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Top Universities by OPT Authorization

Top universities with the highest number of students authorized for OPT or STEM OPT Extension in calendar year 2024. This includes both Pre-Completion OPT and Post-Completion OPT. More About OPT - More About CPT

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Top universities ranked by the number of students authorized for OPT.

#	University	Campus	Employed	Issued
1	Northeastern University	Northeastern University	7200	4722
2	Columbia University	Columbia University in the City of New York	6359	4118
3	Arizona State University	Arizona State University	5564	3430
4	University of North Texas	University of North Texas	5241	3142
5	University of Southern California	University of Southern California	5422	3112
6	New York University	New York University	4763	3096
7	The University of Texas at Dallas	The University of Texas at Dallas	4483	2590
8	The University of Texas at Arlington	The University of Texas at Arlington	3635	2068
9	Boston University	Boston University	2939	2051
10	University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign	University of Illinois	3294	1964
11	Carnegie Mellon University	Carnegie Mellon University	3506	1919

12	Trine University-Detroit MI Regional Ctr	Trine University	2590	1918
13	State University of New York at Buffalo	State University of New York at Buffalo	3204	1870
14	University of California at Berkeley	University of California at Berkeley	2851	1717
15	University of Michigan - Ann Arbor	University of Michigan	2733	1665
16	Campbellsville University - Louisville	Campbellsville University	1476	1609
17	Purdue University	Purdue University	2445	1525
18	University of Pennsylvania	University of Pennsylvania	2540	1512
19	Missouri Innovation Campus	UNIVERSITY OF CENTRAL MISSOURI	2547	1449
20	University of California San Diego	University of California San Diego	2366	1442
21	Stevens Institute of Technology	Stevens Institute of Technology	2574	1434
22	Harvard University	Harvard University	2366	1427
23	University of Washington - Seattle	University of Washington	2181	1405
24	Georgia Institute of Technology	Georgia Institute of Technology	2288	1332
25	University of Cincinnati	University of Cincinnati	1961	1321

Introduction to OPT (Optional Practical Training)

Optional Practical Training (OPT) is a program offered by the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) that allows eligible international students on F-1 visas to gain temporary employment experience in their field of study. OPT provides a valuable opportunity for students to apply classroom knowledge in real-world settings, either before or after completing their academic programs.

There are three main categories of OPT:

Pre-Completion OPT (Pre-OPT)

Pre-OPT allows F-1 students to work before completing their degree program. Students may engage in:

Part-time employment (up to 20 hours per week) while school is in session
Full-time employment during school breaks or summer vacation

Time used for Pre-OPT counts against the total 12 months of regular OPT eligibility. Pre-OPT is less commonly used than Post-OPT.

Post-Completion OPT (Post-OPT)

Post-OPT begins after a student completes their degree program. It is the most commonly used form of OPT, allowing:

Full-time employment (more than 20 hours per week)
Up to 12 months of authorized employment for most degree programs

Students must apply for Post-OPT before graduation and must begin work within 60 days of completing their degree.

STEM OPT Extension

Students who complete a degree in an eligible STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, or Mathematics) field may apply for a 24-month extension of their Post-OPT. To qualify for the STEM OPT extension, students must:

Have earned a degree in an approved STEM field
Be employed by an E-Verify registered employer
Be working in a job directly related to their major

With the STEM extension, students can work for up to 36 months on OPT.