Form I-983, the Training Plan for STEM OPT Students, is the document a student and their employer complete together to show what the student will learn during the 24-month STEM OPT extension. The student submits it to their designated school official (DSO) before the DSO can recommend the extension in SEVIS, and it stays in play for the whole extension through evaluations and updates.
Who completes the form
Study in the States says "a student and their employer must complete and sign Form I-983 and submit it to the student's DSO." The employer side is specific: "STEM OPT employers are responsible for completing Section 3 to Section 6 on the Form I-983."
Study in the States says students may not act as their own employer or as the signatory for the employer for the purposes of the form.
Where it sits in the timeline
The order matters. The SEVIS guide says the student must give the DSO a completed Form I-983 before the DSO can recommend the extension in SEVIS. That guide, written for schools, also tells DSOs to remind students not to file the Form I-765 until the DSO has recommended the STEM OPT extension in the student's SEVIS record. Study in the States says the completed, signed form goes to the student's DSO.
The E-Verify requirement
USCIS says the employer must "Be enrolled in E-Verify" and must "Remain a participant in good standing with E-Verify, as determined by USCIS." The SEVIS guide for schools states the same condition for the extension: the student "will be, or is working, for an employer enrolled in the E-Verify program."
What the plan must contain
According to Study in the States, a properly completed form must explain:
- "The specific goals of the STEM practical training opportunity."
- "The performance evaluation process."
- "The methods of oversight and supervision of the STEM OPT student."
The plan must also show that "The employer has sufficient resources and personnel available to provide appropriate training." The page also uses the wording "commensurate with those provided to the employer's similarly situated U.S. workers in the area of employment." The USCIS Policy Manual adds that the form "must explain how the training is directly related to the student's qualifying STEM degree."
Evaluations during the extension
Evaluations are part of the plan. The first must be submitted "within 12 months of the STEM OPT start date." The final one "recaps the training and knowledge acquired during the complete training period." Study in the States says they are due "no later than 10 days following the conclusion of the appropriate reporting period," and that the employer must review and sign the student's self-evaluation. If the opportunity ends early, the final evaluation is due within 10 days after it ends. Study in the States warns that not submitting a final evaluation "may jeopardize the student's nonimmigrant status."
Separately, the SEVIS guide says validation reports are due at 6, 12, 18 and 24 months after the extension starts. Our reporting requirements guide covers those.
Material changes and new employers
Students and employers must report material changes to the DSO. The examples Study in the States lists include:
- "Any reduction in student compensation that is not tied to a reduction in hours worked."
- A change in the employer's Employer Identification Number caused by an ownership or structural change.
- A significant decrease in weekly hours.
- Changes to the employer's commitments or the student's learning objectives.
The same page says that if the plan is modified and still meets the requirements, the student's employment authorization "will not cease based on a change to the plan." A new Form I-983 is required for each new employment or training experience during the extension, per the SEVIS guide.
If the student's employment ends or the student departs, the employer must report that to the DSO "no later than five business days" after, according to Study in the States.
Where this fits
The training plan is one step in the STEM extension process. Our OPT hub gives the wider picture, and our guide to the 180-day rule while a STEM extension is pending covers what happens after you file with USCIS.
Common questions
Do I give the Form I-983 to my DSO or to USCIS?
To your DSO. The SEVIS guide says students "must submit a completed Form I-983 Training Plan for STEM OPT Students to the DSO" before the DSO can recommend the extension.
Can I be my own employer on the form?
No. Study in the States says students "may not act as their own employer or as the signatory for the employer for the purposes of the form."
Does changing the plan end my work authorization?
Not by itself. Study in the States says employment authorization "will not cease based on a change to the plan," so long as you and your employer meet the regulatory requirements and the modified Form I-983 meets the specified requirements. Material changes still must be reported to the DSO.
What if my employer is not in E-Verify?
USCIS lists E-Verify enrollment, in good standing, as a requirement for the employer. Ask your DSO what to do if your employer does not meet it.
Official sources
- Study in the States: Form I-983 Overview
- USCIS: STEM OPT Extension
- Study in the States: F-1 STEM OPT Extension (SEVIS Help Hub)
- Study in the States: Employers, STEM OPT Reporting Requirements
- USCIS Policy Manual, Volume 2, Part F, Chapter 5
GreenLight is not affiliated with USCIS or the U.S. government. This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice.