Arturo Castellanos Canales
The United States is the world’s leading recipient of international students. According to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS), the U.S. received 1,362,157 international students in 2022, representing 15% of the global share.
Many international students come to the United States with a desire to live and work in the country after obtaining their degrees. However, most do not have a guaranteed path to stay in the U.S. after graduation. If they wish to remain in the United States to work, they have a handful of alternatives, including obtaining Optional Practical Training (OPT), petitioning for an H-1B nonimmigrant visa, or applying for a green card, along with other limited options.
This explainer will focus on the two most popular alternatives for international students who wish to work in the United States after graduation:
- Optional Practical Training (OPT) – Available for F-1 and M-1 visa holders.[1]
- Academic Training (AT) – Available for J-1 visa holders who come to the U.S. as international students.[2]
What is Optional Practical Training (OPT)?
OPT is a temporary employment authorization that allows international students with F-1 or M-1 visas to work in the United States after they graduate from a U.S.-accredited academic institution.
What is Academic Training (AT)?
AT is a temporary employment authorization for international students with J-1 visas to work in the United States after they graduate from a U.S.-accredited academic institution.
Who is eligible for OPT?
Full-time international students who hold F-1 or M-1 visas and have graduated after studying in the United States for at least two consecutive semesters can obtain OPT.
Who is eligible for AT?
International students who hold J-1 visas and have successfully completed their program of study.
What is the duration of OPT?
The duration of OPT depends on two factors: 1. The type of visa held by the international student (F-1 or M-1), and 2. the field of study their degree is in. OPT’s duration can be calculated as follows:
- F-1 visa holder with a degree in science, technology, engineering, or mathematics (STEM): Up to 36 months (12 months with the possibility of obtaining a 24-month extension).
- F-1 visa holder with a non-STEM degree: Up to 12 months.
- M-1 visa holder: Up to 6 months.
What is the duration of AT?
AT duration depends on two factors: 1. The field of study, and 2. the obtained degree level. The duration can be calculated as follows:
- Doctoral students: Up to 36 months.
- Undergraduate students and students in Master’s programs in a STEM-related field: Up to 36 months.
- Undergraduate students and students in Master’s programs in non-STEM-related fields: Up to 18 months.
What degrees are STEM-related?
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is in charge of keeping the STEM Designated Degree Program List up-to-date. The list allows DHS to determine whether applicants are eligible for 24-month OPT extensions or 36-month long Academic Trainings, which are available exclusively for international students with STEM degrees.
The list is constantly revised, and the latest change occurred in January 2022 when DHS added 22 new fields of study to the STEM list.
How many international students apply for OPT every year?
F-1 and M-1 visas are not numerically capped, and all international students with these types of visas can apply for OPT. In Fiscal Year (FY) 2022, the U.S. issued 411,131 F-1 visas and 5,271 M-1 visas. In that same year, there were 117,301 OPT students with an employment authorization document who reported working for an employer in the United States. That number represented a 1.4% increase compared to the 115,651 employment-authorized OPT students in FY 2021.
What are the requirements to apply for OPT?
International students can apply for OPT up to 90 days before they complete their degrees, but no later than 60 days after completion.
The first step in applying for OPT is to obtain the academic institution’s recommendation. The universities issue a recommendation by endorsing a student’s Form I‑20 (Certification of Eligibility for Nonimmigrant Student Status) and registering the endorsement in the Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS).
After the recommendation, international students must apply for employment authorization by submitting Form I-765 to U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) and paying the application fee. As of April 2024, the application fee is $520.
Notably, international students do not require a job offer to become eligible for OPT. They can obtain OPT first and then apply for a job.
International students must obtain a Social Security Number (SSN) before becoming eligible for employment. Those who do not already have a SSN must apply for one.
What are the requirements to apply for AT?
International students can apply for AT up to 30 days before they complete their degrees.
The first step is to have a written job offer. Then, the student must obtain a letter of recommendation from their academic advisors.
With those documents, the academic institution can issue a new DS-2019 form authorizing the AT for the requested duration.
What are the alternatives for international students who wish to remain in the United States after OPT or AT ends?
Unless they find an alternative to stay in the United States, international students must leave the country within 60 days after the completion of OPT. Options to stay in the country vary depending on whether the student intends to remain permanently or temporarily.
One option for students is to seek another academic degree in the United States. However, this option does not allow them to continue working off-campus. International students are only eligible for on-campus employment for up to 20 hours per week. If the goal of the student is to remain in the United States to work upon completion of OPT, their options are limited. The National Immigration Forum compiled a list of the visas available for U.S.-based employers to hire noncitizens in the country. Students are not eligible for many of these options because some of them are available exclusively for people of certain nationalities (such as the TN visa, which is reserved for Canadian and Mexican professionals), and green cards are capped on a per-country basis, among other limitations.
[1] The main difference between F-1 and M-1 visas is that the former allows international students to pursue academic studies in the United States. The latter allows international students to obtain vocational training in the U.S.
[2] The main difference between the F-1 and J-1 visas is that while both allow international students to come to the United States, J-1 visas are only available for students who receive at least 50% of their financial support from a source other than personal or family funds. For instance, students who receive at least 50% of their financial support from a scholarship or fellowship, are eligible for J-1 visas.