F-1 STEM OPT Application Process

Step 1: Resources for Applying for STEM OPT

Review the ISSO STEM OPT Webpage
Attend one of the ISSO's STEM OPT Information Sessions or watch the STEM OPT Information Session video
Review the Form I-765 USCIS Instructions
Review the Form I-765 Brandeis Supplemental Instructions
Review the Form I-983 USCIS Instructions
Review the Form I-983 Brandeis Supplemental Instructions

If you have questions, schedule an appointment with your ISSO Advisor

Step 2: Review Employment Allowed on STEM OPT

Employment Allowed

Multiple Employers: You may work for more than one employer, but you must submit a Form I-983 training plan for each job before it begins. All employment must be directly related to your STEM degree program, all employers must be enrolled in E-Verify, and you must work at least 20 hours per week for each employer.
Start-ups & Entrepreneurship: You must be a bona fide employee of the employer signing the Form I-983. You may not provide employer attestations (i.e., signatures) on your own behalf or sign your own Form I-983.
- However, STEM OPT applicants can participate in a start-up or small business so long as all regulatory requirements are met. The employer that signs the Form I-983 Training Plan must be the same entity that employs the student and provides the practical training experience. The employer must also be enrolled in E-Verify and be able to comply with the training plan proposed on the Form I-983.

Per USCIS guidance, the following arrangements may not be able to demonstrate a bona fide employer-employee relationship and are therefore may not qualify:

Self Employment/Sole Proprietorships
Employment through Staffing/Temporary Agencies and Independent Contractors: The regulations require a “bona fide employer-employee relationship” for STEM eligibility, and states that the employer that signs the Form I-983 must be the same entity that provides the practical training experience to the student.

For more detailed guidance, please see the USCIS website's STEM page and consult with your employer for more information.

Please note that while the ISSO can provide guidance on these matters, determinations on whether or not your job will qualify as STEM OPT employment are ultimately up to USCIS' discretion.

Step 3: Complete the Form I-983 with your Employer

The Form I-983 is a formal training plan completed by you and your employer. Use both the USCIS Form I-983 Instructions and the Form I-983 Brandeis Supplemental Instructions to guide you in completing the Form.

Please follow the instructions carefully to ensure that the Form I-983 is complete, has the correct dates, the proper signatures, and accurate information. If the form is not completed properly, the processing of your STEM OPT request may be delayed.

Step 4: Request a STEM OPT Form I-20 in the ISSO Portal

You can request a STEM OPT Extension as early as 90 days before your OPT completion date. The STEM OPT Request icon will appear in the ISSO Portal for your use at that time.

To request a new Form I-20 recommending you for STEM OPT:

Log in to the ISSO Portal with your Brandeis credentials
Click on the Request Center tab, then click “STEM OPT Extension Request”
Complete the STEM OPT Extension Request form, including the questionnaires, file uploads, and electronic signature documents
Click “Submit” (not “Save”) to submit the STEM OPT request
Your request will be processed within 7 business days. If your request is approved, you will receive an email from the ISSO with instructions on how to download your new STEM OPT Form I-20 and the next steps in the application process.

Note: Submitting a STEM OPT application to USCIS without a new Form I-20 recommending you for STEM OPT will result in denial of your application and possible forfeit of your STEM OPT.

Step 5: Prepare your STEM OPT Application

Once you have received your new Form I-20 recommending you for STEM OPT, you must decide if you will submit your OPT application by mail or on-line.

You will need to prepare the items below for your application:

Completed Form I-765
STEM OPT Form I-20, review the form for accuracy, sign, and date the bottom of page 1
- Make sure that your Form I-20 lists the E-Verify employer’s company name on page 2
Two new standard (2” x 2”) passport-sized photos. Visit the Department of State website for details on photo requirements
Most recent copy/scan of your Form I-94
Scan/copy of your passport identification page
Scan/copy of your F-1 visa
Scan/copy of your previous Employment Authorization Document(s) (EAD)
Scan/copy of your Brandeis diploma
STEM OPT Extension application fee of $410
- Checks/Money orders should be made payable to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. Use our sample check for guidance. While a check or money order is the recommended method of payment, you also have the option to fill out Form G-1450 (pdf) to pay with a credit card.
- You may pay using a credit card, debit card, or bank transfer if you apply online. The credit card must be issued by a U.S. bank.

Step 6: Submit your STEM OPT Application

Do not begin your application with USCIS until you receive the STEM OPT Form I-20 from the ISSO. Submitting your STEM OPT application without the STEM OPT Form I-20 will lead to the denial of your OPT application.
You must submit your STEM OPT application within 60 days of the recommendation date on the bottom of page one of your new Form I-20 and USCIS must receive your application before your current OPT period ends.
You may submit your STEM OPT application online or by mail.

