Optional Practical Training (OPT)

To qualify for OPT, you must meet the following criteria:

• Maintain F-1 Status: You must have maintained your F-1 status on a full-time basis for at least one academic year.
• Graduation Requirement: You must have applied for graduation with an Associate Degree or a two-semester Certificate program at HCC.
  • Students in the Intensive English Program are not eligible to apply for OPT.
• CPT Limit: You must not have accrued 365 days of full-time Curricular Practical Training (CPT).
• No Previous OPT at the Same Level: You must not have been previously authorized for OPT at the same or a higher program level.
• Attend the OPT Workshop: You must register for and attend an OPT workshop before applying.

No Job Offer Required! You do not need a job offer to apply for OPT.

All eligible OPT applicants have to attend the OPT workshop. We recommend you review the documents listed in Step. 3 prior to the workshop. At the end of the virtual workshop, students will have an understanding of the process of electronic filing to USCIS. Eligible students who attended the workshop will be assigned an OPT checklist to upload documents listed on the OPT Application checklist within two business days after the workshop. SEVIS Form I-20 with OPT recommendation will be processed by your assigned DSO within 10 business days after the submission of the documents.

Before starting the registration:

1. Verify your preferred email as listed in your HCC student account.  You will receive confirmation and instructions about the workshop in this email.
2. Apply for graduation
3. Check your passport’s expiration date. Your passport should be valid at least 6 months from the filing date or you have to provide evidence for the requested extension or renewal.

How to Schedule & Register via WebEx . This process requires two registrations!

1. Click on Optional Practical Training (OPT) Workshop Request. Please follow the instructions and fill out all the required fields. Go to the "Click here to display sessions" button, click on it, and choose a workshop date.
2. You will receive an email from HCC ISP hcc.isp@hccs.edu with a WebEx Registration link  Note: Check your email including the junk/spam folder to find the HCC ISP email.
3. Register for the virtual workshop following the email instructions and the provided link.  Note: Check your email including the junk/spam folder to find the HCC ISP email.
4. Once you register, you will receive an email from Webex  (messenger@webex.com) confirming your registration for Webex webinar. Note: Check your email including the junk/spam folder to find the webex.com email.
5. Fifteen (15) minutes prior to the event (not earlier), you will be able to join the workshop online to check the status of your audio/video settings. Our workshops are set up for Central Standard Time (CST) Time Zone (US & Canada). The workshop is conducted in English.

Request for Evidence (RFE) for OPT applications regarding new photo appointment requirements

Be aware that USCIS has recently begun issuing Requests for Evidence (RFEs) or notices requiring I-765 applicants to visit a USCIS Application Support Center (ASC) to have a digital photograph taken. For over 10 years, the ASCs have provided biometric services such as photographs when one submits certain immigration benefit applications to the USCIS. Only recently has this requirement been expanded to include applications for OPT, even though the ASCs have existed for a long time. It is not an ICE facility.

After submitting your OPT application, you may receive an RFE or notice instructing you to attend an ASC appointment for a digital photo. Following the RFE, USCIS will mail a separate notice with either a scheduled appointment at the ASC nearest you or instructions on how to schedule your appointment. 

Unfortunately, there is no way to complete this ASC photo requirement prior to submitting your OPT application. Please continue to upload a U.S.-style passport photo with your Form I-765 as instructed. 

Important Travel Consideration

Since you can anticipate receiving an ASC appointment notice by mail, it is important to avoid extended travel periods during which you would be unable to check your mail and receive the ASC appointment information. While ASC appointments can be rescheduled if necessary, failing to attend or respond in a timely manner could delay the processing of your OPT application. 

Notification of RFE regarding new photo requirement 

There is no need to submit to our office the RFE solely for the ASC photo requirement. However, if you receive an RFE requesting any additional evidence beyond the photo, please follow the regular submission process.

USCIS Processing Time

Please review USCIS’s case processing times page to find out more about the expected processing times for your application.  If you believe your case is outside normal processing time, you can submit an inquiry to USCIS regarding the status of your application.

