Pre-Completion Optional Practical Training Pre- Completion OPT is temporary employment that takes places before completion of a student’s course of study (i.e. before the program end date on the I-20). General guidelines - The pre-completion OPT must be directly related to the student’s major area of study.
- An F-1 student may be authorized to participate in pre-completion OPT after he or she has been enrolled for one full academic year (fall and spring semester only).
- After completion of first academic year, the earliest the student can apply for OPT is 120 days before the desired start date of employment.
- Students authorized to participate in pre-completion OPT may work part-time or full-time Part-time: 20 hours or less per week while school is in session ; Full time: Over 20 hours per week when school is not in session e.g. summer, winter vacation and official school breaks.
- Part-time pre-completion OPT is deducted from the 12-month post completion OPT limit at 50%. i.e. if you work 4 months using pre-completion OPT, you will have taken away 2 months of post- completion OPT, leaving you with only 10 months of post -completion OPT.
Difference between Pre-Completion and Post-Completion OPT | PRE-COMPLETION OPT | POST-COMPLETION OPT | | Days of unemployment are not counted | Days of unemployment are counted | | Not eligible for STEM Extension | Eligible for STEM Extension | | Not eligible for “Cap Gap” | Eligible for “Cap Gap” | | May extend the program, if needed | Cannot extend program | | 
