- Employment through an agency or consulting firm. The student’s STEM Extension may be through an employment agency or consulting firm but either must be an E-Verify participant, but the third party contracting with the agency or firm (which the student is providing services) need not be.
It is recommended the student maintains evidence for each job documenting the position held, proof of the duration of that position, the job title, contact information for the student’s supervisor or manager, and a description of the work.
STEM Extension Requirements:
- You must submit a STEM extension application within 90 days of the first 12-month OPT period end date, but before OPT expires.
- You should not travel while your STEM extension is being adjudicated or decided upon.
- You cannot be unemployed for more than 150 days (including the 90 days from the first 12-month period) during the 24-month period.
- You must submit an updated personal address and employment information every 6 months.
- Employment during the 24-month STEM extension MUST BE PAID and all employers must be an E-Verify participant.
- Post-Completion OPT employment continues until a decision is made on your STEM extension application or for 180 days, whichever comes first.
- The employer needs to report within 48 hours to Carleton if your employment has been terminated or you departed before the end of the STEM extension period.
Application Procedures
Students and the Form I-983
Before applying to USCIS for a STEM OPT extension, a STEM OPT student must download, complete, sign, and submit the Form I-983 to their DSO. The STEM OPT student and their prospective employer must work together to complete this form. STEM OPT students and their employers are subject to the terms of the 24-month STEM OPT extension regulations and Form I-983 instructions, effective as of the start date requested for STEM OPT, as indicated on the form.
Students are responsible for facilitating the completion of this form, submitting it with their STEM OPT application and returning it to their DSO, who will keep it in the student’s record. DHS maintains the discretion to request and review all documentation for eligibility concerns. The STEM OPT student must complete Section 1 of the Form I-983 and work with their prospective employer to complete Sections 2-6. For more information about these sections, please visit the Employers and the Form I-983 resource page. STEM OPT students are also responsible for completing annual self-evaluations.
For more information about applying online for the STEM extension click here.
NOTE: Please contact Liz Cody (ecody@carleton.edu) or Fátima Ramos (framos@carleton.edu) with questions about any off-campus employment — paid or unpaid. Before you submit your application to USCIS, please make an appointment with Liz or Fátima to discuss changes in your application and immigration regulations.