I-983 Requirements Must Be Met to Process Your STEM OPT I-20

• The Form I-983 page includes instructions, and the U.S. government has multiple resources to consult:

  1. Training Plan for STEM OPT Students

  2. Completing the Form I-983

  3. Interactive resource for filling out the I-983 (not supported with all web browsers; recommended to use Firefox)

  4. STEM OPT Extension Quick Links

• The instructions and resources above do not give students and their employers all the information required need to properly complete the form I-983. To avoid the need for revisions, please read the tips below and contact Lucy Dawson for questions.

• The Office of International Students and Visiting Scholars (OISVS) is required by DHS to keep a copy of your I-983 on file and requires that it be accurate. Be sure to submit it to ensure proper document formatting and legibility. 

Section One: Completed by Student 

Your name

Enter your name exactly as shown in the box. Do not forget the comma. This is how a person unfamiliar with your name will understand which part is your surname and which part is your given name.

Your email address and school code

Enter your personal email address. Page one of your current I-20 lists the school code under “School Code and Approval Date.” It should be the following:  DAL214F00932000

PDSO name and Information

Abilene Christian University
Lucy Dawson

lld09a@acu.edu

325-674-2237
 

The above information should be included in the DSO field. A smaller font may be neceesary to fit the text in the field box. Otherwise, you may clearly hand-write it instead. 

SEVIS ID number & Start Date

You can find your SEVIS ID number in the top left corner of your current I-20; it starts with “N00.” 

The start date must be the day after your OPT EAD end date. 

The end date must be two years later. You can use a duration calendar to figure the exact dates. Be sure to include the end date.

Example: If your 12-month OPT ends July 4, 2026, your STEM OPT requested period is July 5, 2026 - July 4, 2028.

Degree information

Enter both your major and its CIP Code as listed on your current I-20.

Enter Bachelor’s, Master’s or PhD as listed on page one of your current I-20.

The date awarded should match the date on your ACU Diploma. 

Check “No” if applying based on your recently earned STEM degree from Abilene Christian University. Otherwise, check “Yes” as this means you're applying based on an earlier degree.

Check your EAD card for your Employment Authorization Number. It should follow this format: XXX-XXX-XXX. Make sure you are not writing a receipt number.

Section Two: Completed by Student 

Revising your I-983

Any time the I-983 is revised, the signatures in sections two, four and six must be updated with new signatures and dates. This shows that all parties signing the I-983 agree to the changes.

You are responsible for ensuring that the information in your form I-983 training plan is accurate and current. The I-983 is a living document, meaning that the Office of International Students and Visiting Scholars should always have a copy on file that accurately reflects your current work opportunity. If any material aspect of your employment changes, you are responsible for working with your employer to update your form I-983 and reporting changes to the Office of International Students and Visiting Scholars.

Notice that all parties, including the student, must sign the document. Electronic signatures are permitted.

Section Three: Completed by Employer 

Employer information

“Employer Name” should be the name of your employer as they are listed in E-Verify.

“Employer Website URL” should be the URL for your employer’s website. If there is no company website, enter “N/A.”

The address should be the full corporate address of the main office/headquarters of the company employing you.

Important dates and compensation

“Start Date of Employment” should list your STEM OPT requested start date or the date your employment will begin with the employer while on STEM OPT, not the start date of employment while on a 12-month post-completion OPT.

“Salary Amount and Frequency” must list your salary and how often you are paid. Example: $15/hour.

Section Four: Completed by Employer 

Employer signature

The I-983 does not necessarily need to be signed by your direct supervisor. The person who signs on behalf of your employer must be an employee of the company, have the authority to sign to the terms outlined in section four and be familiar with your training plan as outlined in section five.

Any time revisions are made to the I-983, the signatures in sections two, four and six need to be updated with new signature dates. This shows that all parties signing the I-983 agree to the changes.

Notice that the document must be signed by all parties, including the student. Electronic signatures are permitted

Section Five: Completed by Employer 

Employment guidance

You and your employer should carefully read the information provided by USCIS regarding the employment requirements for F-1 students on STEM OPT to ensure compliance. Specifically, the guidance stipulates that oversight and supervision must be conducted in person by the employer, as USCIS may, at their discretion, conduct site visits to ensure that your training is in compliance with the regulations and that your employer can adequately provide the training indicated on the I-983.

