F-1 Pre-completion OPT
Pre-completion OPT Overview
Pre-completion Optional Practical Training (OPT) is an F-1 employment benefit that is used before finishing the program of study to work in your field of study.
To be eligible for Pre-completion OPT, you must have completed one full academic year of full-time study.
To apply for Pre-completion OPT, you must first submit a Pre-completion OPT request in ISS Connect. After you receive your new I-20 from ISS, you must file your application with USCIS within 30 days of the date your I-20 with the Pre-completion OPT recommendation was issued.
*If you are in your last semester of study, we cannot recommend Pre-completion OPT. Instead, you will apply for Post-completion OPT. You can apply for Post-completion OPT 90 days before program completion.
Impact of Pre-completion OPT on Post-completion OPT
You will need to select your OPT start date, requested duration, and employment authorization (part-time or full-time) when you submit your Pre-completion OPT request in ISS Connect. Your selections will affect the amount of Post-completion OPT available to you in the future. Any approved period of Pre-completion OPT will reduce the amount of Post-completion OPT available to you:
- Full-time Pre-completion OPT: The time is deducted at 100%. For example, 1 month of full-time Pre-completion OPT = 1 month deducted from Post-completion OPT.
- Part-time Pre-completion OPT: The time is deducted at 50%. For example, 1 month of part-time Pre-completion OPT = half a month deducted from Post-completion OPT.
Eligibility and Timing
- You may apply up to 90 days before you complete one full academic year of full-time study.
- Your employment start date must be after you have completed one full academic year of full-time study. For example, if you complete your required one academic year at the end of Fall 2026 on December 19, 2026, your earliest eligible OPT start date would be December 20, 2026.
- Your employment end date must be before your program end date.
- If the academic program ends earlier than expected, you may not continue to use your EAD issued for Pre-completion OPT.
- A DSO cannot shorten your approved period of pre-completion OPT to the new program end date.
- A DSO cannot request overlapping periods of OPT; therefore, a DSO would not be able to recommend Post-completion OPT based on the earlier program end date.
Employment Hours
- While school is in session (fall and spring semesters): You may work no more than 20 hours per week.
- During school breaks: You may work full-time (provided you've been authorized for full-time Pre-completion OPT).
- Your authorized employment must comply with the terms and dates of your OPT authorization.
Job Offer
- You do not need a job offer to apply for Pre-completion OPT; however, once USCIS approves OPT, any approved period will be deducted from the 12-month total of available Post-completion OPT time, regardless of whether you work.
- Your job must be directly related to your major.
Filing Your Application with USCIS
- After you receive your I-20 with the Pre-completion OPT recommendation from ISS, USCIS must receive your application within 30 days of the I-20 issue date.
- The online USCIS filing fee is $470.
- USCIS processing can take three to five months, and sometimes longer, so please plan accordingly. OPT applicants have the option to pay $1,780 to request premium processing (30-business-day processing timeframe) of their OPT application.
- You must be in the U.S. to file your Form I-765 with USCIS.
Applying for SSN
After you receive your EAD, you may apply for a Social Security Number (SSN).
If you were issued an SSN before, you do not need to apply again. You only receive one SSN in your lifetime.
- Apply online through the Social Security Administration (SSA).
- Visit an SSA office with your original documents to complete your application.
- You can schedule an appointment by phone.
- Walk-ins are accepted, but wait times may be long.
- SSA Employee will provide a receipt confirming application is being processed.
- Once approved, the Social Security Card will be mailed to the address provided on the application within 2 weeks.
- You do not need to have your SSN before starting work. Provide your employer with the receipt from the SSA as proof that you have applied.
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F-1 students who have been enrolled full-time for at least one full academic year.
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You can only use it before completing your degree.
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- All work must be directly related to your major/field of study.
- Hours:
- During the Fall and Spring semesters: up to 20 hours/week as authorized per your request to USCIS
- During Winter and Summer Break: you may work full-time as authorized per your request to USCIS
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You need authorization from USCIS and an EAD (Employment Authorization Document) before starting work.
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You may apply for Pre-completion OPT up to 90 days before you will have completed one full academic year and before your intended start date. However, your OPT cannot begin until you have completed the full academic year.
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You do not have to have a job offer in order to apply. However, it is your responsibility to assess the job description and duties assigned to make sure it relates to the field of study.
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ISS Requests are processed up to 10 business days after they are submitted. USCIS usually takes 3-5 months to process filed applications; however, processing times may vary and are at the discretion of USCIS.
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Yes, you are eligible to apply for premium processing when applying for Pre-Completion OPT. The Premium processing window is 30-business days adjudication by USCIS.
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Approved part-time Pre-Completion OPT is counted at ½ time towards your 12-month OPT participation allotment. For example, 4 months of approved part-time Pre-Completion OPT would deduct 2 months of your 12 months of full-time Post-Completion OPT.
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Yes. You will need to obtain a new I-20 for the Post-Completion OPT from ISS and file a new I-765 Employment Authorization Form.
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Nothing is required of your prospective employer. OPT (unlike CPT) is not employer-specific. You are responsible for keeping all employment records as proof of employment. To apply for Pre-completion OPT, you will first submit the Pre-completion OPT request in ISS Connect. In that request, you will upload a copy of your visa, passport (bio-page), Most Recent I-94, previous I-20s if they include CPT or OPT, and previous EADs, if any. Once your I-20 for Pre-completion OPT is processed, we will guide you on how to file online through USCIS.