The 24-month STEM OPT extension comes with a string of dates: a filing window, an automatic extension while you wait, reports every six months, two evaluations and a grace period at the end. This post puts them in order on one fictional timeline, so you can see how they fit together.
Each step has a fuller page, linked below: the STEM OPT extension guide (eligibility, fees, documents), the Form I-983 guide (the training plan and evaluations), Changing jobs on STEM OPT, Working while OPT or STEM OPT is pending and How OPT unemployment days are counted.
Not legal advice. This article summarizes official U.S. government sources. It is not legal or immigration advice. EADly is not a law firm and is not affiliated with USCIS, DHS or ICE. Your DSO, your employer or a qualified immigration attorney can tell you how these dates apply to you. Last checked October 22, 2026. Each source's own date is in the Sources list.
The whole timeline in one table (fictional example)
Fictional dates. Not your dates. This continues the example in the Form I-983 guide: an OPT EAD that ends June 30, 2026, then a STEM OPT EAD from July 1, 2026 to June 30, 2028, with one employer the whole time. The OPT EAD started July 1, 2025, and 80 unemployment days were used during OPT (the same OPT numbers as Example D in How OPT unemployment days are counted; unlike Example D, this student has a job from July 1, 2026). The DSO recommendation date is one of the examples in the Form I-983 guide's filing-window table. Every date was computed with Python's datetime.
| Date | What happens | Due to your DSO, or what to know |
|---|---|---|
| Apr 1, 2026 | The 90-day filing window opens: 90 days before the OPT EAD end date | USCIS may receive the Form I-765 from this date |
| Apr 6, 2026 | The student and employer finish and sign Form I-983, and the student gives it to the DSO | It must be complete and signed before the DSO can recommend STEM OPT |
| Apr 10, 2026 | The DSO enters the STEM OPT recommendation in SEVIS and issues an updated Form I-20 | The 60 days to file start here |
| Apr 20, 2026 | USCIS receives the Form I-765 | Inside the window |
| Jun 9, 2026 | Last day USCIS could have received it: 60 days after the recommendation, which comes before the OPT EAD end date | A filing that arrives after this date is outside the window |
| Jun 30, 2026 | The OPT EAD ends. The application is still pending | Days used so far: 80 of 90 |
| Jul 1, 2026 | STEM OPT start date. The application is still pending; the 180-day automatic extension in 8 CFR 274a.12(b)(6)(iv) covers a timely filing until the decision. Validation reporting starts | Unemployment limit, as EADly counts it: 150 in total, so 70 left |
| Aug 18, 2026 | USCIS approves the application. The automatic extension ends | The STEM OPT EAD still runs Jul 1, 2026 to Jun 30, 2028 |
| Dec 27, 2026 | Outer limit of the 180-day extension, had USCIS not decided by then | Not reached in this example |
| Jan 1, 2027 | 6-month validation report | Within 10 business days of Jan 1, 2027 |
| Jul 1, 2027 | 12-month validation report | Within 10 business days of Jul 1, 2027 |
| Jul 1, 2027 | 12-month mark for the self-evaluation (Form I-983) | Received by Jul 11, 2027 (10 days after the 12-month mark) |
| Jan 1, 2028 | 18-month validation report | Within 10 business days of Jan 1, 2028 |
| Jun 30, 2028 | The STEM OPT EAD ends, and with it the training | Last day of STEM OPT |
| Jul 1, 2028 | 24-month validation report, the day after this EAD ends | Sources differ; see validation reports |
| Jul 10, 2028 | Final evaluation (Form I-983) | Received by Jul 10, 2028 (10 days after the training ends) |
| Aug 29, 2028 | Day 60 after the STEM OPT EAD end date: the last day of the grace period, as EADly counts it | See after the end date |
The reporting rows match the due-dates table in the Form I-983 guide, and its reporting-dates calculator works them out for your own EAD dates. The sections below explain each date, in order.
Before you apply: Form I-983 comes first
- Signed before the recommendation. The regulation says a student must fully complete Form I-983 and get the employer's signatures "before the DSO may recommend a 24-month OPT extension" (8 CFR 214.2(f)(10)(ii)(C)(7)(i)). A DSO may recommend it "only if the Form I-983 ... has been properly completed and executed by the student and prospective employer" (8 CFR 214.2(f)(11)(ii)(A)).
