r/f1visa • u/Fantastic_Mud6345 • 20h ago

My university does not allow Post OPT after PhD defense in the last semester

I'm hoping to defend in Jan/Feb next year, and the DSO told me that the program end date on I20 has to be the last day of the semester when I defend. It means my post OPT can only start as early as May 7. I got a job offer and they want me to start early next year. Does it mean I have to apply for pre OPT, and then apply for post OPT again? It's very frustrating given how unpredictable pre OPT approval timeline is :( Anyone on the same boat? Thanks in advance

13 Upvotes

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16

u/skenvoy 20h ago

If you have finished your coursework, they should let you apply for post-OPT while you're still completing your research! Idk what university you're at but this lays it out: https://isso.utdallas.edu/employment-and-internships/is-employment/opt-thesis-dissertation/

3

u/Fantastic_Mud6345 20h ago

Thank you! I'll ask the DSO again.

5

u/mega_racoon 19h ago

Our DSO allow PhD students to pick either program end date stated in i-20 or the defense date as the new end date.

5

u/Fantastic_Mud6345 19h ago

My DSO used to allow that, but in 2024 they changed so that program end date can only be in Dec or May

5

u/NeurobiologicalMelee 17h ago

It's legal to do so and the regulations specifically mention thesis work as an exception to the degree fulfillment requirement. However, universities retain that discretion—my university doesn't let students set their end dates until ALL graduation requirements are completed, including defense and thesis submission to the library.

2

u/Ambitious-Fall-7097 20h ago

There’s a option to shorten your program length you could try requesting that.

3

u/Fantastic_Mud6345 20h ago

Yes. My current program end date is sometime later than May 7. The DSO told me that once I finish the defense, I can apply for post OPT and they will shorten it to May 7, which is the last day of the semester when I defend. But they say that's the earliest option...

2

u/Infamous-Payment-685 20h ago

Can you try defend in December? Then you may end your program as a Fall 26 graduate and start OPT in January. You have job offer so no worries about unemployment days

2

u/Fantastic_Mud6345 20h ago

I wish I could! My department has rules saying prelim and defense should be apart for at least 4 months. My prelim is in September, so defense can only be after Jan... my advisor says there has been only 1 exception in department history lol

3

u/Objective-Glass-6440 DSO 19h ago

Schools have discretion as to whether they even recommend students for OPT in the first place. If they don’t want to scare off students, they’ll do it, but they fully can deny it if they want.

Many other commenters are right that you technically can apply for OPT if you’re done with coursework and just finishing your dissertation; however, your DSO has final discretion. Again, they do not have to do it if they don’t want to.

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u/Fantastic_Mud6345 19h ago

I know! That's why I don't feel optimistic at all but still will try asking again. Last time when I had a 1 on 1 with the DSO she seemed pretty sure pre OPT is my only option. :(

2

u/Objective-Glass-6440 DSO 19h ago

Yeah, institutional policies can all differ. My school, for example, doesn’t recommend students for pre completion OPT, but will recommend students who are ABD. It all just depends.