US student visas: F-1, CPT, OPT, and STEM OPT

The 5 most important things to know

• F-1 status is maintained through a valid I-20, full course of study (unless authorized reduced load), and school reporting in SEVIS — not only through a visa stamp in your passport. See 8 CFR 214.2(f) and Study in the States. Maintaining status also requires reporting address changes within 10 days, keeping your passport valid, and extending your I-20 before it expires. Falling out of status can trigger unlawful presence accrual and bars on re-entry.
• On-campus work, CPT, and OPT are different authorizations with different approval paths. Working without the correct authorization is a status violation that can affect future benefits and may permanently bar OPT at that education level. Start with the CPT vs OPT comparison, then follow the specific checklist for your path. Never start work before confirming the authorization is in place.
• Post-completion OPT has an unemployment clock of 90 calendar days. STEM OPT adds 60 days for a total of 150 days across both periods. The clock starts on the EAD start date and counts every day you are not employed, including weekends and holidays. Track your working days in a spreadsheet or log from day one. Exceeding the cap results in SEVIS termination and loss of F-1 status.
• Travel while an OPT EAD is pending, or with a SEVIS problem, is high risk. CBP officers may question your intent to return if your status or authorization is unresolved. Confirm travel signatures on your I-20 are current (12 months for standard F-1, 6 months for OPT/STEM OPT), carry your EAD card and employer letter if employed, and consult your DSO before booking international travel during a pending OPT application.
• SEVIS termination is not always permanent — but timelines are short and documentation matters. If your record shows termination or your DSO flags a problem, read the termination and reinstatement guide before you travel or change plans. Reinstatement under Form I-539 is available within 5 months of the violation if the cause was beyond your control. After 5 months, departure and re-entry on a new I-20 may be the only option.

Choose your path

Pick the guide that matches your current situation. If you are still in full-time study, start with F-1 rights and CPT. If you are graduating, start with OPT. If something already went wrong with SEVIS or a refusal, jump to recovery guides. The three cards below cover the most common starting points, while the full cluster list below includes every guide organized by topic. Each guide includes a 60-second summary at the top so you can quickly confirm it covers your situation before reading the full detail. Use the FAQ page for quick answers to common questions across the F-1, CPT, OPT, and STEM OPT topics. Bookmark this hub and return whenever your F-1 situation changes.

All guides in this cluster

The guides below cover the full F-1 lifecycle. They are grouped into logical stages: initial F-1 entry and interview preparation, status maintenance and school compliance, work authorization through CPT and OPT, the STEM OPT extension, and recovery from violations or status problems. Browse the full list below or use the path cards above to jump directly to the most common scenarios. Each guide is labeled with its specific topic so you can find the page that matches your situation.

• F-1 visa rights: complete guide — status, work routes, travel, and controlling sources.
• F-1 document checklist 2026 — I-20, financials, DS-160 package organization.
• F-1 interview prep checklist — what officers typically probe and how to organize evidence.
• F-1 interview questions 2026 — common questions and how to answer without oversharing.
• F-1 rejection recovery — 214(b) and other refusals; when reapply is rational.
• F-1 status violation — what counts as a violation and immediate risk triggers.
• F-1 status violation: what to do — practical next steps after a problem is discovered.
• F-1 school transfer mid-program — SEVIS transfer timing and document handoff.
• F-1 to F-2 dependants — spouse and children: study limits and work rules.
• F-1 cap-gap — bridge from OPT toward H-1B change of status.
• CPT vs OPT — which work authorization fits your stage.
• CPT authorization letter — what schools and employers typically need documented.
• CPT authorization letter attorney review — when legal review of the letter package is warranted.
• Day-1 CPT risk — compliance and future-petition risks to understand first.
• Pre-completion OPT — eligibility, hours, and sequencing vs post-completion OPT.
• OPT and STEM OPT complete guide — end-to-end map of both authorizations.
• OPT document checklist — I-765 package organization for post-completion OPT.
• I-765 OPT common mistakes — frequent filing errors that delay or deny EAD.
• OPT 90-day unemployment cap — how the clock works and how to track it.
• OPT EAD replacement — lost, stolen, or incorrect cards.
• OPT travel rules — travel while OPT is pending or approved.
• STEM OPT extension checklist — I-983, employer, and timing gates.
• STEM OPT and E-Verify — employer E-Verify requirements.
• STEM OPT job change — reporting and training-plan updates when you switch employers.
• STEM OPT self-employment and startup — founder, multi-role, and self-employment viability on STEM OPT.
• International student LLC on OPT — entity setup vs work authorization limits.
• SEVIS termination and reinstatement — termination causes and reinstatement options.
• F-1 port of entry CBP guide — primary inspection, secondary, I-94 accuracy, and the 30-day rule.
• J-1 exchange visitor guide — categories, 212(e) home residency, waiver pathways, and academic training.
• Student visas FAQ — quick answers across F-1, CPT, OPT, and STEM OPT.

