Second OPT

[tomtom12]

Hi

I came to the USA for a Masters in 2008 and after graduating worked on OPT for 4-5 months. I had been awarded a 12 month OPT but I cut it short and transferrred to a PhD program on a F1. After the PhD program I worked for the about 10 months. Now I am transferrring into a terminal masters in a slightly different field.

 

My question is since I did not utilise the full 12 months at the Masters level would this count as splitting of the OPT i.e. will I get the remaining 7-8 months of OPT after the second Master's?

 

My DSO is not sure. I have been searching but havent found anything so far.

 

Anyone with a similar experience or knowledge of how this is viewed by the USCIS?

 

Thanks in advance

Tom

[jairichi]

No more OPT for you. Master's and PhD OPTs are gone whether you used or not.

[rahul412]

No that's not possible.Only one OPT no matter how many master degrees you have.

[t75]

I would question the legitimacy of the school if the DSO cannot answer a simple question.

[vara.neni]

I think you cannot anyhow use Masters OPT as you need to apply OPT in certain interval, 60 days grace period at the end of school. Not sure whether you can extend Ph.D OPT.

[JoeF]

It is simply not possible.

I've a person has gotten 12 months of OPT for one educational level, the person can only get OPT for a higher educational level. Since the PhD is the highest level, no more OPT is possible. And any old OPT is gone when a person enrolls in another college program.