OPT Withdrawal

A student may request withdrawal of their OPT application if:

The student is unable to meet an academic requirement for degree completion and are therefore unable to graduate,

OR

The student will graduate as expected from the current program, and has received admission to a new degree program which will start within 150 days of their graduation/Clear Prior date. If the new degree program will be at:

Another US institution, the student must submit the SEVIS Transfer Out request along with the OPT Application Withdrawal Form.

NOTE

If the student is unable to graduate or Clear Prior as expected, the student must contact their F-1 Advisor to advise them that they will not graduate or Clear Prior as planned. Generally, the student may choose to keep the OPT application in process or may request the withdrawal of a pending OPT application. However, in the following cases, a pending OPT application cannot be withdrawn:

  • The I-20 program end date has expired
  • USCIS has approved or produced the OPT card
  • The 60-day grace period has ended

If the student is unable to graduate or Clear Prior as expected and chooses to continue with their OPT application processing or find that they cannot request a withdrawal, then adhere to the following guidelines:

  • Bachelor and Non-Thesis Master students unable to graduate: employment while on OPT is limited to 20 hours or less per week until the student is able to graduate. The student may then work over 20 hours once they have graduated. The student must graduate before their OPT expires.
  • Thesis-Master and PhD students unable to graduate:
  • If the student has any coursework required for degree completion, employment while on OPT is limited to 20 hours or less per week until the student is able to graduate. The student may then work over 20 hours once they have graduated. The student must graduate before their OPT expires.
  • If the student only has research/thesis/dissertation requirements for degree completion, the student may use their OPT part time or full time while completing the degree requirements. The student must graduate before their OPT expires.

If the student will graduate and has been admitted to a new degree program, they must request and receive a new I-20 for the new degree program before the 60-day Grace Period ends. The grace period ends exactly 60 days after the graduation date.

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