Report Your EAD Card

Report to International Services by submitting a copy of your OPT EAD through the EAD (Employment Authorization Document) Reporting request in Via International (VI).

How to Report Changes in Employment

Students on Post-Completion OPT MUST update their SEVP Portal Account within 10 days of any change of their employer’s name, address, dates of employment, unemployment, or any other changes to employment status.

When your Post-Completion OPT has been approved and your start date has begun, you will receive an email notification that your SEVP Portal account has been created.

• The message will be sent from this email address: donotreply@sevp.dhs.gov.
• Add this email to your contacts so the message does not go to your SPAM folder.

For more information on the SEVP Portal, click here.

Policy Guidance

On September 27, 2019, SEVP published new guidance on determining the direct relationship between OPT employment and a student’s major area of study.  This guidance specifies what is required to prove that employment is “directly related to the students area of study,” and outlines the responsibilities of both the student and ISSS staff to meet the reporting requirements.  

If you are adding new employment or updating how the employment is related to your major, you need to notify ISSS via email at isssoffice@rpi.edu that you have made a change to your SEVP Portal which requires ISSS review. We will review your information to ensure that your position is clearly related to your field of study and advise if any clarification is needed. In this process, we are reading what you have reported in the SEVP Portal, in the “How employment is related to course work” question.

Considerations to Develop Answer for How Employment Relates to Course Work

• What courses did you take towards your degree where you developed knowledge being used in your role?
• Can you list 2-3 ways you are using this knowledge to perform a certain task or responsibility?
• Avoid using acronyms when possible.
• Keep your answer clear and simple. Ask yourself if someone with little or no knowledge about your field could read your answer and understand it and make a clear tie between what you learned and what you are doing.

Sample Answer to SEVP Portal Question “How employment is related to course work”:

I will be working as a Biomedical Engineer. This is in relation to my Master's degree in Biomedical Engineering. During my education, I took various courses such as Advanced Calculus, Finite Element Analysis, Mathematical Statistics, and Statistical Analysis. This job requires direct application of those courses. In addition, my role requires me to perform statistical calculations to analyze the accuracy of biomedical images.

The STEM OPT Extension is a 24-month work authorization for students who completed a STEM degree. The STEM OPT application process is similar to the Post-Completion OPT application process, and requires you to obtain a new I-20 with a STEM OPT recommendation from International Services to apply for STEM OPT.

Am I Eligible?

F-1 students who have completed degrees in certain approved STEM fields may be eligible for a STEM extension. To qualify for a STEM extension, the student must:

• Be currently authorized for an initial Post-Completion OPT period at the time the STEM extension request is filed with USCIS; and
• Have completed a STEM qualifying degree program within the past 10 years in the United States (list of qualifying degrees); and
  • This may include a previously earned STEM degree, as long as you have not previously applied for a STEM extension using that degree. Contact International Services for more information on previously earned degrees.
• Work more than 20 hours per week, paid employment, with an e-Verified employer in a position directly related to the STEM qualifying degree; and
• The employer and student-employee must abide by the terms of the Form I-983 Training Plan.

Steps to apply for STEM OPT

• Step 1: Complete the STEM OPT Workshop in Via International (VI).
• Step 2: Submit STEM OPT Recommendation I-20 request in Via International (VI).
• Step 3: Receive the STEM OPT recommendation I-20 from International Services.
• Step 4: Apply with USCIS for STEM OPT.

Your STEM OPT application must be received by USCIS in its entirety before your current Post-Completion OPT authorization period ends. You can apply for STEM OPT with USCIS up to 90 days before the End Date on your Post-Completion OPT EAD Card.

International Services will accept your STEM OPT application in advance of the 90 day application window so that we can begin reviewing your documents early. We will accept your STEM OPT application up to 4 months before your Post-Completion OPT ends.

For more information on the 24-month STEM OPT Extension, visit Study in the States.

The Form I-983, Training Plan for STEM OPT Students is the document you complete with your employer that provides information on your employment to International Services. The original hard copy document should be kept by the student, as it is needed to complete the 12-month and 24-month reporting requirements on STEM OPT. This document requires physical signatures from the employer and the student.

Report Receipt of STEM OPT EAD

Report to International Services by submitting a copy of your STEM OPT EAD through the EAD (Employment Authorization Document) Reporting request in Via International (VI).

STEM OPT Reporting Requirements

As part of maintaining your F-1 status on STEM OPT, you must check-in with our office every 6 months while on STEM OPT, even if none of your other information has changed. You must also complete the required annual evaluations on your Form I-983 and submit them to International Services based on the dates on your STEM OPT EAD, not the dates you have been employed at the company.

If your employment ends before your STEM OPT period is over, you must complete the ‘Final Evaluation on Student Progress’ found on Page 5 of the Form I-983 and obtain the required signature and provide that document to International Services within 10 days of ending your employment using the STEM OPT Employment Update request in Via International (VI).

If you have a new employer while on STEM OPT, your new employer must also be e-Verified and you must submit a new Form I-983 to International Services within 10 business days to report this employment using the STEM OPT Employment Update request in Via International (VI).

Employment Changes

You must update International Services on any changes in personal and employment information and status within 10 days of the change, including, but not limited to:

• Address changes, changes in legal name, changes to your contact information, or any other changes to your status.
  • These changes may be reported via email to ISSSoffice@rpi.edu.
• Employer changes (including employer name, address, start date, and E-Verify number), loss of employment, and materials changes to the Form I-983 (such as a change in your site location or supervisor).
  • These changes may be reported by submitting the STEM OPT Employment Update request in Via International (VI).

