Reporting Requirements for OPT

All students on OPT and STEM-Extension are required to report key details about their employment, their address, or other required material changes to SEVP (the Student and Exchange Visitor Program) and to DePauw through International Student Affairs.

You will use the SEVP Portal to report to SEVP and the International Student Portal to report to your sponsor, DePauw.

Reporting is mandatory for you to maintain your legal immigration status in the United States.

SEVP Portal: Mandatory Reporting to the U.S. Government

On or after the start date on your EAD, you will receive an email from SEVP about how to set-up your SEVP Portal account. Follow these instructions and make sure to check your spam folders (and multiple email accounts) to make sure that you receive the email.

If you have not been able to find the activation email, please communicate with International Student Affairs or refer to the SEVP Help site.

OPT/STEM OPT Reporting Requirements

Students on 12-month post-completion OPT should report your OPT employment and any other changes within 10 days of your OPT authorization start date. Make these changes through the SEVP Portal and the International Student Portal-- and report the following updates:

• Changes to your name, residence, or mailing address
• Any changes to your employment (starting a new job, ending a job,, changing jobs)
• Names and addresses of all OPT employers
• Start and end dates of all OPT employment
• New immigration status (e.g. H1-B)
• Decision to leave the U.S. and not continue (or start) OPT

Specific Requirements for STEM-OPT

1. Make Sure Your Employer is Listed in E-verify
2. Submit a STEM-OPT Report Every 6 Months
   • Students are required to report every six months. In some cases, this is to validate (or confirm) name, address, and employer. In other cases, this is both to validate their information and to submit an annual report.
   • SEVP users receive reminders 30 days in advance of the deadlines unique to the individual for this mandated reporting.
3. Track Your Unemployment
   • While you are on STEM-OPT, you cannot have more than 150 days without employment, including any days of unemployment that accrued while you were on post-completion OPT.

STEM OPT Reports

Every six months, students must validate their information through the International Student Portal.

Every year, students must submit a self-assessment report through the I-983 form describing their progress with the training undertaken through STEM-OPT. There are two assessments:

• Initial: 12 months after the STEM-OPT start date
• Final: the assessment that recaps the training and knowledge acquired throughout the 24 month training period.

Both the student and the supervisor must sign the I-983 prior to submitting it to a member of the ISA team for review and evaluation. More information about the I-983 can be found on the I-983 Study in the States page.

Additional Circumstances

Material Changes to the I-983

There are several material changes that require reporting:

• Change of employer’s EIN.
• Significant reduction in compensation.
• Significant decrease in hours per week.
• Changes to your training plan.

For more information, see the Study in the States STEM OPT Reporting Requirements.

Changing Employers

If you change employers during your STEM-OPT, make sure to do the following:

• Submit the OPT Employment Update through the International Student Portal
• Submit a copy of your new I-983 with your new employer
• Submit a final I-983 for your prior employer
• Update ISA if there have been any changes to your address or contact information

Leaving an Employer

If you stop working for an employer prior to the end of your 24-month STEM extension–as well as at the end of your training–you need to upload the final evaluation.

Share a copy of your I-983 with the final evaluation (page 5) filled out with International Student Affairs. This must be signed by both you and the employer.