Let ISSS know!
- If you are graduating this semester:
- Complete the ISSS Confirmation of Final Semester e-form (available in the MyISSS portal).
- If you plan to defend your dissertation or thesis prior to the start of the summer 2024 term:
- 贰尘补颈濒听ISSS聽as soon as possible so ISSS can provide important information regarding your F-1 status.
Your I-20 end date will be shortened
Did you know that your F-1 status is based on聽continuing聽enrollment or post-completion聽Optional Practical Training (OPT)?听
- If you are completing your studies in spring 2024, including defending your thesis or dissertation before the start of the Summer 2024 term, then the academic program end date on your I-20 will be shortened to 5/8/2024.
Students who satisfy all requirements for the completion of their program聽cannot聽continue to be enrolled for聽administrative purposes.
- Students who successfully defend their thesis or dissertation do not need to enroll in subsequent terms. Future enrollment is considered enrollment for administrative purposes.聽
- Students who complete all requirements for their degree and continue to enroll in courses to prepare for graduate school or the completion of a certificate, are considered enrolled for administrative purposes.
- Enrollment for administrative purposes does not allow a student to maintain their F-1 status.
Consult ISSS to discuss your options for staying in the U.S. after defending your thesis or completing your degree.
Work authorization on and off-campus
Your ability to work in the U.S. is based on your continued enrollment or on聽OPT authorization.
- All employment authorization ends on the last day of the spring 2024 semester, 5/8/2024. This applies to on-campus employment (including teaching and research assistantships) and off-campus work authorization (e.g., curricular practical training, pre-completion OPT).
- You are not able to work in the U.S. after聽5/8/2024 unless you meet all the following criteria:
- applied for post-completion OPT;
- received your OPT Employment Authorization Document (EAD card); and
- it is within the work authorization period indicated on the card.聽
Applying for Optional Practical Training (OPT)
If you are graduating or defending and are interested in applying for post-completion OPT, you must apply for OPT before the end of your 60-day grace period. To ensure your application is receipted in time by USCIS, you must apply no later than 7/7/2024.
- For spring 2024 graduates, the 60-day grace period ends on 07/7/2024, 60 days after the semester end date of 5/8/2024.聽
Before filing your OPT application with USCIS, you must receive an I-20 recommending OPT from ISSS. ISSS recommends you apply for post-completion OPT as close to 90 days prior to your F-1 program completion date to increase your chances of receiving your OPT Employment Authorization Document (EAD) card in a timely manner.
- 聽For spring 2024 graduates, ISSS can make the required OPT recommendation in SEVIS as early as 2/8/2024.
Visit our聽OPT webpage聽and attend a聽Post-Completion OPT Workshop聽to learn about the application process.
Congratulations and good luck to our spring graduates!