Post-completion OPT is the step that lets an F-1 graduate work in the US in their field, and it is one of the few F-1 processes where a small procedural slip (a missed 30-day deadline, a wrong category box) can cost you the whole benefit. This guide walks the application in order. It covers the standard 12-month authorization; for the extra 24 months for STEM degrees, see our STEM OPT extension guide.
Step 0: confirm OPT is the right tool
If you are still choosing between working during your program and after it, read OPT vs CPT first, since some CPT usage affects OPT eligibility. Everything below assumes you are in valid F-1 status and are about to finish your program.
Step 1: get the DSO recommendation in SEVIS
You cannot apply on your own. USCIS states that all OPT applicants need their Designated School Official (DSO) to enter the OPT recommendation into their SEVIS record first (USCIS: OPT for F-1 Students). Schools run this through their own portal and forms, so:
- Ask your international office how and when to request it, and what the school charges, if anything. For example, one university’s published process includes its own administrative fee and about three weeks of school-side processing (University of Washington ISS). Yours may differ.
- Choose your requested start date deliberately (see “EAD dates” below).
- Receive the updated Form I-20 showing the OPT recommendation and keep it: it goes into your filing.
Step 2: know the two clocks
Two deadlines run at once:
- Program-end window: file no earlier than 90 days before your program end date and no later than 60 days after it.
- DSO-recommendation clock: you must file within 30 days after your DSO enters the recommendation in SEVIS.
Both come from USCIS and the Form I-765 page. Practically, this means you should not ask the DSO for the recommendation until you are ready to assemble the packet, or the 30-day clock may run out before you are ready. It also means you should not wait until day 55 after graduation: a rejection at that point may leave no time to refile inside the window.
Step 3: file Form I-765 in the right category
The I-765 has separate categories for F-1 OPT. Post-completion OPT is (c)(3)(B); (c)(3)(A) is pre-completion OPT and (c)(3)(C) is the STEM extension, as listed in the USCIS online-filing announcement relayed by UW-Madison ISS. Note that the same source says USCIS will deny (and keep the fee) when an online filer picks a category they don’t qualify for.
Practical points:
- Online or paper. You can file online by creating a USCIS account, or file by paper. Always download the current form edition from USCIS on the day you file, since using an outdated edition is a known reason for rejection.
- Fee. The amount is set in the USCIS fee schedule (Form G-1055) and can differ between online and paper filing, so use the USCIS Fee Calculator on the day you file.
- Photos. USCIS says photos must be unmounted and unretouched; do not edit or enhance them.
- Supporting evidence. The core item is the I-20 with the DSO’s OPT recommendation. Read the current I-765 instructions for the full list, and keep a complete copy of everything you send.
- Sign it. USCIS notes unsigned forms are rejected.
Step 4: EAD dates and when you may work
You cannot start OPT work until USCIS approves the I-765 and you have your Employment Authorization Document (EAD) card (USCIS). After approval USCIS says the card should be produced within about two weeks, and asks you to allow 30 days from approval before inquiring. The card shows your authorized start and end dates.
The start date you asked your DSO for matters: it can generally be as early as the day after program end and up to 60 days after, with authorization lasting 12 months from the chosen start (UW ISS). Check your own I-20 and EAD. Choose a start date that reflects when you realistically expect the card, since the clock runs from the date you chose, not from the day the card arrives.
Processing time
USCIS processing varies by service center and season. Waits of several months are common, so check USCIS’s live processing-times tool rather than trusting any static number. File as early in the window as you can. Filing 90 days before program end is what lets many students hold a card by graduation.
Common rejection and denial traps
- Filing outside the 90-day-before to 60-day-after window.
- Filing more than 30 days after the DSO recommendation.
- Wrong category box (for example (c)(3)(A) instead of (c)(3)(B)).
- Unsigned form, outdated edition, or missing required items.
- Payment problems or an incorrect fee for your filing method.
Rejections and denials are different: a rejected filing is returned and can be refiled if time remains; a denial with the fee retained cannot. This is why a second pair of eyes from your DSO before submission is worth an afternoon.
While you wait
- Do not begin working. Even a “trial period” without the card in hand risks unauthorized employment.
- Keep your address current with USCIS so the card is not lost in the mail.
- Line up job leads, and read the 90-day unemployment rule guide so you understand how days are counted once the card is active.
- Ask your DSO how to report your employer once you start; F-1 students generally have to report new employment within 10 days.
- If you plan an H-1B, the cap-gap guide explains how OPT can be extended.
Travel during OPT
Rules for leaving and re-entering depend on whether your application is pending or approved, and on your visa and I-20 endorsements. We did not find a single authoritative summary at the sources we fetched, so treat travel as a DSO conversation before you book, particularly while the I-765 is pending. The broader F-1 visa guide covers status basics.
Sources
- USCIS: Optional Practical Training for F-1 Students
- USCIS: Form I-765
- UW-Madison ISS: I-765 online filing for OPT
- University of Washington ISS: post-completion OPT (one school’s process, for illustration)
FAQ
When can I file for post-completion OPT? Up to 90 days before your program end date and no later than 60 days after, and within 30 days of your DSO’s SEVIS recommendation.
Which I-765 category is post-completion OPT? (c)(3)(B). (c)(3)(A) is pre-completion OPT and (c)(3)(C) is the STEM extension.
Can I start working once I file? No. Wait for approval, the EAD card in hand, and the start date on it.
What is the most common reason OPT applications are rejected? Procedural errors such as filing outside the window or after the 30-day clock, an unsigned form, or the wrong category.
Do I need to be in the US while my OPT is pending? Travel while pending carries risk; talk to your DSO before booking.
This guide is general information, not legal advice. Fees, form editions and processing times change, so confirm everything with your DSO and USCIS before filing. VisaMet’s AI assistant is being built to help you track deadlines and assemble documents; join the waitlist for early access.