Market intelligence for international student recruitment from ICEF
16th Feb 2012

US expands post-grad work term for science and tech students

The US government announced recently a planned expansion of  post-graduate work term opportunities for international students graduating from science and technical programmes. Currently, an F-1 student may only engage in post-graduate work (also known as "optional practical training or OPT") for 12 months. F-1 students who graduate in programmes of study classified as STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) can obtain a 17-month extension of OPT as part of their F-1 status if their degree is included on the Department of Homeland Security's (DHS) list of eligible STEM degree programmes. This proposed change would expand eligibility for extension of OPT by including students with a STEM degree that is not the most recent degree the student has received. Please see US Citizenship and Immigration's Application for Employment Authorization guidelines for additional details. Sources: US Department of Homeland Security, US Citizenship and Immigration Services

Most Recent

  • UK transnational education enrolments poised to surpass onshore students this decade Read More
  • Trump administration’s proposed deal with select US colleges includes a cap on international undergraduate enrolment Read More
  • Australia introduces new integrity measures through proposed amendments to the ESOS Act Read More

Most Popular

  • Which countries will contribute the most to global student mobility in 2030? Read More
  • Research shows link between study abroad and poverty alleviation  Read More
  • Beyond the Big Four: How demand for study abroad is shifting to destinations in Asia and Europe Read More

Because you found this article interesting

UK transnational education enrolments poised to surpass onshore students this decade The latest available numbers from the Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA) tell us that there were 732,285 international...
Read more
Trump administration’s proposed deal with select US colleges includes a cap on international undergraduate enrolment The White House has sent a draft “Compact for Academic Excellence in Higher Education” to nine US colleges...
Read more
Australia introduces new integrity measures through proposed amendments to the ESOS Act Australian Minister of Education Jason Clare tabled the Education Legislation Amendment (Integrity and Other Measures) Bill 2025 in...
Read more
Australia: With ELICOS under pressure, peak bodies push for reduction in “extortionate” visa fees The latest data from the Department of Education reveals that enrolments in Australia’s ELICOS sector (English Language Intensive...
Read more
South Korea hits its 300,000 student target two years ahead of schedule In 2023, the South Korean government announced a plan to attract 300,000 international students by 2027: 220,000 in...
Read more
Canada: Study permit numbers are in steep decline in 2025 In 2024, the first year under Canada’s current cap on new international student enrolments, the total number of...
Read more
UK confirms levy on international student fees as new analysis argues that government is “drastically underestimating” the impact of the move Updated for 30 September 2025: On 29 September, the Department of Education announced that it would reinstate “means-tested...
Read more
US administration’s new H-1B policies create uncertainty around post-study work rights The H-1B programme is a key policy mechanism for international students in the United States. Aside from the...
Read more
What are you looking for?
Quick Links