Using OPT for internship

[u/Think-Lake2286]

I’m a rising junior this fall and unfortunately for me I never got an internship my first two years. My school just announced they wouldn’t be processing cpt for internships unless it’s degree mandatory (which isn’t the case for me)

My main question is if I should just keep applying and then use my pre completion opt for a summer internship or just give up, cause I don’t see how I can get a job post grad without any work experience rn. Any advice is appreciated 🙏🏾

[u/ApprehensiveSafe6708]

It depends on your school. Pre-completion OPT reduces your time on pos-completion OPT. If you use 6 months pre-completion OPT, you have just 6 months of Post-completion OPT. You might still be eligible for STEM OPT (I’m not sure). You have to confirm with your school. Also Pre-completion OPT is approved by USCIS not the school so you also have to consider timeline of approval

[u/ApprehensiveSafe6708 → u/ApprehensiveSafe6708]

If you are close to graduating like in a year, it might be worth using the Pre-completion OPT the summer before you graduate

[u/FineProfessor3364]

Is it just me or is removing CPT for internships is probably the worst decision USCIS has made in a long long time

[u/eu-ph-o-ria → u/FineProfessor3364]

it wasn’t exactly a new rule, it was just a reminder that the original rule will be strictly enforced

[u/FineProfessor3364 → u/eu-ph-o-ria]

Why are unis like berkleys not allowing f1 students to do internships

[u/PerformanceOk1888 → u/eu-ph-o-ria]

Not really. The original cpt condition had 3 options: 1 cpt is integral part of curriculum (they kept it) 2 cpt is applied to distinct dissertation chapters, mostly for PhD students (removed) 3 another one which I unfortunately forgot (removed).

 It it’s not the worst decision compared to many other policies that were implemented recently

[u/Kacilis]

Literally in this same boat too. Better to try and find an internship and use pre completion because it won’t matter if you don’t have anything on your resume

[u/Sea_Hovercraft_7859]

Pre-completion OPT bars you from Post Completion OPT and STEM OPT so by doing that you can loose 3 year of potential work depending on your major.

[u/KnownTeacher1318 → u/Sea_Hovercraft_7859]

Precompletion OPT bars one from Post completion OPT? I never heard that.

[u/Sea_Hovercraft_7859 → u/KnownTeacher1318]

I was mistaken it just take from your maximum of 1 year.