Most Common Reasons for OPT Denial

• Wrong category of the form
• OPT application was not mailed within 30 days of getting I-20 OPT recommendation
• Students did not apply before the 60^th day after completion of the program of study
• Students did not use mailing address that is valid for 3 – 5 months

• You are still in F-1 Status (OPT is a benefit of F-1 Status)
• Do not attend school full-time while you are on OPT; you are limited to part-time attendance as non-degree seeking student only. Check with a DSO prior to enrolling
• The U.S. Post Office will not forward the EAD, so make sure that you or someone reliable will be at the address you place on your I-765 form to receive the mail. Undeliverable mail will be returned to the Service Center.
• Always check with a DSO if you have questions about any of the above.
• There are limits on the total days you can remain unemployed without affecting your F-1 Status. You cannot accrue more than 90 days of unemployment status during the 12 months of PostCompletion OPT; any unemployment period exceeding 90 days will violate your F-1 status. Unemployment time is calculated from the start date on the EAD.

• Submit a copy of your EAD (front and back) 

Submit a copy of your Employment card

• Actively search for employment.
• Any time your personal information changes, report it within 10 days by emailing your DSO.
• Report any changes to your employment situation i.e., start a new job, quit current job, laid off from current job. Failure to report employment violates your status.
• Report changes to your US address and telephone information.
• All changes must be reported via the online SEVP Portal within 10 days. Contact your DSO if your SEVP Portal account is locked.
• An email with instructions on how to create an SEVP Portal account will be sent from do-not-reply.SEVP@ice.dhs.gov  on or after the approved OPT start date. Once you have reported your information, you do not need to confirm with OISS that it has been updated. For step-by-step instructions on how to use the SEVP Portal, please visit SEVP Portal Help.

 SEVP Portal - Student Guide

*When the OPT application is approved, you will get an Employment Authorization Document (EAD) in the mail at the address you provided on the I-765. The EAD is your proof of employment authorization. For OPT, you may begin work only after you have received your EAD from USCIS and after the start date printed on the EAD.

You cannot work before the start date or after the end date printed on your EAD card. Please check the start and end dates on your EAD card when you receive it, because the USCIS sometimes adjusts your requested dates.

Types of Employment Allowed while on Post-Completion OPT

OPT employment must relate to the student’s program of study. Students must work at least twenty (20) hours per week to meet the requirement. If a student has 90 or more days of unemployment, their status may be terminated. Acceptable forms of employment are listed below:

• Paid employment -  Students may work part-time (at least 20 hours per week when on post-completion OPT) or full-time.
• Multiple employers -Students may work for more than one employer, but all employment must be related student’s program of study.
• Short-term multiple employers (performing artists)- Students, such as musicians and other performing artists, may work for multiple short-term employers (gigs). The students must maintain a list of all gigs, the dates, and the duration.
• Work for hire - This is also commonly referred to as 1099 employment, where an individual performs a service based on a contractual relationship rather than an employer-employee relationship. If the students work for hire, students should be prepared to provide evidence showing the duration of the contract periods and the name and address of the contracting company.
• Self-employed business owner- Students on OPT may start a business and be self-employed. The student must be able to prove that they have the proper business licenses and are actively engaged in a business related to their program of study.
• Employment through an agency or consulting firm- Students on post-completion OPT must be able to provide evidence showing that they worked an average of at least 20 hours per week while being employed by the agency.
• Unpaid employment- Students may work as volunteers or unpaid interns, where this practice does not violate any labor laws. The work must be at least 20 hours per week for students on post-completion OPT. A student must be able to provide evidence, acquired from the student’s employer, to verify that they worked at least 20 hours per week during the period of employment. 

Job description examples:

As a student in F-1 OPT you are responsible to only engage in practical training opportunities that are directly related to your major area of study. Federal regulations require that F-1 students on OPT provide a description of how their employment relates to their major area of study. There must be a logical connection between the duties involved in the practical training opportunity and the student's major's required corriculum. In the written description, the regular duties should be explained and the connection between those duties and the degree should be described (see examples below).

•  Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering:I work full time as an Electrical Engineer at ABC Corp., a government contractor. In my job, I analyze client requirements for electrical systems and provide them with cost estimates of such systems. My work requires understanding of electrical circuit theory, which I studied in-depth at the University of ABC.
•  Bachelor's degree in Business:I work full time as a Loan Officer at a mortgage company, Happy Homes, where I meet with clients and evaluate, authorize and recommend approval of loan applications. On a daily basis, I use the knowledge I gained in my credit analysis, sales and marketing classes that I took as part of my major program of study.
• Master's degree in Music:I am working at a hospital playing the harp in patient rooms. I also conduct hands-on harp beginner workshops for long-term patients. On average, I work at the hospital 35 hours a week. My duties directly utilize the skills and knowledge I acquired from my coursework and degree in music therapy.
•  PhD in Computer Science:I am employed as a Computer and Information Research Scientist at ABC Research Institute. I work as part of a team of scientists and engineers that designs experiments to test the operation of various software systems. My work builds on research in complex algorithms and machine learning, which I studied as part of my dissertation.
• Master's degree in Kinesiology:I am working 25 hours a week in a health food store as a consultant for Self-Made Inc., designing and teaching exercise classes that are incorporated into a customer's overall nutrition and exercise plan. My designs and customer instruction draw upon my studies and classwork in exercise therapy and physical reconditioning.

