Guide to Pre-Completion
Optional Practical Training (OPT)
ABOUT PRE-COMPLETION OPT
What is Pre-completion Optional Practical Training?
Optional Practical Training (OPT) is employment authorization for F-1 students for the purpose of gaining practical
experience directly related to their major field of study. Students may engage in Pre-OPT during their academic
program. Pre-OPT is recommended by OGS and authorized by the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Service (USCIS).
Any Pre-OPT that is authorized by USCIS during a degree program will be subtracted from the time available for Postcompletion OPT. Part-time Pre-OPT is subtracted at the rate of part time (for example, 4 months of part-time precompletion OPT would be equivalent to 2 months of full-time OPT, thus 2 months would be subtracted from the 12
months available for post-completion OPT).
Who is eligible?
A student may apply for Pre-OPT only if all of the following criteria have been met:
• Student has maintained valid F-1 student status
• Student has studied fulltime for at least 1 academic year
• Student has completed fewer than 365 days of fulltime CPT
When am I eligible to engage in Pre-completion Optional Practical Training?
A student is eligible to apply for Pre-OPT prior to completion of studies under the following circumstances:
• During the annual vacation (employment authorization may be full- or part-time);
• If all course work except for thesis or dissertation has been completed (employment authorization
may be full- or part-time);
• During the academic year (employment authorization may be part-time only and thus may not
exceed 20 hours per week and the student must carry a full-time course load).
When should I apply for Pre-completion Optional Practical Training?
Students may apply for Pre-OPT as early as 90 days before the desired start date of employment authorization. Please
note that USCIS must receive the application for pre-completion within 30 days of the date of the OPT recommendation.
This is the date of issuance of the I-20 that bears the recommendation for OPT. OPT applications that are not received
by USCIS within 30 days of the recommendation will be denied
Processing Times
The OGS requires 10 business days to process a request to issue a new I-20 with Pre-OPT recommendation.
USCIS generally requires 90 days to review the application and process an Employment Authorization Document (EAD)
card. USCIS will not expedite OPT requests before the 90 day processing time has elapsed.
Can I travel abroad during Pre-Completion Optional Practical Training?
Yes. During pre-completion OPT there are no travel restrictions as there are during post-completion OPT.
Can I be unemployed during Pre-OPT?
Yes. There are no restrictions of unemployment during Pre-OPT. Students are not required to have a job offer to
apply for Pre OPT; however, it is usually advantageous to at least have prospective employment opportunities
since any time authorized for Pre-OPT is subtracted from the time available for Post-completion OPT that a
student may wish to apply to do after completion of studies, whether the student obtains employment or not.
Office of Global Services, 405 Ell Hall, 360 Huntington Ave, Boston, MA 02115
northeastern.edu/ogs | ogs@northeastern.edu | (p) 617.373.2310 | (f) 617.373.8788
Guide to Pre-Completion
Optional Practical Training (OPT)
APPLYING FOR PRE-COMPLETION OPT
Step 1 – Review this guide and then make an appointment with the OGS advisor
Step 2 – Submit the Pre-OPT I-20 request eform
The student must upload the following documents on the eform.
• Verification for Pre-completion OPT Application (for graduate students only)
• Copy of identity pages of passport, including any correction and extension pages
• Copy of your I-94
• Copy of your ALL Employment Authorization Card, if applicable
Step 3 – Mail the Application to USCIS
After receiving the updated I-20 with Pre-completion OPT, mail the following documents to USCIS:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
Original Form I-765
Original Form G-1145
Copy of new I-20 with the OPT recommendation
Copy of ALL previous I-20s
Copy of identity pages of your passport, including correction and extension pages
Copy of your most recent F-1 visa stamp; if you do not have an F-1 visa stamp due to change of status, you must send
in your approval notice from USCIS
7. Copy of your I-94
8. Copy of your last Employment Authorization Card (front and back), if applicable
9. Check, money order, or bank check for $380 made payable to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.
10. Two passport photos with white background (lightly print name and SEVIS ID # on back of each photo; passport
photo MUST be less than 30 days old)
If you use Massachusetts address or any address in the other New England states on your I-765
form, send your application to the address below.
