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Optional Practical Training (OPT) is temporary full-time employment that is directly related to an F-1 student’s major area of study. Eligible students may apply to receive up to 12 months of OPT employment authorization after completing their academic program (post-completion) such as a Certificate or an Associate Degree at CCSF. 

Our office sends out an email to all F-1 students with information on OPT about 3-4 weeks after the beginning of each semester.

Eligibility

F-1 students who have maintained their status for a minimum of one academic year at CCSF may be eligible to apply for post-completion OPT. Eligibility criteria:

• Have studied at CCSF for at least 1 academic year (2 semesters) before OPT
• Have a minimum GPA of 2.0 or above
• Must be registered full-time (or enrolled part-time with prior approval for a Reduced Course Load)
• Must be completing their program in the current semester
• Must be completing an eligible Certificate or Associate Degree program at CCSF. Language training is not an eligible program for OPT, and general studies degrees may not be eligible programs for OPT (eligibility is discussed on a one-on-one basis between a DSO and the student)
• Note: Students who have already completed a Certificate, Associate Degree, or higher in the U.S. may not be eligible for OPT. Students who have used OPT at the same or higher level before are not eligible for OPT. Please contact our office for more information about your eligibility for OPT.

Application Procedure

Students who wish to apply for OPT must follow these steps to apply:

1. OPT informational email (with a Canvas OPT Workshop link) is sent by our office to all F-1 students 3-4 weeks after the beginning of each semester.
2. Complete the mandatory online OPT Workshop (via Canvas). Note: The OPT Workshop is set up as a short Canvas course, but there is no unit/fee associated to it. You will need to self-enroll into the Canvas workshop.
3. Meet with a counselor to complete a graduation petition form (for Associate Degree or Certificate). A graduation petition form is required even if you plan not to participate in the graduation ceremony.
4. Assemble the necessary documents (refer to the online OPT Workshop for details)
5. Attend a required OPT group meeting with our DSOs (meetings are held via Zoom). An OPT meeting date can be selected in the online Canvas workshop calendar after you have completed the workshop. There will be about 6 dates to choose from throughout the semester, but the earlier you attend, the better.
6. You should receive your OPT I-20 a few days after attending one of the Zoom OPT group meetings with our DSOs.
7. Prepare and submit your OPT application (Form I-765) to USCIS within 30 days of receiving your new OPT I-20.

The detailed online OPT Workshop is available only for students who are in the last semester of their program. An OPT informational email will be sent 3-4 weeks after the beginning of each semester with the link to the Canvas workshop.