- It also matters for the 180-day extension. That extension requires a timely DSO recommendation request, "including by submitting the fully executed Form I-983" (8 CFR 214.2(f)(11)(i)(C)).
How to complete each section is in the Form I-983 guide. In the example, the form is signed on April 6 and the DSO recommends STEM OPT on April 10, 2026.
When can you apply for STEM OPT? Three limits at once
- Not too early. The regulation allows filing "up to 90 days prior to the expiration date of the student's current OPT employment authorization" (8 CFR 214.2(f)(11)(i)(C)).
- Within 60 days of the recommendation. The application must be filed "within 60 days of the date the DSO enters the recommendation for the OPT extension into his or her SEVIS record" (same paragraph).
- Received by the OPT end date. SEVP says USCIS must receive it within that 60-day period "and no later than the current post-completion OPT end date" (SEVIS Help Hub, STEM OPT). "If USCIS receives your Form I-765 after the end date for your post-completion OPT, the STEM OPT extension application will be denied." (Study in the States, Applying for Practical Training)
- Not in the grace period. SEVP: "Students may not apply for STEM OPT extensions during the 60-day grace period following an initial (usually 12-month) period of post-completion OPT" (Study in the States, Determining STEM OPT Extension Eligibility).
In the example, the window opens April 1 and the recommendation is April 10, so USCIS must receive the application between April 10 and June 9, 2026. A recommendation entered earlier or later changes those dates; the Form I-983 guide works through four cases, with a small script to check your own. Fees, documents and filing steps are in the STEM OPT extension guide.
While USCIS decides: the 180-day automatic extension
- The rule. If a timely STEM application is pending when the OPT EAD expires, "Employment is authorized beginning on the expiration date of the Form I-766 ... and ending on the date of USCIS' written decision on the current Form I-765 or successor form, but not to exceed 180 days." For that period, the expired EAD "is considered unexpired when combined with" a Form I-20 endorsed by the recommending DSO (8 CFR 274a.12(b)(6)(iv)).
- Received before the OPT EAD expired. The SEVIS Help Hub lists the condition that "USCIS received the Form I-765 for the extension before the EAD for the original post-completion OPT expired" (SEVIS Help Hub).
- It ends at the decision. USCIS: "This automatic 180-day extension ceases once USCIS adjudicates your STEM OPT extension application." (USCIS, STEM OPT)
- The outer date. For Form I-9, USCIS's employer handbook has the employer enter "the date 180 days from the Card Expires date on the EAD" (M-274, 7.4.2). For an OPT EAD that ends June 30, 2026, that is December 27, 2026. EADly uses the same date.
- If it is denied after the OPT EAD expired. The Policy Manual says "OPT employment authorization ends on the date of the decision and the student's F-1 status ends 60 days after the date of denial" (USCIS Policy Manual, Vol. 2, Pt. F, Ch. 5). More in If your STEM OPT extension is denied.
In the example, USCIS approves on August 18, 2026, which ends the automatic extension that day. Form I-9 details, and what changes if you switch employers while the application is pending, are in Working while OPT or STEM OPT is pending. If your case is still pending as the 180-day point approaches, talk to your DSO.
When does STEM OPT start and end?
- The day after OPT, for 24 months. The STEM OPT employment authorization period "begins on the day after the expiration of the initial post-completion OPT employment authorization and ends 24 months thereafter, regardless of the date the actual extension is approved" (8 CFR 214.2(f)(11)(iii)(A)).
- SEVIS sets the dates. "The requested STEM OPT Start Date is the day following the current post-completion OPT End Date." The end date is 24 months after that, and "DSOs cannot change these dates" (SEVIS Help Hub).
- Unemployment doesn't extend it. "STEM OPT is not extended by periods of part-time employment or unemployment." (USCIS Policy Manual, Ch. 5)
So a late approval doesn't move anything: in the example, approval on August 18, 2026 still gives an EAD from July 1, 2026 to June 30, 2028. Your own dates are the ones printed on your STEM OPT EAD. How to read the card is in How to read your EAD card.
The 150-day unemployment limit covers OPT and STEM OPT together
- One limit for the whole period. Students with a STEM extension "may not accrue an aggregate of more than 150 days of unemployment during a total OPT period, including any post-completion OPT period ... and any subsequent 24-month extension period" (8 CFR 214.2(f)(10)(ii)(E)).
