OPTIONAL PRACTICAL TRAINING
The OPT workshop will cover these topics:
What is OPT and your eligibility to apply
Detail of the OPT application procedures
Understanding the obligations during OPT and maintaining F-1 status
Step-by-step process to file your OPT application online with USCIS
Essential resources and information
OPT Overview:
What is Optional Practical Training (OPT)?
OPT is work permission available for eligible F-1 students. It allows students
to have real-world work experience related to their major field of study.
Designated School Official (DSO) recommends OPT in SEVIS (but cannot
authorize the work period)
Student must apply for the work permit with U.S. Citizenship and
Immigration Services (USCIS) with the DSO recommended I-20.
If approved, USCIS will issue an Employment Authorization Document
(EAD). The student must not begin working before the start date on the EAD
after it is received.
OPT Overview - Types of OPT:
Pre-Completion OPT: A period of employment authorized prior to the end of a student’s
program of study. It may be part-time or full-time. (Most schools will authorize CPT
instead)
Post-Completion OPT: A period of employment authorized after the student’s program of
study has ended. It must be full-time.
H-1B Cap Gap OPT: For students whose prospective employers filed a qualifying H-1B-
cap subject petition. (Only possible for Spring and Summer graduates)
OPT STEM-Extension (24 months) For students who majored in designated Science,
Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) degrees approved by DHS.
OPT Eligibility – who is Eligible for OPT?
F-1 students who have attended an SEVP certified institution (i.e. received
an I-20) on a full-time basis, for a minimum of one academic year
May be authorized for up to 12 months of OPT
Each subsequent application for a new Post-Completion OPT must be for a
higher degree level – OPT may only be granted once per degree level, and
only if moving upward in degree level
F-1 students with one year or greater of Full-Time Curricular Practical
Training (CPT) are no longer eligible for OPT at that current degree level
Part-Time CPT does not affect OPT eligibility
OPT Application Procedures
Deadline: Your application must be received and receipted by the Department of Homeland
Security (DHS) within 30 days of the DSO’s recommendation, and within your 60-day
grace period, whichever is earlier.
Application filing window: F-1 students may apply for Post Completion OPT from 90 days
prior to the degree program completion, and up to 60 days after the program end date.
A timely-filed OPT application means that you may legally remain in the U.S. while the OPT
application is pending with USCIS
You should apply as early as possible for OPT, when you find out that you will meet the
graduation requirements.
OPT Application Procedures
Make sure that you verify your degree
level on your I-20 prior to filing for OPT.
For example: If you are discontinuing
your doctorate program and finishing
with a master’s degree, your I-20 must be
updated to show this change.
The date indicated by your academic
advisor / graduate advisor will be used as
the
new I-20 Program End date on your
OPT recommended I-20. This is the official
closing date of the semester unless an
otherwise agreed upon date with your
thesis/dissertation advisor.
OPT Application Procedures – Shorten I-20
Because the I-20 Program Dates must match your degree program dates, it
is necessary that our office shorten
your I-20 program end date – This date
will correlate to the date listed on the OPT Academic Verification form
If you find that you will have a delay in completion of degree
requirements, you must request an I-20 Program Extension immediately,
before your program end-date, or risk violating your F-1 status
SEVP strongly recommends that a student who may not be able to
successfully complete all program requirements on time postpone applying
for Post Completion OPT until after his or her program ends (within the
60-day grace period).
Your I-20 can only be extended prior to the new I-20 program end date -
not after.
OPT Application Procedures – Shorten I-20
For all Thesis track and Dissertation track students with all coursework completed: After
applying for OPT, you must find a job in your field of study and work a minimum of 20
hours per week while completing the Thesis / Dissertation. The thesis/dissertation work
cannot be used as employment.
SEVP Policy Guidance issued on April 23, 2010 states: Can a student in a graduate-level program who has completed
all program requirements, aside from thesis or equivalent, apply for either pre-completion OPT or post-completion
OPT?
Yes, a student who only has the thesis or equivalent remaining may either apply for pre-completion OPT or
post-completion OPT while completing the thesis/dissertation.
Master’s students cannot switch to Non-Thesis track as this would require an I-20 program
extension, and if you are already beyond your program end-date, you would be out of status.
For all students: You cannot work on-campus or on CPT after completing your program of
study, no matter if you have shortened your I-20 or not. No CPT or on-campus work can be
done after the I-20 has been shortened.
