Optional Practical Training

Optional practical training is designed to provide you with an opportunity to gain actual employment experience in your chosen profession for a maximum of one year.  Its purpose is to complement your academic work.

As an F1 Visa holder approved for Post Completion Practical Training you must either actively seek employment and maintain documentation of this search or be actively employed. You can only pursue professional employment related to your degree. You must advise the University of Central Oklahoma International Office of the position and location of any employment you find. Further, you must advise the International Office of any changes of your address and telephone number. You must also advise the International Office of any change of your immigration status and provide copies of documentation showing the approval of any status change.

CAUTION: You CANNOT travel out of the United States until your Practical Training Card has been received. In order to re-enter the United States you must have a valid student visa, passport, I-20 endorsed by the International Office and your Practical Training Card. Travel outside of the United States should be limited to no more than a few weeks. Prolonged absence from the United States could cause you to be denied re-entry.

The International Office cannot mail your Practical Training card to you. You must pick it up personally or provide us written authorization for someone else to pick it up for you.

The earliest you can apply for Practical Training is three months prior to the last day of classes during the semester in which you will graduate. The application MUST be actually received in immigration offices by the last day of classes. Therefore, you should submit your application no later than two weeks prior to the last day of classes. To apply for Practical Training come to the International Office. We will give you the necessary forms and explain the process to you.

When your Practical Training expires you have a sixty day grace period in which time you can either prepare to leave the U.S., change to a different visa status or be issued another I-20 for another degree program. If you wish to pursue another degree it is important that you begin the application process for admission to the new degree as early as possible as their may be special requirements or tests such as GMAT or GRE that you would have to fulfill prior to admission. The new degree program must start within five months of the expiration of your Practical Training. If your new degree program is a higher level than the program you had completed previously you will qualify to apply for another year of Practical Training to begin after completion of your new degree.