- Days carry over. The SEVIS counter's STEM OPT limit is "150 days, which includes any days accrued while on post-completion OPT" (SEVIS Help Hub, Unemployment Counter). SEVP describes it as "90 days during the initial period of post-completion OPT plus an additional 60 days during the extension period" (Study in the States, STEM OPT reporting requirements).
In the example, 80 days were used during OPT: 10 left of 90 on June 30, 2026, and 70 left of 150 from July 1. While a timely STEM application is pending after the OPT EAD expires, EADly applies the 150-day limit for up to 180 days; the reasons are in How OPT unemployment days are counted. Confirm with your DSO. To count your own days, use the unemployment days calculator.
Validation reports at 6, 12 and 18 months
- The rule. The student must complete a validation report, confirming that the 10-day reporting information has not changed, "every six months." Reporting "starts on the date the 24-month OPT extension begins and ends when the student's F-1 status expires or the 24-month OPT extension concludes, whichever is first." Each report "is due to the student's DSO within 10 business days of each reporting date" (8 CFR 214.2(f)(12)(ii)(B)).
- Even if nothing changed. USCIS says to report every 6 months "even if none of your information has changed" (USCIS, STEM OPT).
- A reminder from the portal. "SEVP Portal users will receive a reminder via email 30 days before any validation report is due." (Study in the States, STEM OPT reporting requirements)
In the example, the reporting dates are January 1, 2027, July 1, 2027 and January 1, 2028: 6, 12 and 18 calendar months after the STEM OPT start date, the same way EADly lists them. EADly doesn't count the 10 business days; it shows each reporting date and reminds you ahead of it. How the reports are sent is in the SEVP Portal guide.
The 24-month report: sources differ. The SEVIS Help Hub's deadline table lists validation reports at 6, 12, 18 and 24 months. The same page also describes "A 6-, 12- and 18-month validation report" and says DSOs must validate a student's employment data "three times" (SEVIS Help Hub). The regulation ends validation reporting when the extension concludes. EADly lists a report date only when it falls on or before your STEM OPT EAD end date, so in this example it shows three; the 24-month date, July 1, 2028, is the day after the EAD ends. Ask your DSO whether your school wants a report at the 24-month mark.
The 12-month self-evaluation and the final evaluation
- The rule. Every STEM training opportunity needs "an initial evaluation within 12 months of the approved starting date on the employment authorization document ... and a concluding evaluation." The DSO must receive the 12-month and final evaluations "no later than 10 days following the conclusion of the reporting period or conclusion of his or her practical training opportunity, respectively" (8 CFR 214.2(f)(10)(ii)(C)(9)(i)).
- If a job ends early. "If a training opportunity ends early, the student must submit the final evaluation within 10 days following the conclusion of the training." (ICE, Form I-983 instructions)
| Evaluation | In the example | Received by your DSO |
|---|---|---|
| 12-month self-evaluation | 12-month mark: Jul 1, 2027 | Jul 11, 2027 (10 days after the 12-month mark) |
| Final evaluation | Training ends Jun 30, 2028 (the EAD end date) | Jul 10, 2028 (10 days after the training ends) |
| Final evaluation if the job ended early, on Mar 15, 2027 | Training with that employer ends Mar 15, 2027 | Mar 25, 2027 |
Where the wording differs. For the 12-month evaluation, the regulation counts from "the conclusion of the reporting period," while the Help Hub says within 10 days "of 12- and 24-month marks." EADly counts 10 days from the 12-month mark (July 11, 2027). If the 12-month period is read as ending June 30, 2027, ten days later is July 10. For the final evaluation, SEVP's students page says "usually this is a final assessment due at 24 months," while the regulation and the instructions count 10 days from the end of the training, the date EADly uses (July 10, 2028 here) (Study in the States, STEM OPT reporting requirements). Ask your DSO which date your school uses. The full comparison, and what goes in each evaluation, is in the Form I-983 guide's evaluations and due dates sections.