You must wait until the EAD card is approved and the EAD start date to begin work again.
Understanding your 60-day Grace Period
1) Apply for OPT (Which can you do 90 days before you graduate and up to the 60-day period after). You cannot apply for OPT-X
in your grace period after OPT ends. It has to be applied for before (more in the OPT-X slides at the end).
2) Change of Degree Level at UH. If resuming study at University of Houston, the new I-20 must be printed prior to the 60-day
grace period ending.
a) Your OPT work authorization ends, and the EAD card becomes invalid, on the date that you are registered with the new I-20 in SEVIS
if the I-20 is issued before the grace period begins.
b) The first day of classes must be within 5 months and the next available semester from the end of your period of OPT.
3) Transfer to Another Institution. If resuming study at another institution, the SEVIS record must be transferred to the new
institution prior to the 60-day grace period ending.
a) Your period of OPT ends upon the transfer release date in SEVIS if done during your period of OPT.
b) The first day of classes must be within 5 months and be the next available semester of the OPT EAD card end date or the
date of your transfer. You should also not have exceeded 90 days of unemployment during the OPT EAD date.
4) Apply for Change of Status (if eligible). Once the application is submitted, you would be able to remain in the U.S. until a
decision has been made.
5) Make Arrangements to Return Home. As long as you leave before the end of your grace period, you are able to travel around the
U.S. and explore the country during your grace period.
Note: Your OPT period cannot
continue when classes have begun - You will need an updated I-20 to reflect your new program of study
- You may choose to end OPT early to resume study
OPT Application Procedures – Start Date
You will need to choose an OPT Start Date and fill it in on the F-1 Student Responsibility Form
Your requested OPT Start Date can be any day during your 60-day grace period, which begins
with the day after the completion of your program of study (Date located on your
Academic
Verification Form
)
The requested OPT Start Date may not be changed after your application is submitted to USCIS
Keep in mind that you cannot begin working until USCIS adjudicates your case and you receive
your EAD card with the dates authorized to work
OPT Application Procedures – Start Date
Choose your requested
OPT Start Date within this
range of dates
I-20 Program End Date
(from signed Academic
Verification form
60
th
calendar day after
I-20 Program End Date
OPT – Employment Regulations
All work during Post-Completion OPT must be in a job that is directly related to the student’s
degree program, for which the OPT was granted
Any employment not related to your field of study is a violation of F-1 status
Minimum of 20 hours per week (This can an average throughout the month)
During Post-Completion OPT, employment may be paid or unpaid
You may be self-employed (No self-employment allowed during OPT-X, so plan ahead!)
You may work for multiple employers
You may change jobs as needed
You must report all employment changes within 10 days using the SEVP Portal (we will
discuss in detail later)
You may not exceed 90 days of unemployment during the entire period of OPT
OPT – Unemployment
During Post-Completion OPT, unemployment is counted only from the EAD card start date, not
from the time of application or graduation
Approved business travel or approved vacation travel from a U.S. employer does not count as
“unemployment”
The maximum allowable unemployment period during Post-Completion OPT is 90 calendar days,
accumulative. Plan carefully so that you do not use all of your allowable unemployment period.
There is NO additional grace period after OPT ends if you exceed the 90 days of unemployment.
Working less than 20 hours per week counts as unemployment on OPT unless you have multiple
jobs that equal 20 hours or more
Any SEVIS record on Post-Completion OPT with 90 consecutive days of unemployment may be
automatically terminated by the SEVIS system. Report all employment changes within 10 days to avoid
consequences.
OPT – Reporting Requirements
You will gain access to the SEVP Portal when two things happen:
First, the OPT request status in SEVIS changes to “Approved”
Typically, this OPT request status comes directly from USCIS when they
approve an OPT application
Second, the OPT period must be “Active”
OPT TIMELINE
DSO recommends OPT
in SEVIS, student files
application
USCIS approves OPT
Actual OPT Start Date – SEVIS
sends data to the Portal, student
can gain access
OPT – Reporting Requirements
On the start date of your EAD card (approximately), you
will receive an automated email from:
do-not-
reply.SEVP@ice.dhs.gov
Do not delete this email – you must click on the link in this
email to setup your SEVP Portal account. The email used
to send this information is your “destination email” in your
UH account. Make sure to update your destination email
from @Cougarnet.uh.edu to a personal email once you end
your on-campus employment.
