F-1 Graduated Students

In general you are only eligible if your degree carries this designation. (If you completed a degree in a STEM field at an SEVP-certified school within the past 10 years but prior to attending RISD, you may still be eligible for a STEM extension.)

RISD majors that are currently STEM-eligible are:

• Architecture
• Digital + Media
• Graphic Design
• Industrial Design
• Interior Architecture
• Landscape Architecture

In addition to having completed a STEM-designate degree, you must have a job offer or be working for an employer registered with E-Verify, a federal employment verification system.

You and your employer must complete Form I-983—Training Plan for STEM OPT students. The Department of Homeland Society provides a guide to completing the I-983 that you will find under “Employer Responsibilities and Obligations for STEM OPT.”

Any employment you undertake while on the STEM OPT extension must meet the following criteria:

• It must be a paid position of at least 20 work hours per week.
• You must work for an E-Verify employer.
• Your position must be related to the STEM program major listed under “Program of Study” on your I-20. You are responsible for drawing a connection between your position and the skills or knowledge learned in your STEM degree.
• You must be supervised and paid directly by your employer. You cannot be paid by a third party or staffing agency, or work at a location other than your employer’s place of business. For more information, please see “The Employer’s Training Obligation: Staffing and Temporary Agencies” from USCIS.
• If working in an academic environment, you cannot be paid through an external fellowship. For example, you cannot use STEM for a postdoctoral position for which you are not paid directly by the host institution.
• You must not begin work for any new employer without first submitting to ISSA a new, completed I-983 training plan for that employer.
• You must not have more than 150 days of unemployment time during the entire period of post-completion OPT (regular post-completion OPT and 24-month extension combined).
• You cannot work in a self-employed/freelance/independent contractor capacity.
• You cannot volunteer or work in an unpaid position

If working for more than one employer, each position requires a completed I-983 training plan and must meet each of the above criteria.

You can submit your complete STEM OPT application to USCIS up to 90 days before your current OPT period expires, as noted on your employment authorization document card (EAD), and no more than two weeks before the end of your current OPT. 

The application can take approximately 90–120 days for USCIS to process. If USCIS receives your application on or after your OPT end date, they will deny your STEM OPT extension request.

You must request an I-20 with a STEM OPT extension recommendation from ISSA, to be included with your your STEM OPT application, or USCIS will reject your request. You can submit a STEM OPT I-20 request from us up to 120 days before your OPT end date. Please allow 2-3 weeks for processing, including time for any necessary document edits by you or your employer.

Application steps for STEM OPT (with more details available via the required Canvas courses in step one):

1. Complete required STEM OPT Canvas course and quiz online.
2. Gather and upload required documents to the STEM OPT I-20 request form and checklist to request STEM OPT I-20 from our office. Submit your request form to ISSA. Required documents are:
   1. a screenshot of your STEM OPT quiz grade.
   2. a completed Form I-983 training plan. (Visit Study in the States for I-983 instructions. For application help, see our guide to completing the I-983.)
      1. You can find your SEVIS school code on page 1 of your I-20. RISD’s school code is BOS214F20102000.
      2. Your CIP code is also on page 1 of your I-20, near your listed major.
      3. Your employment authorization number is the USCIS# on your EAD card.
   3. Form I-765.
   4. a copy of your current EAD card (front and back).
   5. a copy of your valid passport.
   6. a copy of your current F-1 visa.
   7. a copy of your most recent I-94 record.
3. Receive your new STEM OPT I-20. This is very important: Do not submit your application to USCIS without a STEM OPT I-20. If you do, your application will be rejected. We will issue a new I-20 with a STEM OPT extension recommendation for you to then submit your STEM OPT application to USCIS. Allow 2–3 weeks for processing, including time for necessary edits by you or your employer.
4. Finalize your materials and submit your STEM OPT application to USCIS. Be sure to include your STEM OPT I-20 with your application. Important: USCIS must receive your STEM OPT application within 60 days of the issue date of your STEM extension I-20, but no later than the expiration of your current OPT period, as noted on your EAD. USCIS will reject your application if they receive it outside of this time frame.
5. Receive receipt, approval notice and STEM EAD. Form I-797C—“Notice of Action (receipt)”—will be mailed to the address you provide on Form I-765. This receipt indicates the date on which USCIS received your application as well as a receipt number that allows you to track the status of your application. If you anticipate changing addresses, note that the US Postal Service will not forward mail from USCIS. Please update USCIS and ISSA with any address changes.
   
