APPLYING FOR STEM EXTENSION
To qualify for 24-month STEM extension you must:
• Have been granted OPT and currently be in a valid period of OPT
• Have earned a bachelor’s, master’s, or doctoral degree from a school that is accredited by a U.S. Department of Education-recognized accrediting agency and is certified by SEVP
• Work for an employer who meets all the requirements
• Submit to USCIS a up to 90 days before your current OPT expires and within 60 days of the date your DSO enters the request into SEVIS
To apply for an extension, you must properly file with USCIS:
• Form I-765 with
o The correct application fee which can be found at
o Your employer’s name as listed in E-Verify, and
o Your employer’s E-Verify Company Identification Number or valid E-Verify Client Company Identification Number
• Form I-20, Certificate of Eligibility for Nonimmigrant Student Status, endorsed by your DSO within the last 60 days; and
• A copy of your transcripts showing completion of your STEM degree.
• Filing addresses can be found at
You also must submit a Form I-983 to Office of International Students & Scholars via the OPT Report form which can be found on our website under Forms and Documents.
- DSO will issue you a new I-20
- You must not have any balance due to EIU
- Allow 3-5 business days for processing
When you receive your new Employment Authorization Document (EAD card) you are to submit a copy to us. This can be done via the .
If you file your STEM OPT extension application on time and your OPT period expires while your extension application is pending, USCIS will automatically extend your employment authorization for 180 days. This automatic 180-day extension ceases once USCIS adjudicates your STEM OPT extension application.
Student Reporting Responsibilities
If you receive a STEM OPT extension, you must:
• Report changes to the following information to your DSO within 10 days of the change:
o Your legal name o Your residential or mailing address
o Your email address o Your employer’s name
o Your employer’s address
• Report to your DSO every 6 months to confirm the information listed above, even if none of your information has changed.
• Updates are to be submitted via the
For more information, please refer to the