F-1 OPT Application

F-1 Initial OPT and STEM OPT intake for training, I-983 planning, and Dream Quest placement.

F-1 OPT ApplicationFor F-1 students exploring OPT, STEM OPT, I-983 training plans, and the Dream Quest pathway.

Public intakeUSIVA case review
Student pathSPARK, Curiosity, Focus
Work evidenceGitOps and Focus Tracker
Training planI-983 readiness support

Privacy note: This application routes through the USIVA intake gateway into the secured review process. Sensitive immigration, education, employment, housing, payroll, and identity documents should still be provided only through the secure case process after review.

  • USIVA application
  • Silk Homes caretaker form
  • Dream Quest
  • CAP
  • OPT student intake
  • I-983 training plan
  • TIMMSI
  • CASE
  • Ag and Homesteading Sciences
  • AI and Emergent Tech
  • Hospitality and Homesteading

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1. Applicant Identity
Emergency contact For on-site placements. Optional, but strongly recommended.
2. School And Degree
Look on your Form I-20 in the Program of Study section near Major 1, Major Code, or CIP Code. The CIP code is not on your I-94.
Your DSO is the international student advisor or school official who maintains your SEVIS record and signs your I-20.
Your SEVIS school code is printed on your Form I-20. Ask your DSO if you are unsure which code to use.
Your SEVIS ID is printed on your Form I-20 and usually starts with N. Do not guess; leave it blank if you need to check your I-20.
For STEM OPT, you must explain in detail how each job duty relates to your major field of study. This is required for I-983 approval.
3. OPT And Work Authorization
Are you currently in the United States?
Which OPT stage are you in?
Do you already have your Employment Authorization Document (EAD)?
OPT requires at least 20 hours per week.
Prior CPT, pre-completion OPT, post-completion OPT, or STEM OPT used? (check all that apply)
Have you ever been out of F-1 status or had a SEVIS record terminated?
Will you qualify for STEM OPT?
Do you require visa sponsorship now or later?
Do you have a prospective employer willing to sign the I-983 Training Plan? (STEM OPT)
Is the prospective employer enrolled in E-Verify? (required for STEM OPT)
Do you plan to work for more than one employer? Note: STEM OPT generally does not allow multiple concurrent employers.
4. Work Location, Housing, And Community Fit
Do you want to live on-site or work remote?
5. On-Site Homesteading And Hospitality Skills

Use this section only for applicants interested in on-site, hybrid, or community housing placement.

Skill Ratings

Skill area 1
No skill		 2 3 4 5
Strong
Hospitality and guest care
Culinary arts, meal prep, or food service
Agriculture, gardening, or greenhouse work
Land management, landscaping, or outdoor work
Home restoration or preservation
Construction or remodeling
Carpentry
Electrical
Plumbing
HVAC
Roofing
Architecture or architectural design
Project management
Leadership
Communication
Office 365 or Microsoft 365
Research and documentation
Agile or Scrum participation
Sales, reservations, or customer follow-up

Certifications And Practical Constraints

Certifications or licenses
On-site requirements
6. Dream Quest Fit

If accepted, you will move through all stages of the Dream Quest pathway. This section helps us understand your interests and learning preferences — your selections here do not determine your placement.

Which learning areas interest you?
Artificial intelligence, machine learning, and emerging technology research and development.
Agriculture, food systems, land management, and sustainable living.
Guest care, food service, property operations, and community living.
Technology, Innovation, and Multi-stakeholder Systems Integration.
Community-Anchored Systems Engineering.
Research and development of new materials, composites, and manufacturing methods.
7. Technical, Research, And Professional Skills
Technical skills
Professional skills
8. Government, Industry, Grants, And Publications
Government experience
Industry experience
Government agencies you have worked with, supported, applied to, researched, or delivered work for
Have you ever served in one of these roles on a government-led or government-funded project?
9. Focus Hive, GitOps, And Agile Readiness
Can you participate in Focus Hive agile routines?
A daily check-in and check-out brief where you share your focus for the day, any blockers, and what you achieved before ending work.
Assessment evidence you are comfortable with
Measures your curiosity and motivation level at the start of the program.
Tracks how deeply you explore topics and ask questions throughout the program.
Logs time on focused, deep work versus distractions to measure productive engagement.
Measures code contributions, reviews, and collaboration impact across Git projects.
10. Documents And Evidence Status
Immigration and identity documents
Academic and career documents
STEM OPT and Training Plan documents
11. Compliance Review Flags
Do any of these need review?
Who should review before generation?
12. Applicant Statements
Acknowledgments

This section is for USIVA staff. Applicants may leave it blank.

Internal Use Only 13. Internal Routing After Submission