F-1 students who have been lawfully enrolled on a full-time basis for one academic year (two semesters) are eligible to apply for up to 12 months of Optional Practical Training (OPT) employment authorization, which allows a student to work off-campus in a job directly related to his or her major area of study.

An F-1 student who has successfully completed an M.S. in Computer Science or M.S. in Web Science (formerly Internet Engineering) degree at USF may be eligible for a 17-month STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) extension of his or her Optional Practical Training (OPT) employment authorization if he or she is:

• currently participating in a period of standard OPT and working for a U.S. employer in a job directly related to his or her major area of study; and
• Has a job offer from an employer registered with the E-Verify employment verification system; and
• The student has not previously received a 17-month OPT extension after earning a STEM degree.