The SEVP portal login page is: https://sevp.ice.gov/opt/
The SEVP Portal account is the method used to report
employment information during Post Completion OPT
OPT – Reporting Requirements
You must follow the link to create your Portal account. You must provide your SEVIS ID number to
create the account
For any troubleshooting on accessing your account, please email sevis@central.uh.edu. There are
instances when if you had a prior OPT portal account, it will cause issues in receiving a new link.
Once you gain access to the Portal, you can:
Edit your profile (e.g., SEVIS address)
Edit employment information
View history
Change password
The SEVP Portal will send you email in these situations: When you create a portal account, confirm that
you recently created an account, password was changed, account is locked, email address changed,
STEM OPT evaluations are due, or when your OPT authorization ends and the account is being closed.
Portal Account closes after 180 days following the end of the OPT period.
During your OPT period, you will be able to view your employment information in the
Portal and verify it for accuracy
You must report all changes of employment information within 10 calendar days of the
change. The portal account will NOT allow you to add a start date that is more than 10
days old. You will have to report with a current start date and request our office to
adjust the date for you.
Failure to timely report may mean missed days count as unemployment
If you change jobs, never delete the previous employer information or edit the start
date due to a promotion – this causes unemployment time to be calculated.
OPT – Recent DHS Guidance
U.S. Department of Homeland Security recently published guidance on
“Practical Training - Determining a Direct Relationship Between Employment
and a Student’s Major Area of Study”
It requires the F-1 student to provide an explanation of how the job relates the
student’s major area of study
You will use the student access to your SEVP Portal account, and provide an
explanation in the text box: “
Relation to Field of Study: Explain How this job
relates to the degree that qualified you for this OPT
”
You must keep historical records of your employment: DO NOT delete your
previous information submitted in the SEVP Portal - always “Add” new
information
OPT – Recent DHS Guidance
Below are examples for what to write:
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.
OPT – Recent DHS Guidance
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.
To view the SEVP Portal Help videos and detailed guides, visit the Study in the
States webpage: studyinthestates.dhs.gov
OPT – Reporting Requirements
Provide a copy of your EAD card – front and back to our office
through our online reporting link. This can be accessed through
MyUH and going to your academic records tile.
https://www.uh.edu/oisss/opt-details/opt-self-report-form/
If you have questions on how to report, please email
with your student ID number
Save the front and
back as a PDF file
– Do this within 10
days of receiving
the EAD card
OPT – Employment Regulations
Fill out the rest of the “F-1 Student Responsibility” page under “OPT
Self Report” – by signing, you agree to follow all OPT reporting rules
and all other regulations pertaining to your time on OPT.
Form I-765
Confirm your email
address to begin setting
up your USCIS online
account – it must be an
email that you check
frequently.
Important note: DO
NOT use your
@cougarnet.uh.edu as
this email address will
expire once you are no
longer employed at UH.
Save your backup code
in case you need it and
lose access.
Form I-765
Select, “I am an
applicant,
petitioner, or
requestor…”
Form I-765
Select “Application for Employment
Authorization (I-765)”
Form I-765
After reading the paperwork reduction notice, details, and security
reminder, press “start” to proceed with the application
Form I-765
As you begin the
application, use the
dropdown menu to
select the eligibility
category, c(3)(B) for
Post-Completion OPT
Form I-765 – Premium Processing
On April 3rd, 2023, USCIS implemented premium
processing for both OPT and OPT-X case filings. To
request premium processing for your OPT case, you must
submit a form I-907 with the appropriate fee ($1,685).
(
https://www.uscis.gov/i-907)
When you are filing your initial I-765, it will ask if you
wish to add premium processing right away as part of
your application. Once you pay the filing fee for the I-765,
it will direct you to complete the I-907 form as part of
your application. This question will allow you to make the
decision to complete premium processing.
You can also choose to complete the premium processing
at a later date by selecting the I-907 form in the “file a
form” part of your USCIS account online.
Note: You must pay the Form I-907 fee separately from the Form I-765 filing fees if filing by
paper. If you submit a single, combined fee payment for multiple forms, USCIS will reject your
entire filing. (Please let the counselor if you plan to file I-765 by paper.)
