Form I-983: Training Plan for STEM OPT Students

Form I-983 is the training plan for STEM OPT extensions. F-1 students who earned a bachelor's, master's, or doctoral degree in a Department of Homeland Security-designated STEM field can extend their post-completion OPT by 24 months if they complete a qualifying training program with an E-Verify-enrolled employer and document it on Form I-983.

The form is signed by the student and employer, then submitted to the student's Designated School Official (DSO) at the SEVP-certified school that granted the STEM degree. A new I-983 is required for each new STEM OPT employer and when material terms of the training change.

There is no filing fee for Form I-983 itself — it's not filed with USCIS. The separate Form I-765 (Employment Authorization Application) filed for the STEM EAD is $470 online or $520 paper.