Any time during STEM OPT: 10-day reports and a new I-983
Some deadlines don't sit on the calendar. A change starts them:
| What happens | Deadline | Source |
|---|---|---|
| A change of legal name, residential or mailing address, employer name or employer address, or a loss of employment | Report it to your DSO "within 10 days of the change" | 8 CFR 214.2(f)(12)(ii)(A) |
| A new employer | A new Form I-983 to your DSO "within 10 days of beginning the new practical training opportunity," then a new DSO recommendation | 8 CFR 214.2(f)(10)(ii)(C)(7)(iv) |
| A material change to the training plan, such as a pay cut not tied to fewer hours | A modified Form I-983 to your DSO "at the earliest available opportunity." No fixed number of days | 8 CFR 214.2(f)(10)(ii)(C)(9)(ii) |
| A job ends before the EAD does | Final evaluation within 10 days after it ends; the employer reports the departure "within five business days" | I-983 instructions; 8 CFR 214.2(f)(10)(ii)(C)(6) |
Fictional: a move on March 3, 2027 is reported to the DSO by March 13, 2027. Telling the DSO within 10 days also meets the DHS address rule: a student "can satisfy the requirement in 8 CFR 265.1 of notifying DHS by providing a notice of a change of address within 10 days to the DSO" (8 CFR 214.2(f)(17)). Details are in Moved while on OPT or STEM OPT?.
A job change has the most steps: the new employer's E-Verify enrollment, the old job's final evaluation, the new Form I-983 and the days in between. They are in order, with two fictional timelines, in Changing jobs on STEM OPT. The validation reports keep the same schedule after a job change, because they run from the STEM OPT start date.
After the end date: the 60-day grace period
- The rule. An F-1 student who has completed a course of study and any authorized practical training "will be allowed an additional 60-day period to prepare for departure from the United States or to transfer" (8 CFR 214.2(f)(5)(iv)).
- In the example. EADly counts the 60 days from the STEM OPT EAD end date, with the next day as day 1: the last day is August 29, 2028. The final evaluation, due July 10, 2028, falls inside those 60 days.
What official sources say about work, travel and your options during those 60 days, and when there is no grace period at all, is in The 60-day grace period after OPT or STEM OPT ends. Confirm your own date with your DSO.
H-1B cap-gap. If an employer files a cap-subject H-1B petition for you, cap-gap rules can change the end of this timeline. See cap-gap for F-1 students and F-1 to H-1B: cap-gap and the grace period.
Keeping the dates in EADly
EADly is a private, local-first app for iPhone and Android. For STEM OPT it can:
- keep your OPT and STEM OPT EAD dates, your STEM filing date and your jobs in one timeline;
- count unemployment days against the 90- and 150-day limits from the jobs you save. EADly Free saves every F-1 job (OPT, STEM OPT and CPT), so the count can be complete;
- remind you of the dates it works out from what you save: when the 90-day STEM filing window opens, the 180-day point while an application is pending, the validation report dates, and the 12-month and final evaluations.
What it doesn't do: EADly works from the dates you enter. It doesn't send anything to your DSO, SEVIS or USCIS, and it doesn't decide whether you are eligible, may work or are in status. Your records stay on your device unless you turn on encrypted backup.
Get EADly on the App Store or Google Play. The download is free, and the store listings show current prices for EADly Plus.
Common questions
When can I apply for the STEM OPT extension?
The regulation allows filing up to 90 days before your current OPT EAD expires, and within 60 days of the date your DSO enters the recommendation in SEVIS. SEVP says USCIS must receive the application no later than your OPT end date, and that you may not apply during the 60-day grace period.
Can I keep working if my OPT EAD expires before USCIS decides?
Under 8 CFR 274a.12(b)(6)(iv), if your STEM application was timely filed and is pending, employment is authorized from the OPT EAD's expiration until USCIS's written decision, but not more than 180 days. For an OPT EAD that ends June 30, 2026, the outer date is December 27, 2026. Confirm with your DSO.
When does STEM OPT start and end?
The regulation says it begins the day after your post-completion OPT authorization expires and ends 24 months later, regardless of when it is approved. An OPT EAD ending June 30, 2026 gives a STEM OPT period of July 1, 2026 to June 30, 2028.
When are STEM OPT validation reports due?
Every six months from the STEM OPT start date, within 10 business days of each reporting date. In the fictional example they fall on January 1, 2027, July 1, 2027 and January 1, 2028. Official pages differ on a report at the 24-month mark, so ask your DSO.
When is the 12-month I-983 evaluation due?
The regulation says your DSO must receive it no later than 10 days after the 12-month reporting period ends. EADly counts 10 days from the 12-month mark: for a July 1, 2026 start, July 11, 2027. Read as a period ending June 30, 2027, it would be July 10. Ask your DSO which date your school uses.