I-907 Instructions:
https://www.uscis.gov/sites/default/files/document/forms/i-907instr.pdf
Form I-765
Select your reason for applying as “Initial
permission to accept employment”
Select yes or no, to indicate whether you
have previously filed the form I-765.
If you have filed a form I-765, you must
add information about this in the
“additional information” section of your
application. To find the appropriate spot,
you should
Form I-765
If you have filed a form I-765, you must
add information about this in the
“additional information” section of your
application. To find the appropriate spot,
you should follow the outline shown on
the right. You will select the “section” of
the application, then the “page,” followed
by the “question.”
Once you have done this, you can add
details about your EAD card such as the
“Category” (C03 for OPT, C09 for
pending resident, A12 for TPS, etc.), the
dates of authorization, the receipt number,
and any additional information as
appropriate such as the degree level if it’s
a prior OPT EAD.
Form I-765
Select “No”, unless
you are retaining a
lawyer or attorney to
file the form on your
behalf
Form I-765
Fill your full legal name,
matching your passport name
exactly.
Below, answer “No,” unless you
have legally changed your name
on an identity document or use a
specific name on your social
media accounts.
Form I-765
Fill all requested contact
information, although
you may check the box
and leave the 2
nd
telephone number blank;
at least one telephone
and one email address
are required.
Form I-765
Provide a U.S. mailing address which you have
carefully verified, and which will NOT
change in
the next 3-5 months. Use the “In Care of Name”
line only if your mail is going to location that you
do not reside or you are not on the lease agreement.
This line should not include your personal name.
Check “Yes”, unless the address you provided is
not a physical address (e.g., Post Office box
address) or you do not reside at the location that
your mail will be going.
Generally, allow the
website to verify
the address per
U.S. postal service
formatting
standards.
Form I-765
Answer the gender, marital status,
birth location, and date of birth
questions as shown.
Form I-765
Answer the citizenship, I-94,
and arrival questions.
If you arrived on a different
status, but changed your status
to F-1, then make sure you
include the correct status of
entry and have your I-797 notice
of approval ready to upload in
your application file.
Do not forget to verify that your
I-94 has your latest arrival date
before the admissions number.
Form I-765
Provide your most recent date of arrival in
the U.S., place of arrival, and visa status
at last arrival.
Provide your passport number, but do not
answer the travel document question.
Travel documents are for those who enter
U.S. without having a valid passport (e.g.
refugees);
Provide your passport expiration date of
the newest passport;
Provide the country that issued your passport
(the country’s government issuing your passport,
not the U.S. if you renewed it here);
Select F-1 Student for your current
immigration status.
Form I-765
Note: If you have used any prior SEVIS ID numbers while in the U.S.
(including J or M status), you will add this in the additional information
section of the application. You do not have to include SEVIS ID’s of I-
20’s issued to you by a school for initial attendance which you never
used.
Add your SEVIS number, except the
“N” which is already filled; your
SEVIS number is on your form I-20,
page 1, at the top.
Form I-765
A-Number: this is assigned by
USCIS if you file an application to
USCIS, such as an OPT application;
if you have never previously filed an
application to USCIS, then you will
not have an A-Number.
USCIS online account number: you
would have this number only if USCIS
sent an account access notice to you
(most students do not have this when
filing for OPT).
Note: It is better to check the box for
both of these as “you do not have or
know” than trying to figure out if you
have either of these.
Form I-765
Answer the Social Security Number
questions. Most students already have the
SSN when applying for OPT; however, if
you do not have the SSN, you may use this
section to request the SSN, by giving
consent for USCIS to forward your request
to the Social Security Administration
(SSA), and by providing your parents’
names. If you already have the SSN, you
will not answer those questions.
Answers shown here are for a student who
already have the SSN.
Form I-765
In this section, you will upload
your new passport photo; be
sure that it meets the format
requirements (e.g., 2x2 inches
square, etc.), file size, and file
format. Do not use an old photo.
Form I-765
Upload your passport and
Visa pages on this section.
If you have a previous
EAD card (not OPT
related), upload this here as
well.
Note: Do not upload a
black and white scan or a
reduced size image.
USCIS will request you to
resubmit these images if
necessary and will delay
your application approval.
Form I-765
If you had any CPT during this
degree program, your OPT
advisor will provide a CPT
screenshot when the OPT
request is ready which you will
upload here. If you did not
have any CPT, then do not
upload anything on this screen.
