Optional Practical Training
The OPT guidelines are explained on this website and at Study in the States. Please read both thoroughly. If these two websites do not answer all of your questions, please contact the International Student Development at InternationalOffice@dts.edu or 214-887-5369.
Optional Practical Training (OPT) is a form of temporary employment authorization for eligible F-1 students.
Post-completion OPT allows F-1 students to work anywhere in the United States, as long as the employment is directly related to one’s program of study (emphasis or concentration).
A Designated School Official (DSO) may recommend post-completion OPT in SEVIS, but students must apply for the work permit with the US Citizenship and Immigration Service (USCIS).
If the government approves post-completion OPT, USCIS will issue an Employment Authorization Document (EAD). Students may begin working on the EAD start date, if they have a social security card and have updated their SEVIS record.
You can apply for OPT if you:
- Are an F-1 visa student in good standing with DTS
- Have been continuously enrolled full time for at least one academic year
- Are eligible to complete OPT
- Students who have completed twelve (12) or more months of full time CPT at the masters-level (DTS or elsewhere) are not eligible for OPT at the masters level
- Students who have completed twelve (12) months of masters-level OPT at another school are not eligible for additional OPT at the masters level
The earliest you can apply for post-completion OPT is ninety (90) days before your program end date on your I-20. USCIS will discard any OPT request received ninety-one (91) days or more prior to a person’s program end date.
Post-completion OPT typically takes at least ninety (90) days to be adjudicated (to know whether your OPT was approved or not by the USCIS).
USCIS must receive your OPT request no later than the last date of your grace period sixty (60) days after your program end date. You cannot request OPT once your sixty (60) day grace period has expired.
The start date of post-completion OPT can be any date within the sixty (60) day grace period after the program end date on your I-20.
You cannot request a start date for post-completion OPT after the sixty (60) day grace period.
Once this grace period is passed, you will start accruing unlawful presence days if your OPT has not been approved.
If you have submitted your post-completion OPT application to USCIS, you can remain in the United States after your 60 day grace period has ended as long as your application is pending.
AVOID TRAVEL OUTSIDE THE UNITED STATES BETWEEN YOUR PROGAM END DATE AND THE START OF YOUR OPT.
People with approved post-completion OPT cannot be unemployed for more than ninety (90) total days during the approved OPT. Unemployment days will begin on the EAD start date if the student does not enter their employment into SEVIS. If a student leaves a position or is fired, then unemployment dates will be accrued until appropriate employment is found and entered into SEVIS.
The EAD is terminated any time a person accrues ninety (90) days of unemployment. It is imperative that you maintain your employment status in SEVIS.
You are authorized to work for a maximum of twelve (12) months with post-completion OPT. The EAD end date is your final day to work on OPT. A sixty (60) day grace period is authorized at the end of your OPT.
Please review the OPT information on the Study in the States website before starting this process.
The form below is only to request post-completion OPT from Dallas Theological Seminary. You as the student are still responsible to actually apply for post-completion OPT with the US government. After completing the form below, you will still need to complete the remaining steps on this page.
Please submit this form 7-10 business days before you intend to submit your request to USCIS. International Student Development needs to review your request, submit information into SEVIS, and provide you with a new OPT I-20.
NOTE: USCIS must receive your application within thirty (30) days of the date DTS staff enter your OPT request into SEVIS. Any request received after this date will be discarded and the process begins again, if time remains to request OPT.
Complete this form to request employment authorization and an Employment Authorization Document (EAD).
We know the I-765 application can be overwhelming, but do not let it scare you. The University of Texas at Dallas has made an excellent video which overviews step-by-step how to fill out this application. While this is for another school, the vast majority of the information communicated in this video is applicable to DTS students. Click the image below to be taken to this eight minute video (outside website).
Important instructions related to this application:
- Item #5 – Address Where USCIS Will Send Information
- If you are not moving: Use your current address (you are responsible to update USCIS if you move)
- If you are moving within the Dallas area: 3909 Swiss Ave. c/o International Student Development, Dallas, TX 75204
- If you are moving outside of the Dallas area: Use the address of a trusted friend or the place you intend to work
- Item #27 – Eligibility Category
- Use (c)(3)(A) for pre-completion Optional Practical Training – unusual for DTS
- Use (c)(3)(B) for post-completion Optional Practical Training – normal for DTS
We highly recommend you file form I-765 online at https://www.uscis.gov/i-765
ALL REQUIRED DOCUMENTS FOR THE USCIS OPT APPLICATION
- Copy of your new OPT I-20 (issued by International Student Development and signed by you)
- Copies of all other I-20s (all previous and current from all institutions attended)
- Copy of your valid passport (you must renew if expired or expiring within six months); make sure the copy is clear – a color copy is best
- Copy of your F-1 visa
- Copy of your I-94 form – available at https://i94.cbp.dhs.gov/I94/#/home
- Copy of a Previous EAD card (applicable only to those who have been granted previous special work permission from the US government)
- Two passport size photos
This is a very important process, so have a friend or spouse review your entire application packet to make sure it is completely filled out before submitting.
REMEMBER
- The US government will not accept your post-completion OPT paperwork if it is more than ninety (90) days before your program end date on your I-20.
- The US government will not accept your post-completion OPT paperwork after your sixty (60) day grace period expires.
- The US government will not accept your post-completion OPT paperwork if it is more than thirty (30) days after your recommendation from DTS is entered into SEVIS.
- The US government will mail a letter or return your post-completion OPT paperwork if it is incomplete or errant. In this case, you will need to notify International Student Development so a new post-completion OPT request can be made. This can happen only during the sixty (60) day grace period after your program end date.
- You may only complete twelve (12) months of OPT at any educational level. You may only do OPT once as a master’s level student in the US (whether you were at DTS or not).
