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Optional Practical Training (OPT)
Optional Practical Training (OPT) gives F-1 students the opportunity to gain work experience in their program or major field of study for up to 12 months while continuing to maintain their F-1 status with an immigration record/I-20 at William & Mary.
The Office of International Students, Scholars & Programs holds OPT information sessions multiple times each semester. See ISSP's Events Calendar for this semester's OPT info session schedule. A video recording of the most recent OPT info session is also available in the iStart Video Library.
Quick Facts about OPT:
- Field relevance: Your job must relate directly to your major area of study.
- Academic year completion: You must be in F-1 status for one full academic year before you are eligible for OPT work authorization.
- Timing options: Available before or after graduation, although most W&M students use OPT after graduation. See Curricular Practical Training for pre-graduation employment options.
- Job offer: You do not need a job offer prior to applying for the first year of OPT.
- Academic level: OPT can only be used once per degree level (e.g. bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral). If you plan to earn multiple degrees at the same level, it may not be possible to split OPT or use it later.
Eligibility
- You must be in F-1 status for at least two semesters directly prior to when you want to start OPT. If using OPT after graduation, you must have been in F-1 status for two semesters directly prior to graduation.
- To be eligible to use OPT, you must not have used 12 months of full-time CPT (defined as more than 20 hours of work per week).
- F-1 students are granted 12 months of OPT once per degree level (e.g. bachelor's, master's, doctorate). If you previously used OPT at the same degree level or prior to graduation, you may not be eligible for additional OPT.
Application Timeline
For students planning to use OPT after graduation, the earliest you can apply for OPT is 90 days before your program end date. The latest you can apply for OPT is 60 days after your program end date, before the end of your 60-day grace period.
Students are strongly encouraged to apply as early as possible. Benefits of applying early include having time to fix errors in your application, additional processing time for your application, and being able to take other actions earlier, such as extending your driver's license or applying for an SSN.
See Applying for OPT for more details about the application timeline.
Duration
OPT employment can only take place during the employment dates listed on your Employment Authorization Document (EAD) card. Unless you have applied for the STEM OPT Extension or your employer has filed for an H-1B on your behalf, you must stop working by the end date listed on your EAD card. After OPT ends, students have a 60-day grace period before they must leave the U.S.