Template — US — Attorney-reviewed
I-983 training plan for STEM OPT
Form I-983 is the training plan required for a 24-month STEM OPT extension. Both the student and the employer must sign it, and the employer must be enrolled in E-Verify. USCIS and SEVP auditors review I-983s for compliance. A deficient training plan is one of the most common reasons for STEM OPT RFEs (Requests for Evidence) and denials. This template structures the I-983 Section 5 training plan with specific, measurable objectives that satisfy 8 CFR §214.2(f)(10)(ii)(C).
Who this template is for
- F-1 students applying for a 24-month STEM OPT extension with an E-Verify employer.
- Employers who need a compliant training plan format for their HR or legal files.
- Students who received an RFE on a prior I-983 and need to resubmit with stronger objectives.
- DSOs who want a standardised template to recommend to students and employers.
Annotated template
This template covers Section 5 of Form I-983 (Training Plan for STEM OPT Students). Sections 1–4 are administrative and should be filled directly on the USCIS form. Replace bracketed fields.
FORM I-983 — SECTION 5: TRAINING PLAN FOR STEM OPT STUDENT Student name: [Full name] SEVIS ID: [NXXXXXXXX] Employer name: [Company name] E-Verify number: [XXXXXXXX] Site of activity: [Address where student will work] Training start date: [DD MMM YYYY] Training end date: [DD MMM YYYY] (24 months later) 5.1 STUDENT ROLE Title: [Job title] Department: [Department name] Full-time status: Yes / No (must be at least 20 hours/week) 5.2 TRAINING PLAN — LEARNING OBJECTIVES The student will receive practical training in the following areas: Objective 1: [Specific technical skill] Description: The student will learn [specific technique, tool, or methodology] by completing [specific project or task]. Measurement: [How success is measured: e.g., completion of module, passing score on internal assessment, delivery of working code]. Supervisor oversight: [Name], [title], will review progress weekly / bi-weekly. Objective 2: [Specific technical skill] Description: The student will apply [academic knowledge] to [industry problem] using [specific technology or process]. Measurement: [Specific deliverable or metric]. Supervisor oversight: [Name], [title], will review progress [frequency]. Objective 3: [Specific technical skill] Description: The student will gain proficiency in [specific competency] through [specific activity]. Measurement: [Specific deliverable or metric]. Supervisor oversight: [Name], [title], will review progress [frequency]. 5.3 EMPLOYER COMMITMENTS The employer commits to: • Provide structured and guided work-based learning related to the student STEM degree. • Assign a supervisor with expertise in [field] and the capacity to train and mentor the student. • Not replace a full-time or part-time US worker with the student. • Provide compensation and benefits comparable to similarly situated US workers. • Report material changes to the training plan to the DSO within 5 business days. 5.4 EVALUATION SCHEDULE First evaluation (midpoint): [Date, approximately 12 months from start] • Review progress against Objectives 1–3. • Identify any gaps and adjust the plan if needed. • Signed by student and employer representative. Final evaluation (end of training): [Date, approximately 24 months from start] • Assess achievement of all objectives. • Determine whether additional training or employment is appropriate. • Signed by student and employer representative. 5.5 CORRECTIVE ACTION If the student is not making adequate progress, the employer will: • Meet with the student within [timeframe] to identify obstacles. • Revise the training plan with modified objectives or additional resources. • Document the revision and notify the DSO. Employer signature: ___________________ Date: ___________ Student signature: ___________________ Date: ___________
Annotation — Specific objectives: USCIS and SEVP reject I-983s with vague objectives like "gain industry experience." Each objective must state a specific skill, the method of learning, and the measurement of success. See ICE — Form I-983 Instructions.
Annotation — E-Verify: The employer must be enrolled in E-Verify and maintain enrollment for the duration of the STEM OPT period. Loss of E-Verify eligibility terminates the student's STEM OPT authorization. See USCIS — E-Verify.
Annotation — Evaluation schedule: Two formal evaluations are mandatory. Both must be signed by the student and employer. Missing evaluations are a common audit failure and can result in revocation of STEM OPT.
Worked example
Student H, an MS in Data Science graduate, is hired as a Junior Data Scientist at E-Verify enrolled Tech Company J. The I-983 includes three measurable objectives: build predictive models validated against A/B tests, deploy models via the MLOps pipeline, and present findings to stakeholders. Each has a specific metric and a named supervisor (PhD in Statistics), with evaluations at Month 12 and 24.
Common mistakes
- Vague learning objectives with no measurable outcomes.
- Employer not enrolled in E-Verify at the time of filing.
- Missing or late formal evaluations — both midpoint and final are mandatory.
Changing employers or amending the plan mid-STEM OPT
The I-983 is a living document. A student who changes employers during the 24-month extension must complete a new I-983 with the new E-Verify employer and submit it to the DSO within 10 business days of starting the new job — the old employer's plan does not transfer. The same 10-day rule applies to any material change with the same employer: a new worksite outside the same MSA, a significant change in the learning objectives, or a reduced schedule below 20 hours per week.
Amendments that do not require a new form — for example, an adjustment inside the same MSA that does not change the training plan — still need to be documented and reported to the DSO. When in doubt, report: SEVP guidance treats late or missed reporting as a status violation even when the underlying job change was fully legitimate. Keep dated copies of every I-983 version; the formal evaluations at months 12 and 24 must be signed against the plan actually in force, not the plan you started with.
Cited sources
Reviewer
This template was reviewed by Denise Platter Cabrera (CA Bar #298948), a US-licensed attorney. For case-specific legal advice, retain an immigration attorney.