The SEVP Portal is only accessible to students whose OPT has been approved and is active. Once your Employment Authorization Document (EAD card) is issued and the start date on your EAD card arrives (or within 1-2 days after the start date), you will receive an email from SEVP with instructions on creating an SEVP Portal account.  This email will come from do-not-reply.sevp@ice.dhs.gov to the email address associated with your SEVIS record (which will be the email address you have checked as “preferred” in your HCC account). 

Please review the process for creating an SEVP Portal account on this DHS webpage. 

1. SEVP will send you this email only when your OPT is approved and active, meaning that you have been issued an Employment Authorization Document (EAD card) and the start date of you EAD card has arrived (or within 1-2 days after the start date). If you already have your EAD card, but the start date of your EAD card is still in the future, you will not have the SEVP email yet.
2. The SEVP email will come from do-not-reply.sevp@ice.dhs.gov to the email checked as your preferred email in HCC account. The email that is checked as your preferred email in SEVIS is associated with your SEVIS record and will be used for the SEVP Portal. You can change your preferred email in HCC account, if you need to. If you change your preferred email in HCC account, it will take 2-3 days for the system to transmit the update into SEVIS and the SEVP Portal.
3. Check your spam/junk mailbox to make sure you didn’t miss the SEVP email.
4. If you have your EAD card, it has been more than 5 days from the start date, but you still haven’t received an email from SEVP, please submit email to oiss.international@hccs.edu so the DSO can review your request to assist you further.

When there are SEVP system problems affecting many users, SEVP will post an announcement on the login landing page. If you see such a notice, please follow the instructions to address the problem. You can also call the SEVP Response Center at 703-603-3400. 

Students are required to add their employer information in the SEVP Portal within 10 days from the start of employment. If you miss the 10-day reporting deadline, employment updates must still be reported although the SEVP Portal will not allow OPT students to report employment that began more than 10 days in the past. As such, you will need to contact your assigned DSO’s assistance to submit the employment information for you. In such cases, please email this information to your assigned DSO and oiss.international@hccs.edu  with a request to enter the employment information for you. Failure to report and exceed the 90-day limit of unemployment will result in the termination of your F-1 status.

1. Remember to add your employer’s information within 10 days of the start of employment. 
2. If you have multiple employers at the same time, make sure to add each employer in your SEVP Portal account. 
3. If the end date of your employment has not been specified, you can leave this field blank. 
4. When your employment ends, make sure to update your employer information in the SEVP Portal by editing the end date. When you start to work with a new employer, remember to add a new employer record. If your position changed within the same employer, do not add a new employer record, just edit your job title in the record that already exists for this employer. 
5. In the “Employer Address” field, make sure to put your work site’s address, which can be different from your employer’s main office address. If you continue to work for the same employer but move to another worksite, you will need to edit the employer address field. 
6. Failure to report and exceed the 90-day limit of unemployment will result in the termination of your F-1 status. 

The detailed instructions on updating employer information in the SEVP Portal are available on this DHS webpage. 

Please send an email to oiss.international@hccs.edu and a DSO will reset your portal account. After that, you should receive an email from do-not-reply.sevp@ice.dhs.gov. Please follow the instructions in that email to unlock your account or create a new one.  

Please consult the SEVP Help page and User Guide for technical support. 

• You should collect and retain all documentation (offer letters, time sheets, paycheck stubs,  etc.) related to your employment while on OPT. You may need it when applying for future benefits or changes of status. 
• In addition to the employment information, you are responsible for updating your physical home address, mailing address, and telephone numbers. Any address change must be reported within 10 days through HCC account.  

A student on post-completion OPT can be unemployed for a total of 90 days.

