F-1 STEM OPT USCIS Online Application

Gather the Required Documents

The first step in the process for filing Form I-765, whether electronically or via regular mail, is to gather the required documents. The documents required to file Form I-765 online are the same whether you are applying online or by mail (with the exception of Form G-1145 and a check/money order). See our OPT checklist or STEM OPT checklist for a list of required documents. Please note that you will be required to scan all documents so that they can be uploaded into the online system. 

Create an Online Account

After you have gathered the required documents, create an online account at https://myaccount.uscis.gov. You will be required to provide a valid phone number where you can receive a verification code for two-factor authentication, which will be required every time you log in. 

Begin Your Application

After you have logged in, select "File a Form Online" under "Select What You Want To Do." Then, under "File a Form," select "Application for Employment Authorization (I-765). You will be brought to a page with an overview of the online filing process, including eligibility requirements, required documents, payment details, and action items you may need to take after submitting Form I-765. Please read this page carefully and contact your assigned ISSS advisor if you have any questions. 

Review the "Completing Your Form Online" section carefully. Note that your responses will be automatically saved. If you log out, you may log back in and resume where you left off last time. 

Getting Started

Fill out all required questions in this section. 

• Basis of eligibility
  • c(3)(A) for pre-Completion OPT; 
  • c(3)(B) for post-Completion OPT; 
  • c(3)(C) for the STEM Extension. 
• Reason for applying
  • Pre- or post-Completion OPT applicants should select Initial permission to accept employment.
  • STEM OPT Extension should select Renewal of permission to accept employment.
• Have you previously filed Form I-765?
  • Select "No" if you have not previously applied for work authorization with an I-765.
  • Select "Yes" if you have previously filed an I-765 (you will be required to upload a copy of your last Employment Authorization Document in the "Evidence" section. 
• Preparer and interpreter information
  • Select "no" unless someone (e.g., an interpreter) is assisting you with the application.

About You

Carefully fill out all required information in this section. The questions are mostly self-explanatory, but please take note of the following items: 

• Your immigration information
  • Information about your Form I-94 can be found on the CBP website. 
  • Be sure to select the correct immigration status, as the list of available statuses is quite long (F1 - Student, Academic, or Language Program). 
  • Your SEVIS number can be found on the top left corner of your I-20. 
• Other information
  • If you do not have a previous EAD, leave the A-Number field blank. If you have a previous EAD, your A-Number will be listed under USCIS# on your card. 
  • If you have been issued a Social Security Number, please provide it (if known). If not, please select "Yes" under "Do you want the SSA to issue you a Social Security card?" 

Evidence

Carefully scan and upload copies of all of the required documents and photos in this section. See Acceptable Formats for upload requirements.

• 2 x 2 photo
  • Be sure to review the guidelines for taking and uploading a photo. Selfies are not acceptable, and the picture must be taken on a plain white or off-white background. Your application will not be approved without a photo. Refer to the Department of State's Passport Photos page for additional tips. 
• Form I-94
  • Refer to the CBP website to obtain a copy of this form.
  • You may also include a copy of the biographical page of your passport (although not required)
• Employment Authorization Document
  • Upload a copy of your OPT EAD (front and back)
• Form I-20
  • Provide a copy of your STEM OPT-recommended I-20. See additional information about obtaining this document from ISSS.  
• College degree
  • Upload evidence of your STEM-eligible degree.
    • Students applying based on a degree earned at Penn should provide the following: copies of diploma, diploma translation, and official or unofficial transcript.
    • Students applying based on a previously earned degree from another institution should upload copies of the STEM-eligible diploma and transcript.
• Institutional accreditation
  • Only required if you are applying based on a previously earned degree. This will not apply to most students. For example, you applied for OPT based on your Master of Social Work degree earned at Penn and you will apply for the STEM extension based on a bachelor's degree in statistics earned at another U.S. university.
  • If you are applying based on a previously earned degree, contact the school that conferred your STEM-eligible degree for proof of accreditation.

Additional Information

Use this section to provide any additional information that you could not fit into the previous sections. This is equivalent to Part 6 of the paper application.

Example #1: If you need to enter your degree/major information:

• Section: Select "Getting Started"; 
• Page: Select "Basis of Eligibility";
• Question: Select "What is your degree"" 
• Additional information: Enter the name of your major as listed on your I-20 and as listed on your diploma/transcript. For example:
  • Master of Science in Robotics
    CIP Code: 11.0102
    Major as listed on I-20: Artificial Intelligence

Example #2: If you have a previous SEVIS number: 

• Section: Select "About You"; 
• Page: Select "Your immigration information";
• Question: Select "What is your Student and Exchange Visitor Information (SEVIS) Number (if any)?" 
• Additional information: Enter your previous SEVIS ID number, the name of the institution, degree level, and program start date. For example:
  • N00000000000
    DePaul University
    Bachelor's
    8/15/2014 - 5/21/2018

Review and Submit

At this stage, the system will alert you of any errors or incomplete fields and will give you the opportunity to make corrections. However, please also manually review each section of the form to ensure that you are submitting accurate information under "Your application summary." You will also have the opportunity to download a .pdf copy of your responses, which you may save for your records by clicking "View draft snapshot."

After you review your application, you must indicate that you can read and understand English. You will then be required to provide a digital signature by typing your full legal name to confirm that all information you submitted is accurate as of the time of filing. 

Paying the Fee

After you sign your application in the previous step, you will pay your filing fee ($410 - Effective 4/1/2024: I-765 fee will increase to $470 for online filing). Filing online allows you to pay using a credit card, debit card, or withdrawal from a checking or savings account. After you click "Pay and submit," you will be taken to pay.gov to complete your payment. Please note that the USCIS filing fee is not refundable. Avoid clicking Back or Refresh on your browser. If you are not ready to complete the payment, click Cancel to be taken back to the USCIS online portal. 

Final Steps

After you finish your payment, you will be redirected to a confirmation screen. Click "Go to my cases" to view your case card and receipt notice. Please save a copy of your receipt number for your records. 

Once your application is submitted and payment received, you will use your online account to: 

• View your receipt notice
• View biometrics notices (if applicable)
• Review Requests for Evidence (RFEs) 
• View your case status (via the "Case status" tab)
• View a PDF of the completed Form I-765
• View your Decision Letter. 

All notices will also be mailed to the mailing address you indicated on your form. 

Acceptable Characters

As you are uploading documents, please note that the only characters allowed in document file names are: 

• English letters
• Numbers
• Spaces
• Periods (.)
• Hyphens (-)
• Underscores ( _ )
• Parentheses (  ) 

Please do not use special characters or non-English letters. 

Acceptable File Formats

• Photos: JPG, JPEG, PNG
• Documents: JPG, JPEG, PDF, TIF, TIFF (.doc or .bmp files are not allowed)
• Maximum size: 6MB per file 

Please also note that foreign language documents must have an English translation.