For most international students, the degree is only half the plan. The other half is Optional Practical Training (OPT) — the work authorisation that lets F-1 students work in the United States after graduation. A standard OPT grant gives you 12 months of work. If your degree is in a STEM field, you can add a 24-month extension, taking the total to 36 months — three full years of legal US work experience, and three chances at the H-1B lottery. But OPT is rule-heavy: the wrong filing window, an employer who is not E-Verify enrolled, or too many days of unemployment can end your status. This guide explains the 2027 rules as they stand, with the figures you need before you file.
What OPT is and who can use it
OPT is temporary employment authorisation for F-1 students, granted by US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) on the recommendation of your university's Designated School Official (DSO). It is available at every degree level — bachelor's, master's and PhD — and you get one 12-month grant per degree level. There are two kinds. Pre-completion OPT lets you work part-time while you are still studying (up to 20 hours a week during term, full-time during breaks), but any time you use before graduation is deducted from your 12 months. Post-completion OPT is the one most students use: 12 months of full-time work after you finish your degree. Almost all Pakistani students choose post-completion OPT, because working full-time after graduation is what employers want and what the H-1B route needs.
To qualify, you must have been enrolled full-time for at least one academic year, be in valid F-1 status, and take a job that is directly related to your field of study. Your DSO must recommend OPT in SEVIS and issue a new Form I-20 before you file; the recommendation is valid for 30 days, so file within that window.
The application window and the I-765 fee
You apply on Form I-765, Application for Employment Authorization, with category (c)(3)(B) for post-completion OPT (category (c)(3)(A) is pre-completion, and (c)(3)(C) is the STEM extension). The filing window is generous but strict: you may file up to 90 days before your programme end date, and USCIS must receive your application no later than 60 days after your programme end date. File early — processing commonly takes several months, and you cannot start work until you hold the Employment Authorization Document (EAD) card. You choose your OPT start date when you file; it must fall within 60 days after your programme ends, and USCIS will not backdate it.
The filing fee for Form I-765 is US$470 online or US$520 on paper (the rate in force since April 2024). Optional premium processing on Form I-907 costs US$1,780 (since 1 March 2026) and guarantees a decision within 30 business days. Note carefully: a much-publicised proposal to charge an OPT-specific fee of US$70,000 for an initial application (and US$30,000 for later ones) was published in October 2026 for public comment, with comments closing on 9 November 2026. As of the date of this guide, that fee is only a proposal — nothing is owed. Do not pay it, and check the USCIS fee schedule on the day you file, because fee rules can change. A separate rule that would have replaced "duration of status" with fixed admission periods was blocked by a court order on 30 September 2026, so duration of status and the 60-day grace period still apply.
The 90-day unemployment rule
This is the rule that ends more OPT periods than any other. During post-completion OPT you may not accumulate more than 90 days of unemployment. The clock starts on your OPT start date — not on the day you start job hunting — and weekends count. Any day without qualifying employment counts, and unreported work does not stop the clock. If you cross 90 days, your F-1 status is considered terminated and you must leave the United States or change status. Report every job, and every change of employer, to your DSO through the SEVP Portal (or to your school) within 10 days. Volunteer work, unpaid internships and contract work can count if directly related to your degree and at least 20 hours a week — keep written proof.
The 24-month STEM OPT extension
If your most recent degree is on the DHS STEM Designated Degree Program List, you can extend OPT by 24 months — 36 months in total. Eligibility is checked by your degree's CIP code, not your job title — confirm with your DSO that your degree qualifies. The requirements are: you are on approved post-completion OPT with no more than 90 days of unemployment; your employer is enrolled in E-Verify; and you and your employer have completed Form I-983, the training plan, which your DSO must receive before the STEM recommendation goes into SEVIS. File Form I-765 with category (c)(3)(C) as early as 90 days before your EAD expires, and within 60 days of the DSO's recommendation. USCIS must receive it before your EAD expires — if it does, your work authorisation extends automatically for 180 days while the case is pending.
The STEM extension adds 60 more unemployment days, but the total across the full 36 months is capped at 150 days — not 150 extra days on top of 90. If you used 40 days before your first job, you have 110 left for the next 24 months. During STEM OPT you must work at least 20 hours a week for an E-Verify employer, report to your DSO every six months, and submit an annual self-evaluation on the I-983. Your employer must report any material change in your employment within five business days.
From OPT to H-1B — the real reason 36 months matters
OPT is temporary. The long-term route for most graduates is the H-1B visa, a specialty-occupation work visa sponsored by an employer. The H-1B is capped and allocated by lottery each year, with registration usually in March. With 12 months of OPT you get one lottery attempt; with the 36-month STEM total you get three. That is the single biggest reason to choose a STEM degree and to keep your OPT status clean. Employers who sponsor H-1B petitions must also be E-Verify enrolled for STEM OPT, so choosing an E-Verify employer from day one keeps both routes open.
Travel, taxes and common mistakes
Travel: do not travel internationally while your initial OPT application is pending — USCIS can treat it as abandoning the application. Once you hold the EAD, you may travel, but carry your EAD card, a valid F-1 visa, your I-20 with a travel signature less than six months old, and proof of employment (a job offer letter or recent pay slips). Taxes: OPT income is taxable; F-1 students are usually non-resident aliens for tax purposes for their first five calendar years, so you normally file Form 1040-NR and are exempt from Social Security and Medicare taxes. Common mistakes: filing with the wrong I-765 category; paying an outdated fee (the old US$410 figure still appears on many blogs); missing the 60-day filing deadline after graduation; working for an employer who is not E-Verify enrolled during STEM OPT; and forgetting the six-month validation reports during the extension. Any of these can cost you the extension — or your status.
Frequently asked questions
Can I start work before my EAD arrives? No — you may not work until you hold the EAD card and your OPT start date has passed.
Can I change employer during OPT? Yes, as often as you like, as long as each job is related to your degree and you report the change within 10 days.
What happens if I lose my job on STEM OPT? The unemployment clock runs, and your employer must report the termination. Find a new E-Verify employer quickly — you have 150 days in total across the whole 36 months.
Is OPT available after every degree? Yes — one 12-month grant per degree level, and a new STEM extension after a new qualifying STEM degree.
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Sources and verification: USCIS Form I-765 fee schedule (G-1055, October 2026 edition: US$470 online / US$520 paper; premium processing US$1,780 since 1 March 2026); USCIS STEM OPT page (updated 30 January 2026) and SEVP guidance; 8 CFR 214.2(f)(10)(ii)(C) and (E) (90-day and 150-day unemployment limits; 180-day automatic extension). The proposed US$70,000 OPT fee is a proposal only (comments closed 9 November 2026) and the duration-of-status rule is blocked by court order (30 September 2026) — confirm both on uscis.gov before filing.