The 90-day “clock” begins on the start date printed on the Employment Authorization Document  (EAD)

If students accrue 90 days of unemployment, it is considered a violation of F-1 status.

Failure to report and exceed the 90-day limit of unemployment will result in the termination of your F-1 status. Student  and Exchange Visitor Programs (SEVP) audits SEVIS data for students on OPT and  terminates students’ records  with a reason “Exceeded Unemployment time.”

Students can cancel their OPT at any time and select one of the following options below.

Students who are unemployed should select one of the following solutions before their 90th day of unemployment:

• Begin a new degree program at HCC
• Transfer to another SEVP certified school
• Change visa status
• Depart the United States

OPT is an acronym for Optional Practical Training, a specific work authorization granted by the Department of Homeland Security to allow students to obtain training in their field of study. In most cases, this application is filed as post-completion OPT in the graduating term of an Associate Program and, if approved, grants the student a full-time work authorization for up to 12 months in a field related to his/her program of study.

Students must have completed one academic year (fall and spring semesters) as a full-time student and be in F-1 status at the time of application. Student must have applied for graduation in one of the Associate Degree programs or two-semester certificate programs at Houston City College.

Students in the Intensive English Program are not eligible to apply for OPT. Also, students who have already completed OPT at the community college level or a higher degree level are not eligible to apply for OPT.

Students become eligible for another 12 months of OPT benefits upon completion of another degree at a higher level (e.g. Associate to Bachelor, etc.). Students are only eligible for one OPT period at the associate level. If the student applied for OPT benefits on a certificate level, and uses the same credits to complete an Associate’s Degree in the same program of study, this student is not eligible to apply for OPT benefits on that Associate Level.

You may apply for post-completion OPT 90 days before the completion of your studies BUT PRIOR TO 60 DAYS AFTER THE COMPLETION OF YOUR STUDIES. Since the application process may take up to 90 days and employment cannot begin until you have received an Employment Authorization Document (EAD), we recommend that you apply early. Your application must arrive at the U.S. Texas Service Center and be officially receipted before the 60th day after the completion date of your degree program.

The US post office will not forward your EAD. Make sure that the address provided on the application (Form I- 765) is where the student or some other (authorized) reliable person will be to receive the EAD when it arrives 2 to 3 months from the application date.

You must report a change of address within 10 days of moving within the United States or its territories.

If your case is pending and you have the Receipt Number, report your change of address online to USCIS.

You have to also report the change of address in the HCC Student System, where you can update your Mailing and SEVIS addresses.

Your employment authorization does not necessarily begin when your EAD arrives. The authorized employment period is indicated on the EAD card with a start date and an end date.

You cannot work before the start date or after the end date printed on your EAD card. Please check the start and end dates on your EAD card when you receive it, because the USCIS sometimes adjusts your requested dates. Always email a copy of your EAD card (front and back) to your assigned DSO.

When you are pending to receive your OPT card, we recommend you not to travel outside the U.S. unless you have an emergency. In this scenario, please schedule an appointment with your Designated School Official to discuss the risk and the required documents.

If your OPT has been granted, you should be able to travel with the following documents:

• Valid F-1 visa
• Passport valid at least 6 months into the future
• Valid EAD card
• Employment letter (s) It is best to have an official letter of employment and 2 to 3 recent pay stubs.
• Proof that you have not exceeded 90 days of unemployment
• SEVIS Form I-20 with valid travel endorsement (Please be aware that the travel endorsement for OPT is valid only 6 months from the date of signature on Page 2)

Time spend outside the U.S. counts towards your total 90 days of unemployment unless you are employed and take approved vacation or business travel.

It is best to have an official letter of employment and 2 to 3 recent pay stubs. Your dependents must have their own I-20, passport, F-2 visa and copy of the F-1 student’s SEVIS Form I-20, copies of the EAD card and your employment letter in order to travel.

No. This option is no longer available.

With OPT, the student receives an EAD from the Department of Homeland Security. With CPT, the authorization is granted by a Designated School Official (DSO) and is indicated on Page 2 of the student’s SEVIS I-20 Form. Participation in CPT does not affect your future OPT benefits as long as you work less than one year full-time under the CPT program. If one year or more of CPT is used, the student is no longer eligible for OPT for that degree level. CPT must be an integral part of the curriculum. OPT does not have to be connected to the curriculum, but it does have to be in the field of the student’s major.

You should report immediately to the Office of International Student Services  for further guidance.