Responsibilities of F-1 students on Optional Practical Training
Optional Practical Training is essentially an extension of your F-1 status. Therefore, even though it is likely you are not longer at UMMS, you are still required to follow all F-1 regulations and to report certain information to the ISSO on a regular basis. Failure to do so could result in loss of your legal visa status in the U.S.
All OPT employment must be in a job that is related to your degree program
Limits on periods of unemployment during authorized OPT
Students on post-completion OPT may have up to 90 days of unemployment. Those who receive a 17-month STEM OPT extension are given an additional 30 days of unemployment for a total of 120 days over their entire post completion OPT period. For students who started OPT prior to April 8, 2008, unemployment time will accrue only for time spent unemployed after April 8, 2008.
Each day during the authorized OPT period that you do not have qualifying employment counts as a day of unemployment. The only exception is that periods of up to ten days between the end of one job and the beginning of the next will not be included in the calculation for time spent unemployed.
More information on employment / unemployment during OPT.
Things to report to the ISSO
All information should be sent within 10 business days of the event/change. Send updates via e-mail to issoumms@umassmed.edu. In the subject line put “OPT Update”
Legal name changes
Changes in residential or mailing address
Current employment information (giving name and address of current employer and start date of employment)
Changes in employer (giving end date of prior employment, start date of new employment, and name and address of employer)
Loss of employment
Additional reporting requirements for STEM extensions [you must send the ISSO a validation report every six months starting from the date the STEM extension starts and ending when your F-1 status or the STEM extension ends, whichever is first]. The report must include the following:
Full legal name
SEVIS identification number
Current address
Name and address of current employer
Date you began working for the current employer
The ISSO will require that you review and sign a form to acknowledge that you have been informed of and are aware of your responsibilities as a student on an approved period of OPT.
Please see the following sites for additional information and application procedures:
Optional Practical Training information
Optional Practical Training application instructions
Information about the 17 month OPT extension
17 month OPT extension application instructions
Limits on employment / unemployment during OPT
H-1b "cap-gap" extension (information & instructions)
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