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International Student and Scholar Services

STEM for Employers

What is STEM OPT?

STEM OPT is a 24-month extension of a student’s 12-month OPT, for a total of 36 months. The student must have completed a STEM designated degree from an SEVP-certified school.

Students whose current OPT is not based on a STEM degree, but who previously earned a STEM degree, may claim STEM based on the prior degree.

Employment must be at least 20 hours/week, paid, and with an E-Verify employer. Volunteer work, unpaid employment, and self-employment (1099) are not allowed.

Employment must be directly related to the student’s STEM degree.

Student’s Role

  • It is the student’s responsibility to verify STEM eligibility.
  • It is the student’s responsibility to apply for STEM Extension on time through USCIS, before the OPT end date.
  • Must report any changes to personal contact and employer information to ISSS by updating the SEVP Portal, and submitting a request in the ISSS Portal within 10 days.
  • Any material changes to the Form I-983 must be accompanied by a new, updated training plan and new signatures and dates.
  • Must submit a STEM validation report in the ISSS Portal every 6 months throughout the STEM Extension period.

Employer’s Role

  • There is no cost to you as the employer, and the STEM Extension application is entirely the responsibility of the student.
  • Provide student with the company’s E-Verify number.
  • Student must already be employed or have an offer of employment upon starting STEM.
  • Complete and sign a Form I-983 Training Plan with the student and attest to the regulatory reporting requirements; see STEM OPT Reporting Requirements for more information.
  • Compensation for the position must be commensurate with that applicable to a similarly situated U.S. worker.

Timing Considerations

  • ISSS needs 10 business days to process the student’s STEM recommendation I-20.
  • Students must apply through USCIS before the expiration of their OPT EAD card.
  • STEM is authorized through USCIS; see USCIS Processing Times for estimates.
  • A student can continue to work for up to 180 days after the OPT EAD card expiration date while STEM is pending, if the STEM Extension application was submitted on time.

Hiring Paperwork

  • Employers should request a copy of the student’s STEM Extension EAD Card for I-9 purposes.
  • Employers can refer to the F-1 Students section of the I-9 Handbook for Employers for instructions on how to complete the Form I-9 for an F-1 student on STEM.
  • The employment end date listed on the STEM EAD card is the date their STEM Extension employment authorization expires.
  • F-1 students who have been in the U.S. for less than five years are generally exempt from FICA (Social Security and Medicare) tax withholdings on their wages.

Additional Resources