Post-Optional Practical Training - After Completion of a Course of Study
To be eligible for post-completion optional practical training you must:
- Have held student status for at least one academic year
- Currently be maintaining valid F-1 status
- Have completed a course of study and submitted your thesis or dissertation
- Intend to work after completion in a job directly related to your course of study
Please note that you do not have to have a job offer before applying for post-completion optional practical training and that you must in any case apply before completion of your studies or 60 days after. Optional practical training must end no later than 14 months from your completion of studies date.
You may have post-completion optional practical training authorized for any period of time that you wish, up to the maximum amount of optional practical training remaining to you at the time of completion. If, for example, you have not previously used any optional practical training, you may have the full 12 months authorized after completion of a course of study. Students are permitted to apply for a period of 12 months post completion OPT following each degree received as long as the degrees are a higher level, ie bachelors to masters and masters to Ph.D. Obtaining two degrees of the same level, such as Master of Fine Arts and Master of Business Administration entitles applicant to only one 12 month period of OPT.
Application and Authorization Procedures:
To apply for optional practical training after completion of a course of study you must come to OFSS no more than 90 days before your intended completion of a course of study with the following documents:
- A recommendation form signed by academic advisor and Office of Graduate Studies (graduate students only).
- Completed Forms I-765. (Please Read the instruction before printing or filling the form)
- All Form I-20's (including I-20's from other institutions), passport and your I-94 card.
- A personal check or money order for $340 made payable to Department of Homeland Security.
- Two passport type photos.
- Employment letter (if offer has been made).
After you have all of the above, call (302)831-2115 to schedule an appointment with Mary Politakis.
As in the case of pre-completion optional practical training, after reviewing these documents to determine your eligibility for practical training, an adviser at OFSS will endorse the back of your Form I-20 recommending the requested period of optional practical training. You will then mail your application to the Immigration and Naturalization Service in Vermont and they will mail your Employment Authorization Document (EAD) to you.
Please note again that your practical training application is not approved until you have your photo EAD, and that the wait may be as long as 90 days. Any optional practical training employment you have before receiving your EAD is illegal employment that renders you illegally present in the United States.
Please note that the application period for post-completion optional practical training begins 90 days before you complete your program of study or 60 days after. You must apply both to the OFSS and USCIS for an Employment Authorization Document within this application period. (USCIS regulations refer to the date you complete all requirements for a program of study, not the date you participate in graduation ceremonies and receive a certificate or diploma. However, for most degree programs at the University of Delaware, we consider the end of term to be the completion date. For some PhD students, the completion date is interpreted to be the date of final submission of the dissertation.)