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OPT Full Form in US in 2025: Meaning, Types, Visa Eligibility
Edited By Jembi Selva Mary. A | Updated on Nov 04, 2024 02:24 PM IST
What is the full form of OPT? OPT stands for Optional Practical Training. In the United States of America, overseas students on F-1 visas can get temporary professional experience in their chosen degree through the OPT program.
After graduation, non-STEM applicants can do OPT for up to 365 days (12 months). If they enrol or complete STEM fields, it can be extended for 2 years (24 months). OPT offers students a chance to use their education skills and knowledge, which assists in developing career opportunities. Discover the article to understand more about Optional Practical Training in full form.
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What is OPT?
The following table details the overview of OPT:
Particulars | Details |
Full Form of OPT | Optional Practical Training |
OPT Purpose | OPT assists F1 visa holders to get work or practical experience after completing their education |
OPT Requirements | OPT is not a part of the student's degree |
Timing | Before or after graduation |
Work Duration of OPT | USCIS (US government) |
OPT Applying Type | Up to 365 days (12 months), in some cases it may be extended for 2 years (24 months) |
Employment Authorization Document (EAD) | Required for OPT |
Application Fee of OPT | USD 410 |
OPT Applying type | On-paper |
Employer | Must be on the 1-20 list or SEVIS-approved |
Permitted working hours for OPT | Full-time training |
Types of Optional Practical Training
The USCIS provides OPT to foreign students, who hold F1 visas. OPT permits students to work temporarily in their domain of study in America. Generally, non-STEM candidates can work for one year, however, STEM students are allowed for one year and it is extended for two years.
There are two types of OPT for F1 visa holders namely:
Pre-completion OPT
Post-completion OPT
Pre-Completion OPT
International students who are newly joined in full-time studies in the USA are eligible to apply for pre-completion OPT. Students must work 20 hours per week while pursuing a degree in America if they are accepted to experience in pre-completion OPT.
Post-Completion OPT
Graduates can apply for post-completion OPT after completing their studies in the USA. Applicants must work full-time or part-time at least 20 hours per week to participate in OPT.
Eligibility to apply for Optional Practical Training
The eligibility requirements to apply for OPT are given below:
It is mandatory to hold a valid F1 status in the USA.
You must enrol full-time for at least a year in an accredited university in the USA.
You should not have used one year or more of full-time Curricular Practical Training (CPT).
When you apply for OPT, be present as a person in America.
You should not pursue English as a second language.
You don’t use all the OPTs available for your current level of education.
Documents Required for Optional Practical Training
To complete your application process of OPT, you must prepare all these documents:
Two passport-size photographs
I-765 (original)
Copies of a valid passport
Printout of I-94
Copy of your OPT recommendation and I-20
Copies of all earlier issued I-20s
Copies of earlier issued EAD cards
F1 visa stamp copy on passport.
How to Apply for Optional Practical Training?
Applicants decide to apply for OPT, follow these several steps to finish the application process:
Step 1: Participate in an OPT workshop, offered by many universities.
Step 2: Plan to apply for OPT, and arrange a meeting with Designed School Officials (DSO). They assist you in completing the application process for OPT.
Step 3: Fill out Form I-768 with valid details.
Step 4: Provide the necessary documents and pay your application fees of around Rs 24,467.
Step 5: After submission, you receive Form I-797 from USCIS. Then, approximately 1 - 3 months behind you obtain an EAD card through the mail (if approved).
Details of Optional Practical Training Visa
Here the details of the OPT visa are mentioned below:
Requirements: OPT one-year work permit given to students after completing a course in the United States.
Processing time: Around one to three months, if selected you get an EAD card.
Employer: OPT is not employer-specific.
Permitted work time: For pre-completion OPT spans 20 hours per week and for post-completion OPT duration is full-time employment.
Registration: No course registration is required.
Duration: It is not semester-specific.
Benefits of Optional Practical Training
The common benefits of OPT:
Obtaining experience in the US according to your field, can benefit you in building your resume and enhance your job chances.
