OPT application deadline calculator (2026)
For post-completion OPT you can file Form I-765 from 90 days before to 60 days after your program end date, and within 30 days of your DSO's recommendation in SEVIS (USCIS, Form I-765 page, read on 30 October 2026). Enter your dates to see your window.
Not legal or immigration advice. This page reports what USCIS, ICE (SEVP) and the Federal Register said on the date we read them. Your designated school official (DSO) and USCIS decide on your case, and rules can change quickly: check with your DSO and USCIS before you file.
The three dates that decide your window
- Program end date (on your Form I-20): the window opens 90 days before it and closes 60 days after it.
- DSO recommendation date: USCIS must receive your application within 30 days of the day your DSO enters the recommendation in SEVIS. If that comes first, it is your real deadline.
- Requested start date: on or after the program end date and no more than 60 days after it.
Sources: U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, I-765, Application for Employment Authorization (page updated 7 October 2026); USCIS, Optional Practical Training (OPT) for F-1 Students (page updated 25 November 2024); Study in the States, SEVIS Help Hub: F-1 Optional Practical Training (OPT) (page updated 19 May 2025). Read on 30 October 2026.
Examples
Without a DSO date. The last column shows the date under the postponed rule of 17 July 2026, which is not applied today.
| Program end date | Earliest filing | Last filing (rule applied today) | Last filing if the 30-day rule takes effect |
|---|---|---|---|
| 18 December 2026 | 19 September 2026 | 16 February 2027 | 17 January 2027 |
| 15 May 2027 | 14 February 2027 | 14 July 2027 | 14 June 2027 |
| 31 August 2027 | 2 June 2027 | 30 October 2027 | 30 September 2027 |
Sources: U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, I-765, Application for Employment Authorization (page updated 7 October 2026); Federal Register, Establishing a Fixed Time Period of Admission and an Extension of Stay Procedure for Nonimmigrant Academic Students, Exchange Visitors, and Representatives of Foreign Information Media (final rule, 91 FR 44976, 17 July 2026). Read on 30 October 2026.
Fees
Form I-765 costs $470 online or $520 on paper; premium processing costs $1,780 more and gets a decision within 30 business days. You cannot start working before you receive the EAD.
Sources: USCIS, G-1055, Fee Schedule: Form I-765 (page updated 28 October 2026); USCIS, G-1055, Fee Schedule: Form I-907, Request for Premium Processing Service (page updated 28 October 2026); USCIS, How Do I Request Premium Processing? (page updated 23 March 2026). Read on 30 October 2026.
Questions people ask
What is the OPT application deadline?
USCIS must receive Form I-765 for post-completion OPT no later than 60 days after your program end date and within 30 days of the date your DSO enters the recommendation in SEVIS, whichever comes first.
How early can I apply for OPT?
Up to 90 days before your program end date, once your DSO has recommended OPT in SEVIS.
Does the 30-day DSO rule matter if I am still within 60 days?
Yes. Both limits apply: if your DSO recommended OPT on 1 June and your program ended on 15 May, the 30-day limit ends on 1 July, before the 60-day limit.
What start date can I ask for?
A date on or after your program end date and no more than 60 days after it (SEVP).
Is the deadline now 30 days after the program end date?
A final rule of 17 July 2026 would make it 30 days, but its effective date was postponed by a federal court on 14 September 2026; USCIS says it applies the previous rules (60 days). The calculator shows both dates.