OPT Deadline Calculator
Enter your OPT EAD expiry date to find your STEM OPT extension filing deadline, the date you need your DSO recommendation, and when the next H-1B lottery opens.
Select your OPT EAD expiry date above to see your deadlines.
How STEM OPT works
STEM OPT gives eligible F-1 students a 24-month extension of work authorization on top of the standard 12 months of post-completion OPT. To qualify you need a degree on the DHS STEM list, an E-Verify employer, and a signed Form I-983 training plan.
The filing window is strict: you can apply up to 90 days before your OPT EAD expires, and you must file before it expires — there is no late filing. Because your DSO must first recommend the extension in SEVIS and issue a new I-20, you should request that recommendation early, which is why this calculator flags a date roughly 100 days before expiry for the DSO step.
STEM OPT also lines up with the H-1B lottery. Three years of total OPT can mean multiple chances at selection, and cap-gap protection can bridge you from OPT into H-1B status if you are selected. Tracking these dates together keeps your options open.
Frequently asked questions
When is the STEM OPT filing deadline?
You must file your STEM OPT extension before your current OPT EAD expires, and you can file up to 90 days before it expires. That makes the last safe date to apply your EAD expiry minus 90 days — file early in that window, never after the EAD expires.
When does H-1B lottery registration open?
USCIS typically opens H-1B cap registration in early March each year for an October 1 start. This calculator shows March 1 of the next calendar year as a planning reference; confirm the exact registration window with USCIS each season.
Is this calculator legal advice?
No. This tool offers general timing guidance based on common OPT practice. Deadlines can depend on your specific SEVIS record and DSO. Always confirm dates with your Designated School Official and, where needed, an immigration attorney.
Track your OPT deadlines automatically
PriorityPath keeps your STEM OPT window, DSO deadlines, and H-1B lottery dates in one place — with alerts before each one.
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