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Updated Information on the F1 OPT Regulations

Click below for a copy of the new regulations.

Interim Rules on Extending Period of OPT by 17 Months for F1 students with STEM degrees and expanding Cap-Gap relief for all F1 students with pending H-1B Petitions.

Posted 4/30/2008 11:45 A.M.

Petroleum Engineering has been restored on the SEVIS STEM Designated Degree Programs List.  F-1 students who graduated with a Petroleum Engineering degree are eligible to apply for the STEM OPT Extension.

Posted 4/24/2008 4/24/2008 7:13 P.M.

All F-1 students on OPT are required by DHS regulations to submit and update their employment status and address to ISS within the next 10 days and any subsequent changes within 10 days of the change. 

F-1 students on OPT need to enter and update their employment information by clicking here.

Posted 4/18/2008 5:25 P.M.

The OPT Data System is the on-line system for all Texas A&M University F-1 students on OPT to report their employment status and address to ISS within 10 days of a change in employment, address change or loss of employment. The 10 day reporting requirement is a U.S. government regulation.  The OPT Data System will be completed sometime next week.  If a STEM OPT Extension application is submitted to ISS prior to the OPT Data System being available, please include the current employer name and address with the application.

Below are the links to the STEM OPT application process.  Please download these handouts and review before submitting the STEM OPT Extension documents to ISS.  The STEM OPT Extension Handout explains how to send the application to ISS.

• STEM OPT Extension Handout
• STEM OPT Student Form
• OPT Application and Mailing Instructions

Click below for a copy of STEM majors at Texas A&M University, Galveston and Health Science Center.  Please note that DHS currently does not include on the STEM Designated Degree Programs List two majors that were previously on the List of STEM Majors; Applied Physics, CIP code 40.899, and Petroleum Engineering, CIP code 14.2501. These majors have been removed from the List of STEM Majors.

List of STEM majors (Updated 4/18/2008 5:25 P.M.)

Posted 4/14/2008 3:15 P.M.

Click Here for the latest ISS listserv message about the new regulations.  The message states when SEVIS will be updated and when ISS can start processing OPT STEM Extension applications.

Posted 4/11/2008 5:15 P.M.

Click here for the new OPT Regulations Frequently Asked Questions.

Posted 4/10/2008 7 P.M.

Posted copy of STEM majors at Texas A&M University, Galveston and Health Science Center.  Please go to 4/18/2008 post for latest version of the List of STEM Majors.

Posted 4/9/2008 6:15 P.M.

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has updated the I-765 form. 

This revised form should be used for any OPT applications mailed as of 4/8/2008.  It is important to note that there are new codes for question 16. 

(c) (3) (A) for Pre-completion OPT

(c) (3) (B) for Post-completion OPT

(c) (3) (C) for the 17 month extension for STEM students

Posted 4/9/2008 1:25 P.M.

Click Here for the latest ISS listserv message about the new regulations.  The message summarizes the major changes in the regulations.

Posted 4/8/2008 6:30 P.M.

ISS will send a message tonight, or in the morning, on our listserv addressing the new regulations.  The ISS procedures for applying for the STEM extension will be issued soon. A Question and Answer section is currently being developed.

Determining which majors are STEM majors

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has determined that students who have graduated with a STEM major may be eligible to apply for an extension of their OPT to a total of 29 months.  STEM stands for Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics.   DHS has a very specific definition of which majors are STEM majors.  In the preamble of the new regulations, DHS states that only students with a major on the current STEM Designated Degree Program List are eligible to apply for the OPT STEM extension.  The list is based on the Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP) codes.  The CIP codes are from the U.S. Department of Education's National Center for Education Statistics (NCES.) The CIP codes are used for U.S. government, and incidentally for the Canadian government, for reporting purposes. 

DHS uses the CIP codes to codify majors in SEVIS.  The State of Texas uses the CIP codes to codify majors at Texas colleges and universities. Texas A&M University is required by the U.S. government and Texas state government to codify all majors to reflect the CIP codes.  Texas A&M University, in compliance with state and federal regulations, has assigned a CIP code to each major.  International Student Services (ISS) has no role in determining which CIP code corresponds to which major.     

DHS states that "to be eligible for the 17-month OPT extension, a student must have received a degree in the following:"

• Actuarial Science
• Computer Science excluding Data Entry/Microcomputer Applications
• Engineering
• Engineering Technologies
• Biological and Biomedical Sciences
• Mathematics and Statistics
• Military Technologies
• Physical Sciences
• Science Technologies
• Medical Scientist

Posted 4/8/2008 7:42 A.M.

The Department of Homeland Security has published the new interim Optional Practical Training (OPT) regulations this morning.  ISS is currently reviewing the regulations and will add updates later today. 

Posted 4/7/2008 9:30 A.M.

On April 8, 2008, the Department of Homeland Security is scheduled to release new and revised regulations concerning F1 Optional Practical Training (OPT).  There are some dramatic changes to the regulations and ISS will update this page with relevant information as we analyze the changes.

Please note that it is extremely important that you update your physical US address at https://myrecord.tamu.edu/ within 10 days of changing your address.  Also, ISS is developing a webpage on which students with OPT will be able to update their employer information in compliance with the OPT regulations.

Posted 4/4/2008

Click here to read the e-mail sent by ISS on our listserv and to all students on OPT concerning upcoming changes in the OPT regulations.