If you are on an F-1 student visa, you probably have heard of the Optional Practical Training (OPT) benefit of the F-1 visa, which allows for 12 months of off-campus work authorization. Although most international students usually use this benefit after they graduate (Post-Completion OPT), I happened to apply for Pre-Completion OPT for the summer break in my sophomore year, which is much less common.
It all started when I saw a job posted on the Health Careers Chronical – a newsletter that I receive every week. I was very excited to find a job opening for an eyewear consultant at LensCrafters. It was a wonderful opportunity to me, as I always wanted to be an optometrist. I applied for this job right away, drafting a cover letter, editing my updated resume, pasting my reference list, and sending my application within a half hour. One week later, I got an invitation for an interview from Alyssa, the manager of the LensCrafters store located in the Marketplace Mall. Knowing that I was one step closer to this dream job, I did lots of research and practiced my speaking many times in front of the mirror. The actual interview wasn’t bad, especially after I told Alyssa that I was a pre-optometry student and had a basic knowledge of different kinds of glasses. Soon, I heard back from the manager. She had decided to extend me an offer!
It seemed that everything was perfect, until I realized that as an F-1 student, I was not automatically authorized to work off-campus, and because my department did not have an internship course, I was not eligible for Curricular Practical Training.
I was very frustrated, but still hoping that there might be an option that would allow me to accept this job. So I went to ISSS and an advisor there brought me good news, which was that I could use this offer from LensCrafters to apply for Pre-Completion OPT. However, to be eligible for this application, I would need an official letter from my employer. Knowing this, I was a little bit intimidated but still went to the store, hoping to explain my situation to her. I told her everything from the beginning, including the fact that I had not paid attention to the eligibility requirements for this job because I was so excited. Eventually, I asked if she’d be willing to write me an official offer letter to help me apply for Pre-Completion OPT. To my surprise, she agreed and told me that she’d be happy to not only write a letter, but also to reserve a position for me until I got an Optional Practical Training Employment Authorization Document (EAD) card. In addition, she asked me to submit a background check online so that I could start working immediately after I got my EAD card. You may not believe this, but I was shedding tears because of her acts of kindness and understanding.
After another two and a half months of waiting, I got an official Pre-Completion OPT EAD card and, since my background check was also cleared, I finally started to work as a part-time eyewear consultant. Now, looking back, I still think that it was not an easy process, especially when I had to inconvenience other people to solve my problem. Yet, thanks to the information, support and trust that I received from others, I found my second option and felt I had done something unbelievable. On the other hand, one lesson that I learned after this experience was that I should pay more attention to the F-1 eligibility requirements before I apply for any job positions or internships.
It is important to note that while Pre-Completion OPT worked in my situation, it is mostly for students who are not eligible for Curricular Practical Training, meaning that it is not the most common choice for off-campus work authorization. If you have any questions and concerns about Off-Campus Work Authorization, you can always check this link at http://isss.illinois.edu/students/employment/f1em ploy.html or make an appointment with an ISSS advisor online at https://my.isss.illinois.edu/advising/.