United States · F-1 Optional Practical Training
OPT unemployment days calculator.
Enter your OPT start date, today's date and your jobs. The tool counts every day without a qualifying job and compares the total with the regulatory limit.
Post-completion OPT allows an aggregate of 90 days of unemployment. With a 24-month STEM extension the total across both periods is 150 days, and it includes days already used. SEVIS keeps the official count.
The rule
8 CFR 214.2(f)(10)(ii)(E) says that during post-completion OPT, F-1 status depends on employment, and a student may not accrue an aggregate of more than 90 days of unemployment during any post-completion OPT period. A student granted the 24-month STEM extension may not accrue more than 150 days of unemployment across the total OPT period, including the post-completion period and the extension. The 150 is a ceiling on the combined total, not an extra 150.
How SEVIS counts
The SEVIS Help Hub explains that SEVIS looks back to the actual OPT start date for that period and counts each day without employer information as an unemployed day. For STEM OPT the days accrued include any accrued during post-completion OPT. You can see Days Allowed, Days Accrued and Days Remaining under the Employment Information page in SEVIS. Because the count depends on what your school's DSO has recorded, the official number can differ from yours if an employer was never reported.
What counts as employment
SEVP's 2010 policy guidance, which predates the 2016 STEM rule and whose 120-day STEM figure is superseded by the regulation, says a student on post-completion OPT must work at least 20 hours per week in a qualifying job to be considered employed, averaged over a month if the schedule varies. Every day, including weekends, without qualifying employment counts as unemployed. The clock starts on the employment start date on the EAD. If a replacement EAD is issued because the original was never received, the clock starts after the replacement is issued. Time outside the U.S. during approved OPT counts as unemployment unless the student is employed on employer-authorized leave or traveling for the job. The same guidance allows multiple employers, work for hire (1099), a business you own, and unpaid work that is at least 20 hours a week where it does not violate labor law, all related to your degree. ICE says to report changes in employer and loss of employment to your DSO within 10 days.
How the tool counts
It treats every calendar day from your OPT start date through the as-of date, both included, as unemployed unless it falls inside one of the jobs you enter. Overlapping jobs are merged so a day is never counted as employed twice. An open-ended job runs through the as-of date. Then it subtracts from the limit, and if there is room it shows the last day you could stay unemployed and the date a qualifying job should start by.
Worked example
A hypothetical student's OPT starts June 1, 2026. The first job begins August 15 and ends November 30. Counting through December 10:
- June 1 to August 14 is 75 days without a job.
- August 15 to November 30 is covered by the job.
- December 1 to December 10 is 10 more days.
- Total accrued: 85 of 90, so 5 days left. The last day the student can be unemployed is December 15, and a qualifying job should start by December 16.
Mistakes to avoid
- Counting only business days. Weekends count.
- Treating a volunteer role or a few hours a week as employment.
- Forgetting that travel abroad can count as unemployment.
- Starting the count at graduation rather than the EAD start date.
- Counting the STEM extension as a fresh 150. It is a combined total.
- Assuming the count in a spreadsheet matches SEVIS. Reporting gaps change SEVIS.
What this does not cover
The grace period after OPT ends, cap-gap extensions, consequences of exceeding the limit, and SEVIS data errors. It cannot see what your employer reported. Talk to your DSO if your numbers are close to the limit.
Sources
- eCFR: 8 CFR 214.2(f)(10)(ii)(E) — Periods of unemployment during post-completion OPT: 90 days, and 150 days with the 24-month extension.
- Study in the States: Unemployment Counter — How SEVIS counts days; page updated July 27, 2026.
- SEVP Policy Guidance 1004-03 (April 2010) — 20 hours per week, weekends, EAD start, travel. Older than the 2016 STEM rule.
- ICE: Practical training — Report changes within 10 days (page updated 12/10/2024).
Retrieved October 2026. The 20-hour rule comes from 2010 guidance; confirm it with your DSO.
Frequently asked questions
How many days of unemployment are allowed on OPT?
The regulation allows an aggregate of 90 days of unemployment during post-completion OPT. Students with the 24-month STEM extension may not accrue more than 150 days across the whole OPT period, including the post-completion period.
Do weekends and holidays count as unemployment days on OPT?
Under SEVP's 2010 guidance, every day, including weekends, without qualifying employment counts as a day of unemployment. SEVIS counts each day without employer information.
How many hours a week count as employed on OPT?
SEVP's 2010 guidance says a student on post-completion OPT must work at least 20 hours per week in a qualifying position, and a variable schedule should average out to at least 20 hours within a month.
Does unpaid volunteering stop the OPT unemployment clock?
The 2010 SEVP guidance allows unpaid work only if it is at least 20 hours per week, related to the degree, and consistent with labor law, and the student must be able to document the hours. Confirm any volunteer role with your DSO before relying on it.
When does the OPT unemployment count start?
SEVIS counts from the actual OPT start date for that period, which is the employment start date shown on the EAD under SEVP's 2010 guidance.
Does time outside the United States count as unemployment?
Under the 2010 SEVP guidance, time outside the U.S. during approved post-completion OPT counts as unemployment unless the student is employed on employer-authorized leave or is traveling as part of the job.
Does the 150 days for STEM OPT include the 90 days?
Yes. SEVIS says the days accrued for STEM OPT include any accrued during post-completion OPT, and the regulation sets 150 days as the total across both periods.
Where can I see my official OPT unemployment count?
In SEVIS, the Employment Information page shows Days Allowed, Days Accrued and Days Remaining for the OPT period. Your designated school official can also confirm it.
Not legal or tax advice
This page counts days from dates you enter using the regulation and published SEVP guidance. SEVIS holds the official count and this is not legal advice. Check with your designated school official before relying on any number.