Make sure to mail your OPT packet through certified mail which includes a tracking number and guaranteed delivery
date.
For U.S. Postal Service (USPS) deliveries:
USCIS
P.O. Box 660867
Dallas, TX 75266
For express mail and courier service deliveries:
USCIS
Attn: AOS
2501 S. State Hwy. 121
Business Suite 400
Lewisville, TX 75067
Students who live in other states should refer to pages 7 and 8 of Direct Filing Address for Form I-765,
Application for Employment, for the appropriate address to use for filing your Pre-OPT application.
Office of Global Services, 405 Ell Hall, 360 Huntington Ave, Boston, MA 02115
northeastern.edu/ogs | ogs@northeastern.edu | (p) 617.373.2310 | (f) 617.373.8788
Guide to Pre-Completion
Optional Practical Training (OPT)
Processing of the OPT Application by USCIS
After the student has mailed the OPT application to USCIS, he or she will receive a confirmation of receipt,
Form I-797. This confirmation notification contains a case number assigned by USCIS so that the application
status can be tracked online.
Instructions for Completing Form I-765
The numbers below correspond to the numbered items on Form I-765. This form may be downloaded from
www.uscis.gov. Please read the instructions for each item and write the information on the form, printing clearly
and legibly or you may type the form online and print it.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
13.
14.
15.
16.
Name: Please print clearly or type your family name in capital letters, followed by the first or given and middle
name(s) if any. Please write your name as it appears in your passport.
Other names: You may fill this out if you use other names on official documents or if you have a maiden name
(name used prior to marriage, usually applies to women who have married).
Address: The address you enter here should be the address to which correspondence can be sent for the next
3-4 months during the OPT application period.
If you are using someone else’s address, (e.g. a friend’s), put “c/o … (person’s name). For example: c/o John Smith
– “care of John Smith”. The post office ill not deliver government mail if the name of the person on the mail is
not on the post box as well.
Citizenship: The country of citizenship should match what appears on the applicant’s I-20.
Place of Birth: Enter the city, state and country in which the applicant was born.
Date of Birth: Enter the numerical date of birth as month, day, and year (4 digit) e.g., June 29, 1988 should be
entered as 06/29/1988.
Gender: Check the appropriate box.
Marital status: Check the appropriate box.
Social Security Number: Please leave this item blank if you have not yet received a Social Security Number.
I-94 Number: Enter the 11-digit I-94 number, which can be found on the electronic I-94. It is called “Admission
(I-94) Record Number.” If you still have paper version of the I-94, you can find the I-94 number at the top left
side of the card. If there is a handwritten number, enter this one instead of the pre-printed one.
Previous Employment Authorization: Check “no” if you have never applied to the USCIS for F-1 OPT or other
employment. If you have previously applied, check “yes”. The USCIS Center serving the northeast region of the
U.S. is the “Vermont Service Center”, though many OPT applications are processed at the “Potomac Service
Center”. Enter the dates of employment authorized indicated on the Employment Authorization Card; under
“Results” enter “Granted” or “Denied” and if granted, attach a photocopy of your EAD (Employment
Authorization Document)
Date of Last Entry into U.S.: Enter the date of last entry stamped in your passport.
Place of Last Entry into the U.S.: The place of entry is often written in three letter abbreviations such as “BOS”
for Boston and “SFR” for San Francisco. Enter the place of last enter the date stamped in your passport.
Manner of Entry: If “F-1” appears on your I-94, enter “student”. If you entered in another status and changed
your non-immigrant status in the U.S. and have not travelled outside of the U.S. since receiving your change of
status, please indicate the status you held upon entering the U.S.
Current Immigration Status: Enter “student”.
Eligibility Categories: Enter the following codes in the three consecutive parentheses: (c) (3) (A)
Office of Global Services, 405 Ell Hall, 360 Huntington Ave, Boston, MA 02115
northeastern.edu/ogs | ogs@northeastern.edu | (p) 617.373.2310 | (f) 617.373.8788