International Student Services

International students in the U.S in valid F-1 immigration status are permitted to work off-campus in Optional Practical Training (OPT) status both during and after completion of their degree. According to the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Service (USCIS), students may participate in OPT in two different ways:

• Pre-completion OPT: F-1 students may apply to participate in pre-completion OPT after they have been enrolled in school for one full academic year. Students authorized to participate in pre-completion OPT must work part-time while school is in session. They may work full time when school is not in session.
• Post-completion OPT: F-1 Students may apply to participate in post-completion OPT after completing their studies. Students authorized for post-completion OPT may work part-time (at least 20 hours per week) or full-time.

Rules established by USCIS govern the implementation of OPT, and all OPT employment requires prior authorization from USCIS and from CIAM. Students cannot begin employment until they receive their Employment Authorization Document (EAD card) from USCIS, AND have been enrolled for at least one year. However, students can start to submit their application for OPT up to 3 months ahead of time after only being enrolled for 9 months. Students also do not need to have a job offer to apply for OPT EAD card, and OPT employment can occur anywhere in the U.S. However, you may accumulate no more than 90 days of unemployment while on post completion OPT. Nonetheless, students are recommended to start early since USCIS takes up to 90 Days to process the application. Permission is based on maintaining lawful F-1 status. 

You may be authorized for a maximum of 12 months, for each level of education you complete. OPT time used before the completion of a program is deducted from the available 12-month period of post-completion OPT. Part-time work during pre-completion OPT will be deducted at half the fulltime rate. For instance, if the student works part time for 6 months, only 3 months will be taken from post-OPT and he/she can work full-time for up to 9 months after graduation. Time will be counted by weeks granted, not by hours worked. 

Eligibility Requirement

• Employment must be “directly related” to the student’s major (MBA in Executive Management with or without a concentration)
  
• Student must maintain lawful F-1 status
  
• Student must apply for OPT before completion of all work towards the MBA degree
  
• Students who have engaged 12 months or more of full-time Curricular Practical Training (CPT) are not eligible for OPT
  
• OPT is permitted for up to 12 months full-time in total.

Applying for OPT

You can file an application for Post-completion OPT as early as 90 days in advance of your completion date and up to 60 days after your completion date. We recommend that you file early, as it can take up to 90 days for an application to be approved. Your completion date is the last day of your last term at CIAM. Your completion date is located on your I-20. You may NOT continue to work on campus after your program completion date. Your OPT start date must fall within your 60-day grace period. It may be as early as the day after your program completion date or as late as 59 days after your program completion date. Since standard OPT is authorized for up to 12 months, your OPT end date would be exactly 12 months after your OPT start date. 

To begin your application for OPT, first contact [email protected] to receive the applications and set up your review appointment.

**For the duration of COVID-19 all I-20s will be emailed or mailed directly to the student. In person pick-ups will be by appointment only**