STEM OPT Reporting Timeframe to International Services

* This timeline assumes you are remaining at the same employer while on STEM OPT. The reporting timeframes are based on your approved period of STEM OPT, not your time on Post-Completion OPT.

• After 6 months at employer while in approved period of STEM OPT, complete the STEM OPT Validation Reporting request in Via International (VI).
• After 12 months at employer while in approved period of STEM OPT, complete the STEM OPT Validation Reporting request in Via International (VI) and upload a copy of your completed Form I-983 Evaluation on Student Progress
• After 18 months at employer while in approved period of STEM OPT, complete the STEM OPT Validation Reporting request in Via International (VI).
• After 24 months at employer while in approved period of STEM OPT, complete the STEM OPT Validation Reporting request in Via International (VI) and upload a copy of your completed Form I-983 Final Evaluation on Student Progress

The student has a deadline for each reporting requirement, which is available in the SEVP Portal. The completed documentation for reporting must be provided to International Services by this time. We then have 21 days after the deadline to complete the validation in SEVIS.

If you do not intend to use your OPT/STEM OPT and will depart the U.S., you must notify International Services immediately.

We must act to end your SEVIS record to avoid any future problems.

All F-1 students who intend on continuing study at a new school in the U.S. need to transfer their SEVIS record from RPI to the new school. This includes students currently on OPT. If you are on Post-Completion OPT or STEM OPT, you must transfer your record within 60 days of your Post-Completion OPT or STEM OPT End Date on your EAD Card.

To request a SEVIS transfer, submit the SEVIS Record Transfer Out in Via International (VI).

Students who intend to begin a new program of study at RPI will need to request a Change of Education Level (COL) I-20 within 60 days of of their OPT/STEM OPT End Date. Please keep in mind that you must allow International Services at least 2 weeks for processing, so we highly recommend you submit all your documentation to us in advance of your OPT/STEM OPT End Date.

For students who are changing their education level to any graduate level [Masters or Doctorate], there are a series of internal processes which must be completed for International Services to issue your COL I-20.

1. You must be admitted to your program of study and obtain an acceptance letter.
2. You submit the Change of Education Level (COL) in Via International (VI).
   • You must provide proof of funding to obtain a new I-20. The proof must cover the Cost of Attendance for one academic year. For the amount of funding required, please see the Cost of Attendance.
3. Your academic department will submit an Export Control application on your behalf. Export Controls are " U.S. federal government laws and regulations that require federal agency approval before the export of controlled items, commodities, technology, software, information or technical assistance to restricted foreign countries, nationals/persons, and entities (including universities)" [URL: https://www.rpi.edu/counsel/].
   • The Export Control application must be approved before an I-20 can be issued.
   • As this process can take some time, we advise that you work closely with your department to ensure this documentation is submitted in a timely fashion.
4. After your application is approved by Export Control, Admissions will notify International Services so we may issue the COL I-20 to your graduate program.

If you are not eligible to transfer your SEVIS record or begin a new program at RPI with the same SEVIS ID, you will need to use travel (outside of the U.S.) and re-entry to obtain a new F-1 status. This occurs in specific situations, so please contact International Services at least two weeks before your Program End Date/OPT/STEM OPT End Date to obtain guidance on if this will pertain to your situation.

We are committed to helping you achieve your long-term goal of continuing with OPT/STEM employment, and we understand you may have a need or desire for travel. ISSS will not prevent you from traveling. It is your right to request a travel signature from our office, and your decision if you want to travel, but we urge caution.

At this time, we do not recommend traveling outside of the United States. There are currently too many unknowns and changes to how federal agencies are applying regulations, policy, and guidance for us to be confident in travel being low risk.

If you choose to travel, keep these points in mind:

• Your tolerance for uncertainty. Can you manage possible delays/re-entry issues, being unable to return, a potential travel ban that impacts you unexpectedly?
• Your back-up plan. If you cannot enter the U.S., how does this impact your classes and ability to be an RPI student?
• What to bring with you. Carry all required documents for entry to the U.S.
  • Current students: click here for travel guidance
  • Alumni: click here for travel guidance
• Know about electronic device searches entering the U.S. AILA (American Immigration Lawyers Association) has this helpful document to consider.
• International SOS is available to the campus community. Click here for details.

Our office does not recommend traveling outside the U.S. while your OPT application is pending with USCIS. If you must travel while your application is pending, please contact International Services.

For students whose OPT has been approved, you can travel outside the U.S. provided you have the following:

• Valid I-20 signed for travel within the past 6 months
• Valid passport
• Valid F-1 visa (if you need to renew, contact International Services before you go)
• EAD card
• Recommended, not required: proof of employment upon re-entering the U.S. (e.g. offer letter, contract, etc.)

You should not travel outside the United States while your STEM extension application is pending unless you will return before your Post-Completion EAD expires.

Once the application is approved you will receive a new EAD card. 

For students whose STEM OPT has been approved, you can travel outside the U.S. provided you have the following:

• Valid I-20 signed for travel within the past 6 months
• Valid passport
• Valid F-1 visa (if you need to renew, contact International Services before you go)
• EAD card
• Recommended, not required: proof of employment upon re-entering the U.S. (e.g. offer letter, contract, etc.)