Helps you with networking opportunities.
You have a high chance for a career after graduating from a recognised American university.
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Get answers from students and experts
Hi there
Yes you can try to learn various courses that are for approximately 3 months to 6 months in duration.
Yes you can learn before going to us. Learning skills definitively adds some value to the life of a candidate and also improves in getting good recognition in life..
Below i have mentioned some courses that you can try before visiting us:
- Social media marketing
- Content writer
- Content creation
- Video editing
- Photography skills
- Digital marketing
- Stiching
- Makeup artist course
- Hairstyling course.
So these are some courses you can try.
Hope this answer will help you. Revert incase of any query.
Thank you and good luck:)
Anushri Varshney 12 June,2022
Hello Samarasimha,
YES, you can MS in UA after completing Bsc in Statistics. . All you have to do is score good marks in your PG and prepare for GRE. You should also decide upon the country and the university in which you are going to study.
Furthermore, the requirements to pursue MS in USA are as follows :
- 3 to 4 years bachelors degree in relevant field.
- 3.5 or higher GPA, equivalent to 87% in bachelors.
- GRE score of 330 or above.
- Statement of Purpose.
- Research Internships/ Published Research Papers.
- Project work/Seminars.
- 2-3 Letter of Recommendation.
- Social & Leadership Activities.
Further, requirements for Software jobs in USA are as follows :
- Enroll in a software development program. The first step to becoming a software engineer is to enroll in a software development degree program. ...
- Gain internship experience. ...
- Choose your specialty. ...
- Pursue industry certifications. ...
- Continue your education.
I hope that this will help.
Piyush kesarwani 13 May,2022
Dear aspirant hope you are doing well..
To study at foreign universities/abroad in U. S , the admission process will require the candidate to give one language exam and one standardized exam. However, depending on the country, course, college, or university you are applying for you may be exempted from standardized exams. The language test will showcase your English proficiency skills. These exams are required for pursuing almost all courses abroad. Different countries have different language exams such as
- TOEFL exam for getting admission to the universities in the US and Canada. The score of this exam is valid for two years after the declaration of results
- There are plenty of universities abroad where you can apply to do master-level course, MSc in statistics, MSc in Operation Research, and Applied Mathematics, MSc in Mathematical Modeling, etc are some of the Master level Course in Mathematics that are available abroad. Students who have completed their graduation or bachelor's degree in Mathematics can apply for these courses. Foreign universities like Uppsala University, Dublin City University, Oxford Brookes University, University of York, University of Liverpool, etc offer all the above-mentioned courses in mathematics.
Top university of The USA for master degree courses
- John Carroll University
- Missouri University of Science and Technology
- Michigan State University
- West Virginia University
- Rhode Island College
- University of Arkansas
- Vanderbilt University
- DePaul University
- Delaware State University
- Texas A&M University-Commerce
- University of South Florida
- California State University Northridge
You can get the detailed information about the process how to apply for MS in USA. read the given article. Link is given below
https://studyabroad.careers360.com/articles/how-apply-for-ms-in-usa/amp
Hope it's helpful for you..
Thank you
AVINASH KUMAR 23 February,2022
There are many ways to choose your university such as fees, the ranking of the university, which state it is located and scholarships. My suggestion is to choose your research focus and write academic papers. In the US, PhD in Commerce admission into the university depends on what you want to study (your area of research) and your already completed research papers. You can begin your research by searching online for US universities offering PhD in Business Administration. One example is University of California Los Angeles (https://www.anderson.ucla.edu/degrees/phd-program/admissions#app-req) .
Tabitha 08 January,2022
Hello Student
You are aBHM means Bachelor in Hotel Management so after doing BHM,to gain a bright future inthis trade you have to do MSc in Hotel Management,post graduation in Hospitality Management,Master degree in travel and tourism management,or MBA in hotel management,AFter doing post graduation in Hotel management or travel and tourism management will give you the best return in employment opportunity.
Hope this will help.
Sohamsengupta8 13 February,2022
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