STEM OPT Extension: 24 More Months of Work for STEM Graduates

You may qualify if all of these are true:

• You are on post-completion OPT now, based on a degree from a school accredited by a US accrediting agency and certified by the Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP)
• Your degree is a bachelor's, master's, or doctorate in a field on the DHS STEM Designated Degree Program List. The list uses Classification of Instructional Program (CIP) codes, so check your I-20 for the code.
• Or, you can base STEM OPT on an earlier US STEM degree earned within the last 10 years, even if your current OPT is based on a non-STEM degree
• You have a job offer from an employer that is enrolled in E-Verify and in good standing
• The job is directly related to your STEM degree, is at least 20 hours a week, and pays at least what similar US workers earn

You can get STEM OPT twice in your life, at two different degree levels (for example, after a master's and later after a doctorate).

STEM OPT has stricter employer rules than regular OPT:

• E-Verify. The employer must be enrolled in E-Verify and remain in good standing.
• A real employer-employee relationship. Self-employment, and most staffing arrangements where the student is placed with a third party, do not qualify.
• Form I-983 training plan. The employer and student complete a training plan describing the learning goals, supervision, and how the student's progress is measured. It stays with the school, not USCIS.
• Fair pay. The student's duties, hours, and pay must be similar to those of US workers in the same role.
• Site visits. DHS may visit the worksite to check compliance.
• Report changes. The employer must tell the school if the student leaves or is fired, usually within 5 business days.

Employers can read more in our guides on hiring from abroad for tech and I-9 and E-Verify.

1. Complete Form I-983 with your employer and send it to your Designated School Official (DSO).
2. Get the DSO recommendation. Your DSO updates SEVIS and issues a new I-20 recommending STEM OPT.
3. File Form I-765 (category (c)(3)(C)) with USCIS within 60 days of the DSO recommendation and before your current OPT card expires. You can file up to 90 days before it expires.
4. Pay the fee: $520 on paper or $470 online as of September 2026. Premium processing is available for $1,780 on Form I-907.
5. Keep working. If you filed on time, your work authorization continues for up to 180 days after your OPT card expires while the application is pending.

The 180-day rule is part of the STEM OPT regulations. It was not affected by the October 2025 change that ended automatic extensions for most other work permits. See EAD work permit for those changes.

Missing reports can lead your school to end your SEVIS record, which ends your status. Set calendar reminders.

STEM OPT gives many graduates up to three years of work, which means up to three chances in the H-1B lottery. Since 2026 the lottery gives more entries to higher wage levels, so a raise or promotion can help your odds. If your employer registers you and you are selected, the cap-gap extension can keep you working from the end of your STEM OPT until your H-1B starts on October 1.

Some STEM graduates also look at O-1A or an EB-2 National Interest Waiver.

STEM OPT continues under the same rules as of September 22, 2026. The DHS rule that would have ended "duration of status" for F-1 students from September 15, 2026 was blocked nationwide by a federal court on September 14, 2026. If it takes effect later, some STEM OPT workers may also need to file Form I-539 to extend their stay. Follow F-1 fixed admission period status and talk to your DSO before making plans.