Students applying for the STEM OPT Extension may submit the application to USCIS up to 90 days before the initial OPT period ends. You must submit your application to USCIS no later than two weeks prior to the end of your current OPT EAD card. Your STEM OPT extension request will be denied if USCIS receives your application on or after the end date of your current EAD.

During the STEM OPT extension you must: 

• Work in a paid position for at least 20 hours per week; 
• Work in a position related to the STEM program major listed under “Program of Study” on the I-20; 
• Work for an E-Verify employer; 
• Accumulate less than 150 days of unemployment time during the entire period of post-completion OPT (regular post-completion OPT, and 24-month extension combined); 
• Not be self-employed; 
• Not engage in contract or third-party work. 

For more information, please review the STEM OPT Employment Types page. If you are employed by multiple employers, ALL positions must meet the above requirements. Each position must have a complete and updated I-983 submitted to the HIO.

IMPORTANT: If you have not already, you must report your Post-Completion OPT Employment information before submitting your STEM extension request. Please complete the Post-Completion OPT Reporting Form with all employers you have worked for during your OPT period. Failure to report your OPT employment will delay the processing of your STEM request.

Applying for STEM OPT

Students may start by watching the STEM OPT Instructional Video to learn more about the STEM OPT application process. 

There are two steps in a STEM OPT Application:

Step 1: Submit your request to the HIO for a STEM OPT I-20

Students must submit the electronic HIO STEM OPT Request Form to request an I-20 with a STEM OPT recommendation. This link requires you to log in with your Harvard Key. If you have issues logging on with your Harvard Key, visit the "Reset Password or Recover Login Name" section on the Harvard Key page here. 

The form will require that students upload the following documents:

1.  Form I-983. (Use the HIO's instructions to complete the I-983)
2. Copy of your current OPT EAD card
3. A copy of your I-94 record.
4. Payment of $300 to Harvard University. You may make this payment online with a credit card.

Please do not submit your application to the HIO until 100 days before the expiration date of your current employment authorization document (EAD). If you do, you will be asked to resubmit your application at a later date.

Applying for STEM OPT Based on a Prior Degree

If you are on post-completion OPT based on a non-STEM degree, you may be eligible to use a prior STEM degree earned from a U.S. institution of higher education to apply for a STEM OPT extension. For example: if you are currently participating in OPT based on a master’s degree in business administration but you previously received a bachelor’s degree in mathematics, you may be able to apply for a STEM OPT extension based on your bachelor’s degree as long as it is from an accredited U.S. college or university and the OPT employment opportunity is directly related to your bachelor’s degree in mathematics.

Please note the following:

• The prior degree was conferred no more than 10 years prior to submission of the extension application;
• The prior degree was conferred previous to the degree that provided the basis for the student's current period of standard post-completion OPT;
• The prior degree was not conferred by a branch campus abroad;
• The prior degree was conferred by a U.S. educational institution that is accredited and SEVP-certified at the time the student's DSO recommends the student for the 24-month OPT extension;
• The prior degree is in a degree program category included 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.
• If you are applying for STEM OPT based on a prior degree, you must note this in the HIO STEM OPT Request Form, and submit the following additional documents:
  • An official transcript from the prior degree
  • A copy of the I-20 that identifies the prior degree. 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 don't have the I-20, you can provide documentation from your previous school that confirms the degree that was conferred as well as the Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP) code that was assigned to you. USCIS may, or may not, accept such documentation.

Your request will be reviewed and, if complete, a new I-20 with the STEM OPT recommendation will be emailed to you in 14 business days. 

Non-Harvard students should contact their home institution for guidance.

Step 2: Submit your STEM OPT Application to USCIS

The STEM OPT extension application is a personal application for which you are responsible.  Please use the STEM OPT resources to complete your final application.  If you have questions or need clarifications, please contact your HIO advisor directly BEFORE filing your application with USCIS.

DO NOT FILE YOUR I-765 STEM OPT APPLICATION BEFORE RECEIVING YOUR FINAL I-20 WITH THE STEM OPT RECOMMENDATION FROM THE HIO. Filing your case without the new STEM OPT I-20 will result in a denial of your STEM OPT application.

AFTER you have received your STEM OPT I-20 and instructional email from the HIO, you may compile your final application to USCIS. 

• Consult the USCIS STEM OPT Application Checklist for a full list of documents to include in your final STEM OPT application that you will submit to USCIS. 
• To complete Form I-765 STEM OPT Application, you must consult the HIO's e-filing STEM OPT I-765 guide.