Working in the US as an International Student: CPT, OPT, and the STEM Extension

On-Campus Work: Your First Year Option

F-1 students may work on campus up to 20 hours per week during term (full-time in breaks) from day one — library desks, dining halls, research assistant roles, campus IT. The pay is modest but the compliance is simple, and campus jobs quietly build the references and communication experience that later internships ask for. Off-campus work without authorisation, even one shift, is a status violation with consequences that can follow you for years — the line is bright and worth respecting absolutely.

CPT: Internships While You Study

Curricular Practical Training authorises off-campus work that is an integral part of your programme — the classic route to paid internships. Your Designated School Official (DSO) authorises it, it must connect to your curriculum, and it happens before graduation. One rule dominates planning: accumulate 12 months or more of full-time CPT and you lose OPT eligibility entirely. Part-time CPT and shorter full-time stints preserve it. Map your internship plan with your DSO in first year, not the week an offer arrives.

OPT: Your Post-Graduation Year

Optional Practical Training grants 12 months of work authorisation in a job directly related to your major, most commonly used after graduation. The details students miss: you apply to USCIS yourself, you may file up to 90 days before graduating, approval takes months, and your OPT clock allows a maximum of 90 days of unemployment. Translation — start the job hunt in your final year and file the application at the earliest window. The official rules live on the USCIS OPT page; treat every other source as commentary.

The STEM Extension: 24 More Months

Graduates whose degrees appear on the government's STEM Designated Degree Program List can extend OPT by 24 months — three years of US work in total. Requirements are heavier: your employer must use E-Verify, and you file a formal training plan (Form I-983). This extension is why degree choice matters so much: the same interest pursued as a STEM-classified quantitative programme instead of a non-STEM cousin can mean two extra American years. Check the CIP code of any programme you shortlist.

After OPT: The Honest Picture

Staying beyond OPT usually means the H-1B lottery through an employer — genuinely a lottery, with more registrations than visas — or other routes such as further study or, for a minority, employer-sponsored green card processes. Plan with eyes open: three years (STEM) is a real runway to either win sponsorship or return home with elite experience. For choosing programmes with work outcomes in mind, our Study in USA guide and counsellors can help you read the fine print before you apply.