To File Online:

Log in or create an account with USCIS. After setting up this account you will be able to:
- Select and complete the "Application for Employment Authorization (Form I-765)"
- Upload additional required documents
- Pay your fees
- Track the status of your case
- Communicate with USCIS through a secure inbox
- Respond to Requests for Evidence
Review the USCIS I-765 instructions and the ISSO’s I-765 Supplemental Instructions for assistance with completing Form I-765
Once you have followed all of the instructions and uploaded all the required documents to your USCIS account, you can submit your STEM OPT Extension application
You will be able to download a Receipt Notice immediately. A duplicate paper Receipt Notice will be sent to you at a later date

Note: Submitting a STEM OPT application to USCIS without a new Form I-20 recommending you for STEM OPT will result in the denial of your application and possibly forfeit your STEM OPT.

To File by Mail:

Assemble your paper STEM OPT Extension application in this order, from top to bottom:

Form G-1145 (pdf) (optional but recommended) to request email or text notification when USCIS accepts your application.
Photos and check/money order should be paper-clipped to the front of Form I-765.
Original, signed Form I-765 -Use the USCIS instructions and the ISSO I-765 Supplemental Instructions to complete your application. Typing is preferred, but you may handwrite in areas that you cannot complete on the electronic form. Please ensure to download the most recent version of Form I-765 from the USCIS website.

Copy of new STEM OPT Form I-20-Include copies of page 1 and page 2 (Do not mail the original)
Copies of all other Form I-20s for which you have received work authorization (CPT/OPT) (from the most recent to the oldest)
Copy of Form I-94
Copy of F-1 Visa
Copy of your Passport Photo ID Page and Passport Expiration Page (may be the same page)
Copy of any previously issued Employment Authorization Documents (EADs), if applicable
Copy of Brandeis diploma

Note: Submitting a STEM OPT application to USCIS without a new Form I-20 recommending you for STEM OPT will result in the denial of your application and possibly forfeit your STEM OPT.

Submit your STEM OPT application to USCIS within 60 days of your STEM OPT recommendation date ( the date on your new STEM OPT Form I-20.

Visit the Form I-765 Addresses page of the USCIS website for the most up-to-date mailing address for your STEM OPT application. You can find the information for F-1 STEM OPT in the “Foreign students” box.

Premium Processing

The United States Citizenship and Immigration Service (USCIS) offers Premium Processing for certain F-1 students applying for STEM OPT. Premium Processing provides expedited processing (30 -calendar days) of a STEM OPT application for an additional fee of $1,500 filed with Form I-907.

Premium Processing would rarely be needed for STEM OPT applications since STEM OPT applicants are allowed to continue their employment up to 180 days after the end date of their OPT.

USCIS will accept Form I-907 premium processing requests for F-1 students in two phases:

Starting now, USCIS will accept requests for a pending Form I-765, for Pre-Completion OPT, Post-Completion OPT, and STEM OPT.
Starting April 3, 2023, USCIS will accept requests for Premium Processing for a new Pre-Completion OPT, Post-Completion OPT, and STEM OPT applications when Form I-907 is filed concurrently with Form I-765. Please note that USCIS will reject any premium processing request for an initial or concurrently filed Form I-765 received before April 3.

We recommend that you give careful consideration prior to submitting a Premium Processing application to USCIS. Given current USCIS processing times. You can monitor USCIS I-765 processing times and consider the points below before deciding to pay for premium processing:

The date your STEM OPT application was received by USCIS
Your requested STEM OPT start date
Potential travel plans

To request premium processing on a pending STEM OPT application that you have previously filed online:

Go to USCIS My Account
Choose “File a Form Online”
Choose “I-907, Request for Premium Processing Service” in the drop-down menu under “Select the form you want to file online.”
Click “Start Form”
Your pending STEM OPT case should display under “Add Premium Processing to a Case."

USCIS will accept Form I-907 premium processing requests for F-1 students in two phases:

Starting now, USCIS will accept requests for a pending Form I-765, for pre-completion OPT, Post-Completion OPT, and STEM OPT.
Starting April 3, 2023, USCIS will accept requests for new Pre-Completion OPT, Post-Completion OPT, or STEM OPT when Form I-907 is filed concurrently with Form I-765. Please note that USCIS will reject any premium processing request for an initial or concurrently filed Form I-765 received before April 3.

We recommend that you give careful consideration to current USCIS processing times prior to submitting a Premium Processing application to USCIS. Monitor USCIS I-765 processing times and consider the points below before deciding to pay for premium processing:

The date USCIS received your STEM OPT application

Step 7: Wait for USCIS to Approve your STEM OPT Application

The average processing time for a STEM OPT application is 90 days from the receipt of the application.
If you file your STEM OPT application in a timely manner, you will be able to continue employment while your application is pending, until a final decision is made by USCIS or for 180 days beyond the expiration of your post-completion OPT, whichever comes first.
You will receive 3 documents from USCIS: a Receipt Notice, an Approval Notice, and your STEM OPT Extension EAD.
You can check the status of your application on the USCIS website with your Receipt Notice case number.
If your STEM OPT application is denied after your regular OPT expires, you will not be able to re-apply, so please review your application carefully.
If you receive a Request for Evidence (RFE), please contact your ISSO advisor for assistance.
After you have received your STEM OPT EAD you must follow the instructions on our website Stage 4 Maintaining F-1 Status on STEM OPT, and Stage 5 STEM OPT Reporting Requirements.