STEM OPT Extension Application

Please work through each of the sections in this request in the order they are presented. The information contained in this request is extremely important and outlines the STEM OPT extension application process and regulatory information. You will need to schedule an appointment with the International Student Support team when you have all of your documents together and have completed this request. 

Health Insurance
We highly recommend that international students currently on OPT or STEM OPT work authorization maintain active medical insurance coverage while living and working in the United States. Health care in the U.S. can be extremely costly, and having a comprehensive insurance plan helps protect against unexpected medical expenses. You will first want to check with your employer to see if your position is eligible for medical insurance benefits. If not, two insurance providers that many international students have successfully used are ISO and GeoBlue. You can explore plan options and enroll directly through their websites: ISO OPT Plans and GeoBlue for Inbound International Travelers. We encourage students to review each provider's offerings carefully to choose the plan that best fits their needs. 

Please allow 3-5 business days for processing immigration-related requests. If you need to resubmit this request for any reason, the processing timeline will restart from the date of the new submission.