OPT is a work benefit opportunity to gain off-campus work experience and is requested to be used before or after the completion of a degree program.
F-1 students are eligible for a total of 12 months of OPT per degree level. Those 12 months can be used while earning your degree (Pre-OPT), after earning your degree (Post-OPT), or a combination of both (Pre- and Post-OPT).
The 24-Month STEM OPT Extension is an additional benefit from United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) that allows international students in F-1 status who receive a bachelor’s, master’s, or doctoral degree in an approved STEM field to apply for a 24-month extension of their standard 12-month Post-OPT period, twice in a lifetime.
Information Sessions
The International Students and Scholars Center (ISSC) periodically offers Information sessions. Information session dates and times are available here: https://issc.asu.edu/events.
