3301CollegeAve|FortLauderdale,FL33314
HorvitzAdministrationBuilding,Room253
+1(954)262‐7240|intl@nova.edu
www.nova.edu/internationalaffairs
ScienceTechnology,Engineering&Math(STEM)Extensionfor
F‐1OptionalPracticalTraining(OPT)ApplicationPacket
Document:STEM/Revised:May2018
INSTRUCTIONS:SubmitthisentirepackettotheOfficeofInternationalAffairs.Yourpacketwillbereviewedandyour
OPTI‐20willbeprocessedsevenbusinessdays.Processingtimeassumesallinformationhasbeencompletedfully
andcorrectly.Errorswillresultinadditionaldelays.
STEMOPTapplicationsmaybesubmittedtoOIAnoearlierthan90daysbeforeOPTenddateandnolaterthan15
businessdaysbeforeOPTenddate.
‐PartI–StudentInformation–Page1
‐PartII–EmploymentInformation–Page1
‐PartIII–ConfirmationofUnderstanding–Pages2‐3
‐PartIV–ApplicationShippingPreference–Page3
‐PartV–ApplicationChecklist&Signature–Page4
PartI:StudentInformation
First(Given)
Name:
Last(Family)
Name:
NSUN#: SEVISID: N
Emailaddress: U.S.Telephone:
CurrentAddress:
(Street,City,State,Zip)
CurrentI‐20ProgramEndDate(MM/DD/YY):
Non‐NSUemailaddresswhereyoucanbe
contactedduringOPT:

PartII:EmploymentInformation
CompanyName
(asregisteredinE‐Verify)
E‐VerifyCompanyIDNumber
(NOTCompany’sEINTaxID)
HoursPerWeek
(mustbeatleast20forSTEMOPT)
PaidorUnpaid
(mustbepaidforSTEMOPT)
□Paid□Unpaid
Haveyouhad90daysorfewerof
unemployment?(RequiredforSTEMOPT)
Yes□No
JobTitle
CurrentOPTEnd
Date(MM/DD/YYYY)
StartDate(MM/DD/YYYY) EndDate(MM/DD/YYYY)
SupervisorInformation
First(Given)
Name:
Last(Family)
Name:
Emailaddress:
U.S.
Telephone:
2
PartIII:ConfirmationofUnderstanding
Ihavereadandunderstandthefollowing:(initialnexttoEVERYstatement)
OPTAPPLICATION&PROCESSING
______ IunderstandthatUSCISmustreceivemyapplicationwithin60daysofwhentheSTEMOPT‐endorsed
I‐20iscreatedbytheOfficeofInternationalAffairsandnolaterthanthelastdayofmyOPT
authorization,aslistedonmyEADcard.

______ OIAhasnocontroloverSTEMOPTdocumentsaftertheyaresenttoUSCISforadjudication.
______ IfmyEADcardislostorthereareanyerrorsontheEADcard,itismyresponsibilitytocontactUSCISat
1‐800‐375‐5283.
______ STEMOPTprocessingmaytakeupto90days.ImayfindcurrentI‐765processingtimesat
https://egov.uscis.gov/cris/processTimesDisplay.doandmaycheckthestatusofmyapplicationat
https://egov.uscis.gov/casestatus/landing.do.
TRAVEL
______ TRAVELSIGNATURESONOPTI‐20s
Thefederalregulationsstatethatduringpost‐completionOPTthetravelsignatureshouldbenoolder
thansixmonths.Re‐entryintotheUSisneverguaranteed.
______ TRAVELINGWHILEPOST‐COMPLETIONOPTISPENDING
IunderstandthatIshouldnottravelinternationallywhilemyapplicationforaSTEMOPTExtensionis
pendingunlessmycurrentEADcardisunexpiredandIhaveavalidvisaandvalidpassport.
______ APPLYINGFORANEWF‐1VISAWHILEPOST‐COMPLETIONOPTISPENDING
IfIleavethecountryandneedtoapplyforanewF‐1visawhilemySTEMOPTapplicationispendingI
musthaveFormI‐797(I‐765receiptnotice)inadditiontotheusualdocumentsrequiredforavisa
application.F‐1visarenewalsarenotguaranteedandImaynotbeabletore‐entertheUSinstudent
statusifmycurrentF‐1visaisexpired.ThiswouldresultinanabandonmentofmySTEMOPTbenefit.
______ TRAVELINGAFTERSTEMOPTISAPPROVED
Ifmypost‐completionOPThasbeenapproved(STEMOPTEADcardhasbeenissuedbyUSCIS)andI
haveajobImayleaveandre‐entertheUSinordertobeginorresumeemployment.
UnexpiredSTEMOPTEADCard
Passport(validforatleastsixmonthsafteryouplantore‐entertheUS)
ValidF‐1visastampinyourpassport(exceptCanadianandBermudiancitizens)
STEMOPTI‐20(withatravelsignaturenoolderthansixmonths)
Evidenceofyouremployment(paystubs,jobofferletter,etc.)
______ APPLYINGFORANEWF‐1VISAAFTERPOST‐COMPLETIONOPTISAPPROVED
IfIleavethecountryandneedtoapplyforanewF‐1visaaftermySTEMOPTapplicationhasbeen
approvedImusthavemyEADcardandevidenceofmyemploymentinadditiontotheusualdocuments
requiredforavisaapplication.