Any CPT from a prior degree
program, please upload the I-
20 with the CPT authorization
showing on page 2.
Upload any previous OPT
EAD cards here as well, both
the front and back.
Form I-765
This section is where you
will upload your new I-20
with OPT recommendation
provided to you after
the
OPT webinar by the
counselor. You will receive
this 5-7 working days
following submission of
your application documents
to the counselor.
DO NOT submit your
application to USCIS
without this I-20 or you will
be denied.
Form I-765
Carefully note the
application refund policy
before continuing and
that once you submit,
you cannot get this
money back.
The current form filing
fee is $470.
Note: Paper filing has a $50
additional cost.
Form I-765
You may review
your I-765
answers as a
draft snapshot,
prior to final
submission of
your application.
Form I-765
At any time during completing the
application, you can exit out and return to
continue. Your application will be saved as
a draft for up to 30 days.
Be sure that you have uploaded all
required documents, including the new
OPT Recommendation I-20 that you should
receive from us, as well as the CPT
screenshot, if you did CPT at this degree
level.
Form I-765
After uploading all
documents, including
the OPT
recommendation I-20
you received from us,
you can read and
acknowledge the
applicant’s statement to
continue and submit
your application.
Form I-765
Check the box, and then
type your name as your
digital signature.
Form I-765
As you finish the application,
you will be redirected to
Pay.gov for application
payment, and then redirected
back to USCIS for your receipt
number (case number) unless
you chose to continue with the
premium processing request
first. When you have the
receipt number, you have
finished the application.
Encountering Fraud While Participating in OPT:
International students participating in OPT must understand and abide by OPT
regulations to maintain their nonimmigrant status.
International students who rely on recruitment agencies to obtain OPT placements
should ensure those agencies are trustworthy and reputable. Reputable recruiters will not
modify a student’s resume or academic background to secure OPT placement
If you witness fraudulent activity by an OPT recruiter or company, you should contact
the ICE’s Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) tip line at 1-866-DHS-2ICE or
www.ICE.gov/tips
H-1B Cap Gap
Current regulations allow certain students with pending or approved H-1B petitions to remain in F-1 status by
extending their current status until September 30
th
. This is referred simply as “H-1B Cap-Gap," meaning the
regulations provides a way of filling the "gap" between the end of F-1 status and the beginning of H-1B status that
might otherwise occur. The “Cap-Gap” period starts when an F-1 student’s status and work authorization expires
and extends this to September 30
th
.
To qualify, H-1B petitions have to be timely filed on behalf of an eligible F-1 student that requests a change of
status to H-1B before their current OPT or grace period ends. If a student is in their grace period, only the grace
period is extended, not the work authorization.
Timely filed means that the H-1B petition (indicating change of status rather than consular processing) was filed
during the H-1B acceptance period which begins April 1st while the student's authorized F-1 duration of status
(D/S) admission was still in effect.
Even though the H-1B Cap-Gap period is automatically applied for eligible F-1 students, you may request an H-
1B Cap Gap I-20 from our office which will show evidence to your employer that you are authorized to work
during the Cap Gap dates listed on the I-20. You can view more information on our website and also how to print
a cap-gap I-20 by going here: Students -> Optional Practical Training -> H-1B Cap-Gap Extension.
Note: Your OPT employment data must be updated electronically, prior to requesting the H-1B Cap Gap I-20
OPT STEM Extension
Applicant must hold a STEM eligible degree, from a U.S. institution, listed on
the STEM list (The full list is available at www.ice.gov
)
Employer must be enrolled in E-verify upon submission of application to
USCIS.
Employer and employee must agree to, complete, and sign the Training Plan
(Form I-983)
The job has to be paid and at least 20hrs per week. The work still must be
directly related to your major area of study.
Self-Employment is not allowed, and you cannot work for staffing and
temporary agencies under most circumstances.
A new OPT-X recommendation I-20 is required to apply.
Multiple jobs are allowed, but each job has to meet the criteria listed above.
