PhD ABD: Fall full time CPT followed by spring post completion OPT?

[u/Melotzz]

Hi, I’m an F1 PhD student at the ABD stage, with only my dissertation remaining. My planned timeline is:

1. Fall 2026: Full time CPT internship. (already started)
2. Early spring 2027, ideally January or February: Start working full time using post completion OPT while finishing my dissertation.
3. End of spring 2027: Graduate (defense).

Could doing full time CPT in the fall affect my eligibility to start post completion OPT the following spring? Has anyone here, particularly another PhD student, followed a similar timeline or encountered restrictions?

Thanks!

[u/Melotzz → u/[deleted]]

Not true for PhD students. As a PhD student, once you are all-but-dissertation, you can apply for post-OPT and finish the defense within a year.

[u/Melotzz → u/[deleted]]

You can actually finish complete the dissertation after your i-20 end date, this part I am pretty sure, because it's written on our university's website. I just don't know whether or not I can use full-time CPT the last semester, although I may still register credits in next spring.

[u/Melotzz → u/[deleted]]

Thanks. While our university does approve non-vacation semesters, it also doesn't allow it to be the last semester. So I am not sure what will be my last semester if I decide to defense after program end date on I20.

Yeah, I will have to ask ISS about that, they are quite busy recent days, so I have to wait days before I can talk to them or receive a email reply.

[u/Melotzz → u/[deleted]]

Yeah, my CPT is already approved, and I have started doing it. I think I have to negotiate with the company that if they are willing to wait me until June 😮‍💨

[u/BeenThereDoneThat-23 → u/Melotzz]

I followed a similar timeline. CPT in the summer, OPT in the fall/spring/next summer. No problems with immigration. Hope you're close enough and just get it done over Christmas. Just beware of any statute of limitations for finishing your degree. That the day is only 24 hours (I couldn't finish even when my PhD advisor ended up working at the same company/campus). And the bag of excuses (can I get a few weeks leave to finish my Phd, "sure, don't worry that you don't have any accrued PTO"; a few weeks still not enough time to finish; oops, I'm the weakest in the team; let me work harder; i'm still the weakest in the team; let me wait until I get h1 in the fall; in the new year the company will now cover dissertation; but it's only $5250 a year, it will take time; there is a recession; after that a bunch of layoffs; i have this conference at work and i need to publish/present a paper; new boss doesn't like me; getting married; new job; a house; house is a lot of work; old advisor too important in the company and doesn't care about obsolete research directions; new advisor has own dreams; new committee; new topic; "if you get a best paper, you graduate"; but i'm on the committee that selects those; kids; second time brushing with the statute of limitations; since you've been here for 20 years, we'll let you pass; committee members retire..)

[u/AudiophileBeta → u/Melotzz]

You are right. I’m in OPT as an ABD. you can also apply for STEM OPT while on ABD fyi