   Your evidence of STEM OPT extension approval is a new EAD card and a Form I-797 approval notice. You should receive these within 90–120 days of the receipt date listed on your receipt notice. If you do not receive your EAD within the normal processing time, follow up with USCIS by telephoning the number on your receipt notice. Once you receive your EAD, provide our office with a copy.

If you are post-completion OPT based on a non-STEM degree but also hold a STEM degree from a US higher education institution, you may be eligible to use the prior degree to apply for the STEM OPT extension.

For example, if you are currently participating in OPT based on a master’s degree in graphic design but you previously received a bachelor’s degree in architecture, you may be able to apply for a STEM OPT extension based on the latter degree, so long as it is from an accredited US college or university and the OPT employment opportunity is directly related to it.

To be eligible, you must also meet the following criteria:

• Your prior must have been conferred no more than 10 years prior to submission of the extension application.
• Your prior degree must have been conferred before the degree that provides the basis for your current period of standard post-completion OPT.
• Your prior degree must be from an accredited and SEVP-certified US educational institution at the time your designated school official (DSO) recommends you for the 24-month OPT extension
• Your prior degree must be on the current STEM-designated degree program list at the time of the DSO recommendation.
• The prospective employment that is the basis for the 24-month STEM OPT extension must directly relate to the prior degree.

You must submit an official transcript and a copy of the I-20 that identifies the prior degree. If you do not have the I-20, you can provide confirming documentation from your previous school as well as the classification of instructional programs (CIP) code that was assigned to you. However, USCIS may or may not accept such documentation.

You can find the major and CIP code in the Program of Study section of I-20s issued after July 2015. For forms issued before July 2015, the major will be listed under item 5. There will be no CIP Code.

If you are granted a STEM OPT Extension, you must satisfy additional federal reporting requirements. If you do not satisfy these requirements, your F-1 status will automatically be invalidated.

1. Six-month data validation: Every six months you must confirm via the STEM OPT reporting form that your SEVIS record accurately reflects your current circumstance.
   
   As part of this six-month reporting, you must confirm that your SEVIS information correctly identifies your:
   1. legal name
   2. residential or mailing address
   3. employer name and address
   4. status of current employment
   5. SEVP Portal users will receive a reminder via email 30 days before any validation report is due. Please note that STEM OPT students must report a change in this information, including any loss of employment, within 10 days of the change.
2. Annual self-valuation: You must complete and submit to your designated school official (DSO) an annual self-evaluation describing the progress of your training experience through the STEM OPT reporting form. You must also ensure that the DSO receives the assessment no later than 10 days following the conclusion of the training period and need to submit the assessments for the stated periods:
   1. Initial: 12 months after the STEM OPT start date
   2. Final assessment that recaps the training and knowledge acquired during the complete, 24 month training period.
      
      SEVP portal users will receive a reminder via email 30 days before your self-evaluation is due. You must complete an assessment at the conclusion of the training opportunity, usually a final assessment due at 24 months, but possibly at any time during the period of authorized employment when employment ends. You must submit this final assessment within 10 days after your training opportunity concludes.
      
      Material Changes to an Existing Form I-983
      Each STEM OPT student must report within 10 days to their DSO any material changes to, or material deviations from, the student's formal training plan through the STEM OPT Reporting Form. Students are also required to report to OISS if their employer is not abiding by the terms of the Training Plan.
      