When is the final I-983 evaluation due?
Your DSO must receive it no later than 10 days after your training ends. For a STEM OPT EAD that ends June 30, 2028, that is July 10, 2028. If a job ends early, the final evaluation for that employer is due within 10 days after it ends.
Do my unemployment days reset when STEM OPT starts?
No. The 150-day limit covers post-completion OPT and the STEM extension together, so days used during OPT count toward it.
What happens after my STEM OPT EAD ends?
The regulation allows a 60-day period to prepare for departure or to transfer. EADly counts it from the STEM OPT EAD end date, so an EAD ending June 30, 2028 gives a last day of August 29, 2028. Confirm the date with your DSO.
Sources
All checked October 22, 2026. The date in brackets is the date each page showed.
- 8 CFR 214.2(f)(5)(iv), (f)(10)(ii)(C)(6), (7) and (9), (f)(10)(ii)(E), (f)(11)(i)(C), (f)(11)(ii)(A), (f)(11)(iii)(A), (f)(12)(ii) and (f)(17), eCFR as of Sept 14, 2026: https://www.ecfr.gov/on/2026-09-14/title-8/chapter-I/subchapter-B/part-214/subpart-A/section-214.2 [eCFR version of 09/14/2026; checked October 22, 2026. We cite this version because USCIS says it "will proceed under the previous regulatory provisions" while a court order postpones the July 17, 2026 rule: https://www.uscis.gov/i-765]
- 8 CFR 274a.12(b)(6)(iv), eCFR as of Sept 14, 2026: https://www.ecfr.gov/on/2026-09-14/title-8/chapter-I/subchapter-B/part-274a/subpart-B/section-274a.12 [eCFR version of 09/14/2026; checked October 22, 2026]
- USCIS, Form I-765, Application for Employment Authorization (court-order alert): https://www.uscis.gov/i-765 [last reviewed 10/07/2026; checked October 22, 2026]
- USCIS, Optional Practical Training Extension for STEM Students (STEM OPT): https://www.uscis.gov/working-in-the-united-states/students-and-exchange-visitors/optional-practical-training-extension-for-stem-students-stem-opt [last reviewed 01/30/2026; checked October 22, 2026]
- USCIS Policy Manual, Vol. 2, Pt. F, Ch. 5: https://www.uscis.gov/policy-manual/volume-2-part-f-chapter-5 [current as of 10/02/2026; checked October 22, 2026]
- USCIS, Handbook for Employers M-274, 7.4.2 F-1 and M-1 Nonimmigrant Students: https://www.uscis.gov/i-9-central/form-i-9-resources/handbook-for-employers-m-274/70-evidence-of-employment-authorization-for-certain-categories/74-exchange-visitors-and-students/742-f-1-and-m-1-nonimmigrant-students [last reviewed 04/02/2025; checked October 22, 2026]
- Study in the States, SEVIS Help Hub, F-1 STEM Optional Practical Training (OPT) Extension: https://studyinthestates.dhs.gov/sevis-help-hub/student-records/fm-student-employment/f-1-stem-optional-practical-training-opt [last updated 07/27/2026; checked October 22, 2026]
- Study in the States, SEVIS Help Hub, Unemployment Counter: https://studyinthestates.dhs.gov/sevis-help-hub/student-records/fm-student-employment/unemployment-counter [last updated 07/27/2026; checked October 22, 2026]
- Study in the States, Students: STEM OPT Reporting Requirements: https://studyinthestates.dhs.gov/stem-opt-hub/for-students/students-stem-opt-reporting-requirements [last updated 07/06/2026; checked October 22, 2026]
- Study in the States, Students: Determining STEM OPT Extension Eligibility: https://studyinthestates.dhs.gov/stem-opt-hub/for-students/students-determining-stem-opt-extension-eligibility [last updated 03/25/2026; checked October 22, 2026]
- Study in the States, Applying for Practical Training: https://studyinthestates.dhs.gov/students/work/applying-for-practical-training [last updated 08/24/2026; checked October 22, 2026]
- ICE, Instructions for Completing Form I-983: https://www.ice.gov/doclib/sevis/pdf/i983Instructions.pdf [undated; checked October 22, 2026]
This article summarizes official U.S. government sources and is not legal or immigration advice. EADly is not a law firm and is not affiliated with USCIS, DHS or ICE.