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Reporting Requirements for OPT

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All students on Post-Completion Optional Practical Training (post-OPT), STEM Extension Optional Practical Training (STEM OPT) or Cap Gap, are considered in active F-1 visa status for the period authorized and during the 60-day grace period afterward. 

During that employment period,  you are required to provide, report on, and maintain a variety of information:

  • Your current email address — F-1 regulations require that your email in the SEVIS database is kept active at all times. During your academic program, this email is your Stanford email. After you graduate, make sure that the email checked as "preferred" and "primary" in Axess is one that you check often. You continue to have access to Axess throughout your post-OPT, Cap Gap, and STEM OPT period.
  • Your current U.S. physical and mailing addresses and phone number  — F-1 regulations require you to report changes to your current  U.S. physical and mailing addresses as well as a 10-digit phone number within 10 days of any change.. You can update this information directly through the SEVP Portal.  
  • Employment changes — F-1 regulations require you (who are on post-OPT or Cap-Gap, OPT) to report changes to your employment information within 10 days of any employment changes. You can update this information directly through the SEVP Portal. (Students on STEM OPT report their employment changes using Bechtel Connect.)

    Employment changes take effect approximately 24 hours after you submit them in the SEVP Portal. Once the change is made, you must request a re-issuance of your current I-20 in Bechtel Connect.

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STEM OPT Reporting Requirements

F-1 regulations require all students who are on STEM OPT to report any changes in employment or personal information to Bechtel International Center within 10 days of those changes. STEM OPT students may view their employment information through the SEVP Portal but all employment updates must go through Bechtel International Center.

  • Use the calculator to determine the STEM OPT reporting due dates (Students can download the Excel sheet and update the fields as needed)
  • Complete a validation report at the 6- and 18-month point in the STEM OPT Extension period.  This can be completed through Bechtel Connect using the STEM Report Participation request. No I-983 is needed.
  • Complete the self-evaluation portion of the I-983 (page 5) form at the 12- and 24-month point in the STEM OPT Extension period describing the training progress. This form must be signed by the employer and submitted through Bechtel Connect using the STEM Report Participation request.  The self-evaluation will be subject to DHS review and will be a required part of the student’s immigration (SEVIS) record.
  • Complete a new training plan (I-983) and submit the STEM Employer Update request to the Bechtel International Center within 10 days of starting any new employment.
  • If you end your employment or change visa status, you must also submit a final evaluation through Bechtel Connect using the STEM Employer Update request.
  • Inform employers that they need to email internationalstudents@stanford.edu within 5 business days if the student has been terminated from, or otherwise leaves employment prior to the end of the authorized period of OPT.

Students must also report if they are starting a new degree program after a period of Post-Completion Practical Training. This can be at Stanford or at another U.S. institution.


Changing Status or Ending OPT Early

Students must also report to Bechtel within 10 days if they have changed visa status or departed the U.S. permanently before the end of their Practical Training. This report will result in the completion of the F-1 SEVIS record.

Failure to complete reporting requirements in a timely manner could result in violation of F-1 status and jeopardize future entries and employment in the U.S.