      Material changes or deviations from the original Form I-983 may include, but are not limited to:
          ◦    Any change of the employer’s EIN.
          ◦    Any reduction in student compensation that is not tied to a reduction in hours worked.
          ◦    Any significant decrease in hours per week that a student engages in a STEM training opportunity.
          ◦    Changes to the employer’s commitments or student’s learning objectives as documented on the Form I-983.
      So long as the STEM OPT student and employer meet the regulatory requirements and the modified Form I-983 meets the specified requirements, the student’s employment authorization will not cease based on a change to the plan.
      STEM OPT students must provide the following information to OISS every six months AND within 10 days of any change:
          ◦    Legal name
          ◦    Residential and mailing address
          ◦    E-mail address
          ◦    Telephone Number
          ◦    Employer name
          ◦    Employer address
          ◦    Employer EIN
          ◦    Job title or position
          ◦    Average number of hours worked per week (must be at least 20 hours)
          ◦    Supervisor's name
          ◦    Supervisor's telephone number
          ◦    Supervisor's email
          ◦    Employment start-date
          ◦    Employment end-date

Any new employment undertaken while on the STEM Extension must meet the employment requirements detailed under “STEM Extension Employment Requirements and Employer Relationship” in the training plan. If you are on a 24-Month STEM extension, you cannot begin new employment or report a change to your employment without first following the applicable steps below:

• For changes with the current employer, you must submit an updated I-983 Training Plan within 10 days, detailing the change (e.g., supervisor, new responsibility, change in location), via the STEM OPT reporting form. Please check with ISSA if you are unsure if you need to submit an updated I-983 training plan.
• If you are ending employment, you must submit via the STEM OPT reporting form a completed final self-evaluation from page 5 of the I-983 training plan. This must be signed in ink by you and your employer within 10 days of ending the employment.
• To begin new employment, you must submit through the STEM OPT reporting form a new I-983 training plan, signed in ink by you and your employer. ISSA must confirm the new I-983 as being complete and meeting all STEM program requirements before you can begin the new employment.

While on STEM OPT, you continue to hold F-1 status sponsored by RISD and your F-1 record remains active in the government database SEVIS. It is extremely important that you notify us of any changes to your immigration status.

If you leave the US permanently, you must notify us before doing so and submit to our office a completed final employment evaluation from page 5 of your I-983. You must do this by 10 days after your employment ends.

If you change to another visa status in the US, such as H-1B, E-3, G-4, TN, O-1, etc., or obtain permanent resident status, you must notify us. To report this change, send evidence of your new status (e.g. copy of new I-94 arrival/departure record, I-797, or green card). You also need to submit a completed final employment evaluation from page 5 of the I-983 within 10 days of changing your status.

Employers are responsible for adhering to numerous STEM OPT requirements. Many are enumerated below, but all employers should pay particular attention to the attestation on page 2 of the I-983 training plan and the employer information located at Study in the States.

General employer requirements include being registered with the E-Verify program and ensuring that hiring an international student with STEM employment will not displace a US worker.

Employers need to be aware of and adhere to the following:

• All rules apply to all STEM OPT students.
• Employers must be registered with E-Verify.
• Employers must develop a training plan for the student.
• Employers must complete Form I-983.
• Employers are responsible for providing two evaluations of the student’s performance.
• Employers are responsible for proving compliance during government site visits.

About Form I-983: The STEM OPT student’s formal training plan must clearly articulate their learning objectives and affirm the employer’s commitment to helping the student achieve those objectives. To fulfill this requirement, student and employer must complete and sign Form I-983 and submit it to ISSA. Student and employer signatures represent an agreement that they understand their respective obligations during the STEM OPT employment.

STEM OPT students and their employers are subject to the terms and conditions of the 24-month STEM OPT extension regulations, effective as of the employment start date requested for the associated STEM OPT period, as indicated on Form I-983.

STEM OPT students may participate in entrepreneurial ventures where the student is an employee. However, they may not act as their own employer or as the signatory for the employer for the purposes of the form.

See Study in the States’ instructions for completing Form I-983 for more information.