STEM OPT Ending and No H-1B? Your Options
If your STEM OPT is ending and you have no H-1B selection, your main options are a cap-exempt H-1B, an O-1 visa, a dependent status, a new degree, or leaving and continuing from abroad. STEM OPT cannot be extended again on the same degree, so start planning at least six months before your end date.
Every job is from an employer that filed H1Bs in 2025. See which ones fit your resume.
Check your timeline first
- Your STEM OPT end date and unemployment days left out of 150.
- Whether a petition was filed for you. Only a selected, timely cap-subject petition gives cap-gap.
- When the next H-1B registration runs. It is usually in March.
- Your grace period. Under the rules in force on October 21, 2026, it is 60 days, with no work allowed.
Cap-exempt H-1B
Universities, their affiliated nonprofits, nonprofit research organizations and government research organizations can file H-1B petitions any time, with no lottery.
ICE's top OPT employer lists include many universities, so these roles exist for STEM graduates. See cap-exempt employers and H1B sponsors.
| Employer | H-1B filings | Transfers | Median pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Amazon.Com Services LLC | 14,047 | 2,382 | $155k |
| Cognizant Technology Solutions US CorpGC frozen | 10,209 | 872 | $110k |
| Ernst & Young U.S. LLP | 9,808 | 269 | $143k |
| Google LLC | 7,899 | 844 | $186k |
| Microsoft CorporationGC frozen | 7,840 | 879 | $173k |
| Tata Consultancy Services LimitedGC frozen | 7,287 | 353 | $86k |
O-1 and other statuses
The O-1A is for extraordinary ability. USCIS requires evidence in at least three of the listed categories, plus an advisory opinion. There is no cap or lottery.
If your spouse holds H-1B, L-1 or another qualifying status, you may change to dependent status. Some dependents can work. See our H-4 EAD guide.
A new degree, and Day 1 CPT
A higher-level STEM degree can lead to new OPT and a second STEM OPT extension later. Starting the new program ends your current work permission.
Some programs offer CPT from the first term, often marketed to people in your position. Since August 2026, SEVP guidance says CPT must be required for every student in the program. A lawsuit filed October 5, 2026 challenges that guidance.
Day 1 CPT can draw questions in later H-1B and green card cases. Read Day 1 CPT risks and our Day 1 CPT checklist first.
Working from abroad and trying again
Some employers move you to a foreign office and register you in the next lottery. Since FY 2027, selection is weighted by wage level. See the wage-based lottery.
A petition for someone abroad means consular processing, which the $100,000 H-1B payment targets. A court vacated the guidance on June 8, 2026, but DHS says it would collect if the order is lifted. See the $100,000 fee.
After one continuous year abroad with a multinational, an L-1 transfer may also become possible.
If you have a green card case
A pending PERM or I-140 does not by itself let you stay after STEM OPT. Ask the employer's attorney whether any filing gives you a way to remain.
Leaving on time
If none of these fit, leave within your grace period. A clean record helps future visa applications. Stay in touch with your manager. Many people return on H-1B, O-1 or L-1 later.
This is general information, not legal advice. Confirm your situation with your DSO or an immigration attorney.
Questions
Can I get another STEM OPT extension?
Only with a new STEM degree at a higher level. You cannot extend twice on the same degree.
What if I was not selected in the H-1B lottery?
You do not get cap-gap that year. You can work until STEM OPT ends and look at cap-exempt employers, O-1, or another lottery season.
Is Day 1 CPT a safe option?
It carries real risk. SEVP narrowed CPT in August 2026, and attorneys warn it can draw questions in later H-1B and green card cases.
Does the $100,000 fee apply if I go abroad and get H-1B?
USCIS guidance applied it to consular cases. A court vacated that guidance on June 8, 2026, but DHS says it would collect if the order is lifted.
How long can I stay after STEM OPT ends?
Under the rules in force on October 21, 2026, you get 60 days to leave or change status. You cannot work in that time.
Sources
- USCIS: Optional Practical Training Extension for STEM Students
- USCIS: H-1B Specialty Occupations
- USCIS: O-1 Visa for Individuals with Extraordinary Ability or Achievement
- USCIS: L-1A Intracompany Transferee Executive or Manager
- Boston University ISSO: Additional SEVP Guidance Further Restricts CPT Eligibility (Aug. 28, 2026)
- Carnegie Mellon OIE: Lawsuit Challenging CPT Changes (Oct. 8, 2026)
- Federal Register: Weighted Selection Process for Cap-Subject H-1B Petitions (Dec. 29, 2025)
- NAFSA: Legal challenge to the duration of status rule (updated Oct. 2, 2026)
