OPT + STEM OPT Extension for Nepali Students in the USA — Complete Guide 2026

Optional Practical Training (OPT) is a period of temporary employment authorization for F-1 students to gain practical experience in their field of study. Every F-1 student who has been enrolled full-time for at least one full academic year is eligible for 12 months of OPT.

OPT can be used pre-completion (while still enrolled) or post-completion (after graduation). Post-completion OPT is by far the more common use — you work in the US for 12 months after your degree is complete. Pre-completion OPT (CPT during studies) uses the same 12-month clock, so most students save their OPT for after graduation.

Unlike Australia's 485 Temporary Graduate Visa (which requires applying for a new visa category), OPT is an extension of your existing F-1 student status — it is not a new visa. You remain on F-1 status throughout the OPT period.

Students who have completed a degree in a STEM-designated field are eligible for a 24-month extension of post-completion OPT, giving them 36 months total of US work authorization. STEM designation is determined by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) — not by the university. The full list is at ice.gov/stem-list.

Common STEM-designated fields at US universities: Computer Science, Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Civil Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Biomedical Engineering, Data Science, Information Systems/Technology, Mathematics, Statistics, Physics, Chemistry, Biology, Applied Mathematics, and Computer Engineering. Non-STEM fields: Business Administration (MBA without STEM track), Law, Education, Social Work, Humanities, Communication.

To qualify for STEM OPT extension: you must be in a job directly related to your STEM degree, your employer must be enrolled in E-Verify (US government's electronic employment eligibility verification system), and you must submit a formal Training Plan (Form I-983) to your DSO.

Step 1 (90 days before graduation): Submit OPT application to your DSO. Provide your graduation date, intended start date, and employer information (if known). Your DSO issues a new I-20 with the OPT recommendation.

Step 2 (within 30 days of DSO recommendation): File Form I-765 (Application for Employment Authorization) with USCIS. Include the I-20 with OPT recommendation, two passport photos, copy of passport, copy of visa, I-94 record, and the filing fee (USD 470 online / USD 520 paper, effective January 2024).

Step 3 (USCIS processing — 3–5 months): USCIS issues an Employment Authorization Document (EAD) card with your name, photo, and authorized employment start date. Do not begin working until you have the EAD card in hand. Working without an EAD is an F-1 status violation.

Step 4 (STEM extension at 3 months before OPT expires): Submit Form I-765 again for STEM extension through your DSO. Your employer provides the I-983 training plan. You must remain employed with an E-Verify employer throughout the STEM extension period.

The H-1B is the primary work visa for skilled workers in the US in specialty occupations (typically requiring a bachelor's degree or higher). Your employer files the H-1B petition on your behalf. The H-1B is subject to an annual lottery (H-1B cap): 65,000 regular cap visas + 20,000 Master's-cap visas per year.

Timeline: H-1B registration opens March each year. Lottery results announced April. If selected, employer files full petition April–June. H-1B status begins October 1. OPT cap-gap: if your OPT expires before October 1 and your H-1B was selected in the lottery, cap-gap protection allows you to continue working from OPT expiration through September 30.

For Nepali nationals, the H-1B lottery is more favorable than for Indian or Chinese nationals — there is no per-country cap backlog for Nepal. H-1B lottery selection rates vary year to year but have historically been 25–35% (FY2025: ~29%, FY2026: ~35%) for regular cap and higher for the Master's cap. Nepali students with a US Master's degree get two rolls of the lottery (regular + Master's cap).

Technology: Amazon (Seattle, Dallas, NYC, Boston), Microsoft (Seattle, Boston), Google (Mountain View, NYC, Austin), Meta (Menlo Park, Austin, NYC), Apple (Cupertino, Austin), Salesforce (San Francisco, Atlanta), Oracle (Austin, Denver), IBM (multiple), Deloitte Technology (multiple), Accenture (multiple).

Consulting/IT services: Infosys, TCS, Wipro, Cognizant, HCL — all large OPT employers with strong H-1B sponsorship programs. These are particularly common first-OPT employers for Nepali MS students who then transition to product companies after gaining US experience.

Startups and smaller tech companies: The STEM OPT E-Verify requirement applies to all employers, including startups. Most legitimate startups are E-Verify enrolled. Recruiting platforms popular with Nepali students for OPT: LinkedIn, Handshake, Indeed, and university career fairs at UTD, Northeastern, ASU, and UIUC where Nepali alumni networks are active.

USCIS rules allow a maximum of 90 days of cumulative unemployment during the 12-month standard OPT period. For the STEM OPT extension, an additional 60 days of unemployment is allowed (150 days total). Exceeding unemployment limits terminates your F-1 status.

Self-employment and freelancing: F-1 students on OPT can be self-employed or work for their own company — but this is complex. You must demonstrate that you are working in a capacity related to your degree and that the work is legitimate. Consult your DSO and an immigration attorney before pursuing self-employment on OPT.