Locate the 6 digit “CIP code” on your I-20 to determine
eligibility, then compare with the STEM list at www.ice.gov
OPT STEM Extension – when to apply:
The application must be properly filed not more than 90 days prior to Post-
Completion OPT EAD card end date, but not after the end date (Late applications
are not accepted by USCIS)
Application must be received and receipted, properly filed with USCIS, on or
before the current OPT EAD card end date
You must be currently on an approved Post-Completion OPT in order to apply for
OPT STEM extension
You may submit your OPT STEM request to our office 90 days prior to the OPT
EAD card end date – please hold onto your request to our office until 90 days prior
to the OPT EAD end date
You can file for OPT STEM-Extension using a previous STEM degree in which you did not file for
STEM Extension before (given that your current degree is not STEM eligible). If you think you
may qualify for this, please follow up directly with a counselor to verify eligibility.
When you are ready to apply for OPT STEM extension,
please carefully read the slideshow (powerpoint) on our
website for full detailed instructions
International Travel during OPT
If your OPT has been approved and you have received your OPT EAD, carefully prepare
your documents for travel before leaving the United States, as detailed below.
Documents you will need for travel internationally:
[1] Passport that is valid for at least 6 months into the future
[2] Visa which is still valid at the time of reentry to the U.S.
[3] I-20 with recent signature by a Designated School Official. During OPT, each travel
endorsement on page 2 is valid for 6 months
Your current employer info is recommended to be printed on page 2 of the I-20 (You
may request a reprint after you have completed OPT reporting)
For I-20 reprint, email [email protected] – This email is listed on the OPT Self Report
[4] EAD card (Employment Authorization Document)
[5] A current job offer letter from your employer. A written statement from your
employer that you are returning from a period of approved vacation time may also be
helpful, but is not required if the job offer letter is recent
International Travel during OPT
Check your F-1 visa – if expired, you must renew with the U.S. consulate /
embassy – usually in your home country
Certain travel under 30 days on expired VISA could be granted to
Canada, Mexico, and the adjacent islands except Cuba (unless you’re
from Iran, Syria, North Korea, or Sudan).
If you are planning to travel while pending OPT, please contact an advisor
regarding the risks involved. Our office and CBP does not recommend
international travel while the OPT application is pending with USCIS, but it
is allowed in most circumstances.
OPT Alumni Fee:
In order to process your Post Completion
OPT request, an alumni fee of $100 is
required to be submitted to our office
Mail a personal check or a money order,
payable to “University of Houston”
Do not mail cash.
Download, fill in, and print this “Payment
Coupon
” and bring it in person or mail it
with your OPT Alumni fee to our office.
We recommend that you obtain a tracking
number from your courier (USPS, FedEx,
UPS, etc.) if you do mail it.
Yes, a friend can pay this fee for you as
long as the payment coupon as your
information on it. We have these available
in our office to fill out.
Download the Payment Coupon from:
https://uh.edu/oisss/forms-and-publications/
OPT Alumni Fee:
If you decide to mail a check, use the below address:
University of Houston – Attention: Juanette Davis
International Student and Scholar Services
4465 University Drive, Room N203
Houston, TX 77204
Here’s an
example of how
to properly fill out
a check.
Check your case status – Receipt notice
After filing your application
online, USCIS will generate a
receipt notice with your case
number and downloadable
online.
The same receipt number will
be on your I-797C notice,
mailed to your address as
listed on the I-765 application
Receipt number starts with a
3-letter code followed by
numbers. Online applications
will begin with IOE…
You will get case status
updates by email for when
your case is being
adjudicated and processed.
Please arrange your documents in the order below
prior to submission to the counselor – please email to
your OPT advisor as PDF files with student ID
number. Do not use Google Drive to share documents.
Passport copy
Visa copy (most recent visa)
I-94 printout - CBP.gov/I-94 or the F-1 approval notice, form I-797A (if you
changed visa status in the U.S. – not applicable to most students)
Previous EAD copy, if you previously had OPT (not applicable to most students)
Academic Verification form, signed by your college
F-1 Student Responsibility, fully signed by you, with OPT Start Date, mm/dd/yyyy
OPT
We appreciate your attention to OPT procedures
At this time, please submit your complete OPT documents to the counselor
We will do our best to complete your OPT recommendation request in 5-7
working days
If you have questions, contact the counselor following completion of the online
OPT workshop.
Thank you
www.uh.edu/OISSS
713-743-5065
sevis@central.uh.edu
To track the status of your OPT application, log in to your account online:
www.uscis.gov
USCIS contact telephone: (800) 375-5283