Your STEM OPT employment should take place at a worksite belonging to your employer as specified in the Form I-983, and your training program should include in-person supervision by the company that employs you.

Names

Enter your name exactly as it appears in Section 1. Enter your employer’s name exactly as it appears in Section 3.

Employer site information

If you work for a branch or subsidiary of a large entity or anywhere other than your employer’s headquarters, provide the name of this work site under “Site Name.” If you work at your employer’s headquarters, enter your employer’s name as it appears in Section 3.

"Site Address" is the address the Office of International Students and Visiting Scholars must report in SEVIS, so it must be accurate. This should be the address where you are physically working. If you are working remotely, please list your remote location in this section and indicate that you are working remotely in the additional section on page 4.

Only one Site Name and Site Address can be listed. Any time your primary work site changes, you must report the change to the OISVS and provide a copy of your I-983, with the Site Name and Site Address updated.

Employer official

Enter the name, title and contact information of the official at your company who is familiar with and will monitor your goals and performance. This may or may not be the same Employer Official who signs in Section 4.

Training plan

Your employer’s training plan must be fully explained in Section 5. None of the four main fields should be left blank. Your employer may wish to include supplemental information as an addendum. The information provided on the I-983 must meet the requirements of each field. Any text that does not fit the applicable field can be entered in the Additional Remarks field.

The instructions provided on the I-983 are not exhaustive and do not explain the details required to be provided in each section. Your employer is to write this section. We cannot accept Training Plans that appear to have been written by the student or are in first-person.

Student role

The Student Role field must explain:

• Your tasks and assignments. The more detail, the better.

• How the tasks directly relate to your STEM degree/coursework. It is not sufficient to state that the role is related to your qualifying degree; the relationship must be explained. Oftentimes, employers explain how the student’s position relates to specific courses the student took during their qualifying degree or specific skills that they learned through their studies that they apply the course of their training/employment.

Goals and objectives

The Goals and Objectives field must explain:

• What skills, knowledge and techniques you will gain from this position and how it correlates with the STEM degree

• How these goals and objectives will be achieved

• The timeline by which these goals should be achieved. This timeline needs to cover the entire 24-month period of the STEM OPT extension.

Employer oversight

The Employer Oversight field must show how you will be supervised and overseen. Since USCIS may, at its discretion, conduct site visits, your employer should provide how they will provide in-person supervision to you.

Measures and assessments

The Measures and Assessments field must correlate with your employer’s training plan. It needs to show how your employer will measure and assess your process of acquiring the knowledge and skills outlined in the Goals and Objectives field.

Additional remarks

The Additional Remarks field is optional. If there is not enough space for your employer’s response elsewhere in Section 5 of the training plan, the remaining text can be placed in the Additional Remarks field. If working partially remotely, that information must be clearly provided here and include the remote working address.

Section Six: Completed by Employer 

Employer official certification

The individual who endorses the certification does not necessarily need to be, but can be, the same individual who signed Section 4. They must be an employee with signatory authority for the employer.

Electronic signatures are permitted.

Evaluation on student progress

Leave the Evaluation on Student Progress sections blank, since you have not yet begun your STEM OPT Extension training at the time you are applying for STEM OPT. Per reporting requirements, you will be required to submit an Evaluation on Student Progress while on STEM OPT at your 12-month and 24-month marks, as well as any time you change employers.

Changing Employers While on STEM OPT 

Employment timeline

STEM OPT Requested Period

Your start date must list the date you start with your employer. The end date should be the date listed on your STEM OPT EAD card.

Section Three

The “Start Date of Employment” must be the date you started working with your current employer.

Section Five

Complete the goals and objectives.

Remember

This field must contain a timeline even if there is only a short period of time remaining on your STEM OPT extension.

12-month self-evaluation

You are required to complete a self-evaluation after being on STEM OPT for 12 months. Evaluate your performance with this employer.

Enter the start date on your STEM OPT EAD card if you have not changed employers while on STEM OPT. If you have changed employers while on STEM OPT, enter your employment start date.

You and your current employer must sign and date the self-evaluation. All parties, including the student, must sign the document. Electronic signatures are permitted

For additional questions: 

• Lucy Dawson, PSDO

• Hardin Administration Building Rm 124

• ACU Box 29204

• Abilene, TX 79699-8226

• Phone: 325-674-2237

• Fax: 325-674-6847