3
PartIII:ConfirmationofUnderstanding[CONTINUED]
REPORTINGREQUIREMENTS&UNEMPLOYMENT
______ SUBMITACOPYOFNEWSTEMOPTEADCARD
IamrequiredtoemailacopyofthefrontANDbackofmyEADcardonceitreceived.
______ NOTIFYOIAOFPERSONALINFORMATIONUPDATES
IamrequiredtonotifyNSU’sOfficeofInternationalAffairsatintl@nova.eduofanychangestomy
name,address,phonenumberoremailaddresswithin10days.
______ NOTIFYOIAOFEMPLOYMENTINFORMATIONUPDATES
IamrequiredtoprovidenotificationtoNSU’sOfficeofInternationalAffairsatintl@nova.eduEVERYSIX
MONTHSandwithin10dayswhenIobtainorchangeemployment.Failuretoreportmayresultinan
automaticSEVIStermination.Thefollowinginformationmustbereported:
YourNSUN#
Name&AddressofEmployer
JobTitle
SupervisorName,TelephoneNumber,andEmailAddress
EmploymentType(Part‐Time–20hoursorless/Full‐Time–over20hours)
WorkStartDate&EndDate(ifyouhaveterminatedemployment)
EmployerEINnumber(taxID)
Asentenceortwostatinghowyourjobdutiesrelatetoyourmajor
______ ACCRUALOFUNEMPLOYMENTDAYS
IfIamunemployedforatotalof150daysbetweenBOTHOPTperiods(OPT&STEMExtension),USCIS
mayautomaticallyterminatemySEVISrecordandIwillberequiredtoleavetheUSimmediately.
UnemploymentwillbedeterminedusingtheupdatedemploymentinformationIamrequiredtosubmit
totheOfficeofInternationalAffairs.
______ TRAININGPLANS
ImustsubmittheI‐983self‐evaluationform30dayspriortomyONEYEARandTWOYEARemployment
anniversary.FailuretoprovidethisinformationtoOIAwillresultinanautomaticSEVIStermination.
PartIV:ApplicationShippingPreference(Tobecompletedbystudent)
Pleaseselectyourpreference:
OPTION1:APPLICATIONSUBMITTEDTOUSCISBYTHEOFFICEOFINTERNATIONALAFFAIRS
IwillreturntotheOfficeofInternationalAffairswithinoneweekofbeingnotifiedmyI‐20hasbeencreatedand
OIAwillshipmaterialstoUSCISonmybehalf.IfIfailtoreturntoOIAwithinoneweekmymaterialswillbe
mailedtomeattheaddresslistedonpageoneofthisapplicationanditwillbemyresponsibilitytoshipmy
materialstoUSCIS.OIArecommendsatrackableshippingmethod.
OPTION2:APPLICATIONSUBMITTEDTOUSCISBYSTUDENT
TheOfficeofInternationalAffairswillmailmymaterialstotheaddresslistedonpageoneofthisapplication.It
ismyresponsibilitytoshipmymaterialstoUSCIS.OIArecommendsatrackableshippingmethod.
ApplicationmustbereceivedbyUSCISwithin60daysofthenewSTEMI‐20issuancedateandnolaterthan
yourcurrentOPTenddate.
4
PartV:ApplicationChecklist&Signature(Tobecompletedbystudent)
Pleasecheckeachboxtoensureyouaresubmittingacompletedapplicationpacket:
ThiscompletedNSUSTEMExtensionforF‐1PostCompletionOptionalPracticalTraining(OPT)Application
Checkormoneyorderfor$410.00madepayabletoDEPARTMENTOFHOMELANDSECURITY.
CompletedFormI‐765(availableatwww.uscis.gov/sites/default/files/files/form/i‐765.pdf)
‐Usesampleformforassistance:www.nova.edu/internationalaffairs/students/forms/samplei765.pdf
CompletedFormI‐983(availableatwww.ice.gov/sites/default/files/documents/Document/2016/i983.pdf)
‐Mustbecompletedbystudentandemployer/supervisor.
‐CompletethroughSection6(page4).DonotcompleteProgress&FinalEvaluationsections.Theseare
tobecompletedthroughoutyourauthorizedSTEMOPTExtensionperiod.
[OPTIONAL]CompletedFormG‐1145(availableatwww.uscis.gov/sites/default/files/files/form/g‐1145.pdf)
‐Thisformallowsyoutoreceiveemailand/ortextmessageverificationofthereceiptofyour
documentsbytheServiceCenter.
OfficialtranscriptwhichindicateswhenyouearnedyourSTEMdegreeandthenameofyourSTEMdegree.
I‐94cardorprint‐outfromhttps://i94.cbp.dhs.gov/I94
Two(2)passportstylephotographs(2inchesby2inches)withyourLASTNAMEandI‐94numberprintedonthe
backofeachphotograph.
Copyofyourpassportinformationpage.
CopyofyourF‐1visa(exceptCanadianandBermudiancitizens).
CopyofthefrontandbackofyourcurrentEADcard.
CopiesofallpreviouslyissuedI‐20s;includeI‐20sfrompreviousschools,ifapplicable.
Iconfirmthatalloftheinformationprovidedinthisapplicationisaccuratetothebestofmyknowledge.
Name(print) Signature Date
OIASTAFFUSEONLY: