Optional Practical Training (OPT) provides eligible F-1 students with the opportunity to gain practical work experience in their field of study. All employment during OPT must be directly related to your major and appropriate for your degree level. In addition, all OPT employment must take place within the United States.
What Qualifies as Employment?
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) defines employment as any type of work or service performed in exchange for compensation or another form of benefit, including:
- Wages or salary
- Tuition or fees
- Books or supplies
- Housing or meals
- Any other form of compensation or benefit
Acceptable Types of OPT Employment
OPT employment may take a variety of forms, provided it meets all USCIS requirements.
Eligible employment includes:
- Working for one or more employers, either short-term or long-term
- Working as an independent contractor or on a contractual basis
- Operating your own business as a self-employed entrepreneur, provided you have the appropriate business licenses and can demonstrate that your work is related to your degree
- Employment through a staffing or employment agency
- Unpaid internships or volunteer positions, provided the work is directly related to your field of study, complies with all applicable labor laws, and requires at least 20 hours per week
Important Information
- All employment must be directly related to your major field of study and appropriate for your education level.
- OPT employment must be physically located within the United States.
- Students are responsible for maintaining documentation that demonstrates their employment meets USCIS requirements.
- Volunteer positions and unpaid internships are only permitted if they comply with federal and state labor laws and satisfy the minimum weekly hour requirement.