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ISSS Classic: F/M Student Action > Optional Practical Training > Add Follow

This article outlines the steps for a DSO to recommend a student for an initial 12-month period of post-completion OPT or for pre-completion Optional Practical Training (OPT).

The result of this batch action will be Form I-20 that recommends the student for OPT, which will be submitted to the USCIS with the OPT application.

 

Step 1: Record Creation 

Student-Initiated

You may allow students to initiate an Optional Practical Training (OPT) request online.  

Offices are able to create a button or link that can be placed on a Terra Dotta page, an external webpage, or even an email that a student can click to be redirected to Terra Dotta to create an OPT record/request.

Staff Initiated 

Admins may initiate an online OPT record on the behalf of a student by going to Records > New Record, locating the student and clicking  Add/Yes, selecting Optional Practical Training in the drop-down menu, and clicking Create.

OPT select application.png

 

 

Step 2: Find Optional Practical Training (OPT) Request/Record

Navigate to Record > Search. Enter in the name of the student whose OPT Request you wish to review and send to SEVIS.

 

 

Step 3: Complete or Review SEVIS Data

You may either:

Allow students to complete SEVIS-mapped Question Items for their OPT request, 

OR 

Edit the questionnaire to remove it from the student view for the OPT request. By removing it from the student view, only Admins can complete the question items. To complete this action, go to:  

  1.  Process > Questionnaires > OPT Employment Information > Click the edit pencil > Select Yes to Is this an internal-use questionnaire? > Update
  2.  Select the checkbox to the left of the Application Cycle(s) to which to deploy the questionnaire > Select Apply.

Depending on how your site is configured, Admins should review, edit or complete the required SEVIS-mapped Question Items in the record:

OPT Questionnaire.png

A) Employment Start Date​ - the date the OPT request will begin.
B) Employment End Date - the date the OPT request will end.
C) Full- or Part-Time Employment - Select whether the OPT request is for full-time or part-time employment from the drop-down menu.
D) Finished One Year Requirement? - select Yes or No from the drop-down menu
E) Pre-Completion or Post- Completion - Select Pre-Completion or Post-completion from the drop-down menu
F) Student Remarks- Prints on page 1 of the I-20.
G) Remarks- Prints on page 2 of the I-20. 

 

 

Step 4: Create New SEVIS Update Record 

See the KB SEVIS Admin: Creating a SEVIS Update Record for detailed instructions about this step. 

You may also wish to see SEVIS Admin: Assigning a SEVIS Update to a Batch.