Official sources

Every guide in this cluster is grounded in the following primary and secondary sources. USCIS publishes the form instructions and policy memos that govern OPT and STEM OPT adjudication. ICE/SEVP maintains the Study in the States portal, which contains the STEM Designated Degree Program list, DSO policy guidance, and the SEVP Portal for student reporting. The Code of Federal Regulations at 8 CFR 214.2 contains the controlling statutory authority for F-1 classification, CPT, OPT, STEM OPT, and SEVIS transfer rules. Check these sources directly when preparing your application or verifying a deadline, as USCIS updates forms, fees, and processing addresses periodically throughout the year.

For the most current information, always refer to the official USCIS and SEVP websites rather than third-party summaries. The fee schedule for Form I-765 changes periodically, and the lockbox filing address depends on the category code and your state of residence. Download a fresh copy of the Form I-765 instructions from the USCIS website on the day you prepare your packet rather than relying on a previously saved version. The Study in the States portal is regularly updated with new STEM Designated Degree Program CIP codes and DSO policy guidance that may affect your eligibility. Bookmark these sites and check them each time you prepare a filing to ensure you are working with the most current rules.

• USCIS — Students and exchange visitors
• USCIS — Optional Practical Training (OPT) for F-1 students
• ICE / SEVP — Study in the States
• 8 CFR 214.2 — F-1 classification regulations

Frequently asked questions about F-1 and J-1

Common scenarios covered in this cluster

The guides in this cluster address the most common F-1 situations. Students preparing for their F-1 visa interview should start with the interview prep checklist and common questions guide. Students already in the US who need to work should determine whether CPT (during studies) or OPT (after graduation) is the right path. Students on OPT who want to extend should review the STEM OPT extension checklist and E-Verify requirements. Students facing a status problem should use the emergency triage page first, then follow the reinstatement or transfer guide depending on their situation. Employers sponsoring STEM OPT employees can use the E-Verify and I-983 guidance pages to understand their obligations.

Related regional journey pages

Country-of-origin and university journey pages live on the YouSafe USA site. They cover logistics and local process notes such as country-specific visa appointment guidance, document gathering for specific home countries, university-specific SEVIS transfer procedures, and practical tips for arriving F-1 students. The legal rules and form-level checklists stay on this library so that the regulatory content remains accurate regardless of changes in local consular processing or university policies.

Start at usa.yousafeconsultancy.com for from-country and university landing pages, then return here for procedural depth.

How to use this hub

Start by identifying your current stage in the F-1 lifecycle: Are you applying for the first time? Already studying and considering work? Graduating and planning OPT? Facing a status issue? Each section below is organized to match these stages. The path cards at the top direct you to the three most common starting points. The full cluster list below includes every guide organized alphabetically for easy browsing. If you are unsure where to start, read the F-1 visa rights complete guide first — it provides the foundational rules that apply to every other topic in the cluster.