Pre-Completion OPT

What is Pre-Completion OPT?

Pre-completion OPT can be used for:
Full-time (more than 20 hours/week) or part-time (fewer than 20 hours) employment during summer vacation as long as you will enroll for the upcoming fall semester.
Part-time employment (20 hours or fewer per week) while school is in session if students continue to enroll full time for courses.
For master’s and PhD students, full-time or part-time employment after completion of all course requirements except thesis/dissertation.
Students are eligible for 12 months of OPT for each higher-level degree (i.e., bachelor’s, master’s, and PhD). If you apply and are approved for Pre-completion OPT for a total of 12 months, you will no longer be eligible for Post-completion OPT.
Pre-completion OPT is deducted from the 12-month total of OPT, including Post-Completion OPT, for which students are eligible at each higher degree level.
Full-time Pre-completion OPT is deducted at a one-to-one ratio: 
For example, one month of full-time Pre-completion OPT subtracts one month from the 12-month total, including Post-completion OPT.
Part-time Pre-completion OPT is deducted at half the rate: 
For example, four months of part-time Pre-completion subtract two months from the 12-month total, including Post-completion OPT.
When applying for Pre-completion OPT, a job offer is not required. However, once U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) approves your application, any unused days cannot be recovered.
Note: It takes approximately 90 days to receive the EAD card, so plan accordingly.

Eligibility Requirements

To be eligible for Pre-completion OPT, you must:

Have been enrolled continuously for one academic year (fall and spring semester) by the time the Pre-completion OPT employment starts. You may apply for Pre-completion OPT 90 days prior to the end of the one academic year.
Be in active F-1 status.
Your Pre-completion OPT employment must be closely related to your major of study.

Applying for Pre-Completion OPT: A Two-Step Process

Request the I-20 by completing the OPT form in iStart. Your academic adviser must complete the advisor portion of the form informing ISSA of your graduation date before a new I-20 can be issued. If you have a secondary major, you must also obtain a letter from your second-major academic adviser that confirms the completion of that program. ISSA generally requires 10-14 business days to process iStart requests. During peak periods, however, it may take longer. If approved, your ISSA adviser will issue you a new I-20 with the OPT recommendation on page 2.
Submit form I-765, the signed I-20 with the OPT recommendation, and other required documents to USCIS online within 30 days of the date of OPT I-20 issuance.

Check the current USCIS processing times for form I-765.
You must be in the U.S. when you submit form I-765.

Note: The OPT application is not approved by ISSA, but rather by USCIS. It is also very difficult to cancel an application once it has been submitted to USCIS, so make sure of your plans before you apply.

Completing the OPT Application Form I-765

Set up a MyUSCIS account. Instructions on how to create an account.
Complete the Form I-765,
Choose (c)(3)(A) Student Pre-completion OPT as your eligibility category.

Be sure to have the following required documents ready:
Processing fee for form I-765
Passport-style photo
Proof of enrollment for the academic year (transcripts for two consecutive semesters. Summer does not count).
Signed I-20 with the Pre-completion OPT recommendation on page 2 (make sure you have signed and dated on page 1)
Copy of your passport photo page
Your most recent I-94 arrival record
CPT and previous OPT I-20s, if applicable
Previous EAD card, if applicable

Note: Premium processing for OPT, using form I-907, is available from USCIS at an additional cost. This is an optional upgrade to speed up the processing time with a guaranteed USCIS review window of 30 days.