No, OPT must be related to a major (or to either major if you have a double major), but
it can’t be related to a minor
.
Who qualifies for OPT?
To be eligible for OPT, you must:
Maintain valid F-1 student status at the time of application
.
Be enrolled full-time for at least one full academic year in the U.S. Be physically present in the U.S. when you mail your application
.
All OPT employment
must be directly related to the student’s major field of study and commensurate with the degree level
. The following types of paid and unpaid experiences are considered valid OPT activities according to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and should be reported to the ISSO.
Can I study while on OPT?
Because your primary purpose is to pursue employment/an internship/practical training,
any study while on OPT must be incidental
. This means you cannot be studying full-time and you cannot be obtaining a new degree or certificate. If you enroll in such a program, your OPT will automatically terminate.
What majors qualify for STEM OPT?
- Actuarial Science. …
- Computer Science Applications: …
- Engineering. …
- Engineering Technologies. …
- Biological and Biomedical Sciences. …
- Mathematics and Statistics. …
- Military Technologies. …
- Physical Sciences.
Can you do OPT twice?
A student may participate twice in the STEM OPT extension over the course of their academic career
. Students may not apply for STEM OPT extensions during the 60-day grace period following an initial (usually 12-month) period of post-completion OPT.
Is Psychology a STEM OPT?
Psychology training programs and organizations have advocated for adding psychology to the list of ICE STEM fields for the last several years. … It was identified as a priority at the American Psychological Association’s 2010 Science Leadership Conference.
How many days can you be unemployed on OPT?
Federal law limits how long F-1 students on post-completion optional practical training (OPT) or science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) OPT can be unemployed. The limits are:
Post-completion OPT: 90 days. STEM OPT: 150 days
, which includes any days accrued while on post-completion OPT.
Can I work for more than 40 hours on OPT?
There is no maximum number of hours that can be worked while
on STEM OPT, but because there is a minimum, it may be difficult to work for more than 2 employers. For example, if you work for two qualifying STEM OPT employers, at a minimum, you would need to be working 40 hours per week.
What are non STEM majors?
- Sociology. …
- Journalism. …
- Psychology. …
- Education. …
- Hospitality management. …
- Business administration. …
- Nursing. …
- Finance.
What qualifies as a STEM major?
STEM degrees are
college programs in science, technology, engineering and mathematics
. STEM degrees have seen increasing demand in jobs for the last decade. The term STEM is usually applied to loosely describe areas that directly relate to the hard sciences.
Is cognitive science a STEM major?
Cognitive science is, for the most part, a combination of computer science, neuroscience, and psychology. So don’t worry; cognitive science
fits the criteria to be a
STEM major.
How long can I stay in the US after I graduate?
On your F-1 visa, you can only stay in the United States for
60 days after your graduation date
, so it’s in your best interests to start planning for your course of action well before you graduate.
Does OPT get rejected?
Below are some of the most common reasons applications have been denied:
Didn’t mail the application within 30 days of getting the OPT recommendation
.
Applied more than 90 days before end date of the program of study
. Didn’t apply before the 60th day after completion of the program of study.
Can I do master’s while on OPT?
The USCIS places
a 12 month limit per degree level on OPT
, but there is no stipulation that the whole 12 months must be used at once. This means that if visa holders do not use their entire 12 month period during their first Master’s degree, however many months they have not used can be applied to the second Masters.
