STEM Extension

To be eligible for the STEM Extension a student must:

• Have completed a degree in a qualifying STEM program.
  • The STEM-designated degree program list includes all STEM fields that qualify an F-1 Student for a STEM Extension of OPT.
  • The CIP Code assigned to your degree is the number that follows your major on page 1 of your I-20.
• Be currently in an approved period of Post-Completion OPT (students on Pre-Completion OPT are not eligible).
• Work for an employer that participates in the E-Verify program and will complete an I-983 Training Plan.
  • Employment on the STEM Extension must be compensated.
  • Students cannot qualify for STEM OPT extensions unless they will be bona fide employees of the employer signing the Form I-983.
  • Students may not be self-employed on the STEM Extension because students may not provide employer attestations on their own behalf. However, STEM OPT applicants can participate in a start-up or small business so long as all regulatory requirements are met.
  • The employer that signs the Training Plan must be the same entity that employs the student and provides the practical training experience.
• Maintained valid F-1 Status.
• Have not accumulated more than 90 days of unemployment.
• Submit a timely STEM Extension application.
  • USCIS must receive your STEM Extension application no more than 90 days before a student’s OPT expires and no later than the end date of their OPT.

For a student to be eligible for the STEM Extension they must work for an employer that meets the following requirements:

• The employer must participate in USCIS's E-Verify employment eligibility verification program.
• The employer must complete an I-983 Training Plan with the student and agree to the conditions in the employer certification sections, including:
  • The employer must agree to report to the Center for International Services when an F-1 student on a STEM OPT extension terminates or otherwise leaves their employment before the end of the authorized period of STEM OPT. The employer must report this change to the center no later than five business days after the student leaves employment. For more information about employer requirements, please visit the Study in the States Employer Reporting Requirements page.
  • Both the student and employer are obligated to report to the Center for International Services any material changes to or material deviations from the student's formal training plan, Form I-983.
  • The employer must remain in good standing with E-Verify and have the resources to comply with the proposed training plan.

Your request for a STEM Extension Recommendation I-20 will require the following documents:

• Your final transcript or diploma for your STEM degree - If you are submitting your Syracuse University transcript, it must indicate the date your degree was awarded in the upper left corner.  If you are a Ph.D. student applying for the STEM Extension OPT, and you have not yet completed your degree, upload a letter from your academic department indicating you have completed all your coursework and are still enrolled while working on your thesis or dissertation.
• Your most recent I-94
• Your completed I-983 Training Plan – Signed by you on page 1 and signed by your employer on pages 2 & 4. You do NOT need to complete the evaluations on page 5 at this time.

• Log in to the International Student and Scholar (ISSS) Portal through MySlice. If you do not have access to the portal please email amdieven@syr.edu with a detailed description of the issue (include screenshots if possible) or visit the Center for International Services during walk-in advising (Monday – Friday from 11am to 3pm).
• Go to the Student Request Center.
• Find the STEM Extension Request.
• Complete the Questionnaires.
• Upload the Required Documents:
  • Your final transcript or diploma
  • Your most recent I-94
  • Your completed I-983 Training Plan
• Read the Next Steps and Confirm.
• Submit Request.

Within 3-5 business days you should receive an email that your STEM Extension Recommendation I-20 has been processed and is available in the ISSS Portal. You must complete and submit your I-765 within 60 days of when your new I-20 is issued.

• Print OPT Recommendation I-20 from ISSS Portal and sign on the bottom of page 1, scan the newly signed I-20 and save a digital file of it.
• Download your most recent I-94.
• Obtain a passport style photograph. 2 X 2 inches, white or light background, no glasses.
• A digital copy of the front and the back of your EAD card
• Your final transcript or diploma for your STEM degree
• If you are applying for a STEM Extension based on a STEM degree you earned prior to the degree your current OPT is based on evidence that the institution that granted that degree is accredited by the U.S. Department of Education and certified by SEVP. Most students will not need this.

• If you already have a USCIS Online Account log in. If you do not have a USCIS Online Account, create one.
• After logging in, click on “File a Form Online” to begin your application process.
• Select “I-765, Application for Employment Authorization.”
• Complete the I-765 form and upload your documents.
• Complete instructions for filing the I-765 can be found online here.
• Upload your documents to the application:
  • Your 2 X 2 Photo
  • Your most recent I-94
  • Your EAD
  • Form I-20 – Your SIGNED STEM Extension Recommendation I-20 (you do not need to upload any other I-20s in this section)
  • College Degree - Your final transcript indicating your degree was awarded or diploma for your STEM degree
  • Institution Accreditation - If applying for a STEM Extension based on a STEM degree you earned prior to the degree your current OPT is based (most students will not need this)
• Tips for completing the I-765:
  • Answer the form questions in order — do not skip ahead. The form has conditional logic that will display the next set of questions according to your answers. Go in order so that you only see the questions you need to complete.
  • What is Your Reason for Applying?
    • You should select “Initial permission to accept employment.”
  • Have you previously filed Form I-765?
    • Since you are in an approved period of post-completion OPT you should answer yes.
  • The system will review it but it will NOT check your answers for accuracy — you must make sure that the data you provided in your application is correct.
    • An “error” simply means you may have missed something on the application or formatted something incorrectly.
    • If an error is highlighted in red, it must be corrected before you can submit your application.
    • A yellow error calls your attention to something that may need correction. Review it to make sure your information is correct.

• Complete a final review of your application.
• Sign and submit the application.
• Your will be redirected to pay.gov to pay the $410 application fee. It can be paid by credit or debit card.

As long as your STEM Extension Application is timely filed with USCIS (submitted before the expiration of your current post-completion OPT EAD card), you are able to continue to work for up to 180 days beyond the expiration of your post-completion OPT EAD card. If your STEM Extension EAD card is not received within the 180-day period you must stop working until the card is received. This is a rare situation.

Once you have your application receipt number, you can check the status of your STEM OPT application online on the USCIS Case Status website.

STEM OPT application processing times vary. It is estimated that a typical application will take 2-3 months to process. You may check USCIS Official Processing Times online.

Your EAD card will be mailed to the mailing address that you put on your I-765. If your mailing address changes after you have submitted your I-765, you need to update USCIS with your new mailing address as soon as possible. You can inform them of your new mailing address through your USCIS account or by completing their change of address form.

If your application has been approved by USCIS, you should receive your Employment Authorization Document (EAD) Card in the mail within approximately 90-120 days. Once you have received your EAD Card email a picture of the front and the back of your EAD Card to the Center for International Services.

If, after checking the normal processing times for I-765 STEM OPT applications, you find that your case is beyond the normal processing times, you can submit an inquiry to USCIS about your Form I-765 through their case inquiry form.

The criteria and processes for requesting an expedited case can be found on the USCIS website. Requests to expedite are considered on a case by case basis, but it is unlikely a STEM OPT application would be considered.