Optional Practical Training

In the United States, Optional Practical Training (OPT) is a period during which <a href="/facts/Undergraduate/GVvPMLFN">undergraduate</a> and graduate students with <a href="/facts/F_visa/KXrAHBoe">F-1 status</a> who have completed or have been pursuing their degrees for one academic year are permitted by the <a href="/facts/United_States_Citizenship_and_Immigration_Services/1l5yJL2e">United States Citizenship and Immigration Services</a> (USCIS) to work for one year on a <a href="/facts/Student_visa/y2S7fwNw">student visa</a> towards getting practical training to complement their education. Foreign students currently enrolled at a U.S. university can receive full-time or part-time work authorization through <a href="/facts/Curricular_Practical_Training/eYM5tf5g">Curricular Practical Training</a>. In 2022, there were 171,635 OPT employment authorizations. In 2021, there were 115,651 new non-STEM OPT authorizations, a 105% increase from a decade ago.
During the 2021-2022 school year, the two nations with the highest number of OPT students were India and China. There were 68,188 Indian OPT students and 51,199 Chinese OPT students. According to Pew Research, there were 441,400 OPT approvals from <a href="/facts/India/QW4TV4sy">India</a> and 313,500 from <a href="/facts/China/lTjIXY5p">China</a> between 2004-2016. The <a href="/facts/University_of_Southern_California/N0v9R5gs">University of Southern California</a> was the largest OPT participant between 2003 and 2017, with 30,720 approvals.
On April 2, 2008, the U.S. <a href="/facts/Department_of_Homeland_Security/jwz5gLfa">Department of Homeland Security</a> (DHS) Secretary <a href="/facts/Michael_Chertoff/7w42DfU6">Michael Chertoff</a> announced a 17-month extension to the OPT for students in qualifying <a href="/facts/Science%2c_technology%2c_engineering%2c_and_mathematics/NAsAI1nG">STEM</a> fields. To be eligible for the 12-month permit, any degree in any field of studies is valid. For the 17-month OPT extension, a student must have received a science, technology, engineering, or mathematics degree as defined by USCIS.
On March 11, 2016, the Department of Homeland Security published a final rule allowing certain F-1 students who receive STEM degrees and who meet other specified requirements to apply for a 24-month extension of their post-completion OPT, giving STEM graduates a total of 36 months of OPT. The 24-month extension replaces the 17-month STEM OPT extension previously available to STEM students (see 73 FR 18944). Eligible students could apply for a 24-month STEM OPT extension starting on May 10, 2016. In 2019, there were 72,116 new STEM OPT authorizations. Compared to a decade prior, it is an 1108% increase. In the same year, there were 78,000 STEM OPT workers from India and 30,000 workers from China.
There also exists a post-completion Practical Training option for students on <a href="/facts/M-1_visa/VVrngTQJ">M-1 visas</a>, but it is significantly more restrictive than that for F-1 students. Unless otherwise specified, Optional Practical Training is understood to refer to Optional Practical Training for F-1 students.
OPT, or Optional Practical Training, allows international students in the US on F-1 visas to work in the US for a set period after completing their academic program. This allows students to gain valuable work experience related to their field of study. For most students, this is a 12-month period, but STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) students can extend their authorization by an additional 24 months. 
Here's a more detailed breakdown:
Purpose: OPT helps students gain real-world experience and apply their knowledge to jobs in their field of study. 
Eligibility: International students with F-1 visas are generally eligible. 
Types of Work: OPT can involve internships, work-study programs, or full-time employment. 
Duration: Most students receive a 12-month OPT period, with STEM students potentially eligible for a 24-month extension. 
When to Apply: Students typically apply for OPT after completing their degree but can apply for pre-completion OPT during their studies as well.

Optional Practical Training open-in-new

Optional Practical Training