Let me share a true 'horror story' of #academia titled #STEMOPT. Imagine being an #internationalstudent in a #globapandemic #COVID19 and finishing a #PhD while navigating this process. read on... 
In layman terms OPT from #USCIS is required for all #internationalstudents in Masters' and PhD programs to legally work in the US after completing the degree. My application got approved last week amidst the possibility that new OPT approvals might be cancelled for the year. sigh
For OPT approval we have to.
Convince PIs and school to sign off, pay (~$500), Select a program end date which is neither the date of thesis defense nor the commencement. It is a hypothetical date that your PIs and school believe you'll be able to complete all requirements by.
Convince PIs and school to sign off, pay (~$500), Select a program end date which is neither the date of thesis defense nor the commencement. It is a hypothetical date that your PIs and school believe you'll be able to complete all requirements by.
We have to select a start date which is imaginary if you don't have a job lined up (extremely rare).No one knows how long the approval from USCIS will take and they have the right to make changes to the date you provided which can delay or terminate your employment.
After approval we get 90 days to get a permanent employment or leave the country. #immigrationpolicy
Moral of the story:Completing a PhD successfully and getting a job is trumped by keeping the PIs and department happy, government decisions, and the ability to imagine jobs starting on a particular day. Of course I made a panel of figures to support my statements #academicchatter
I am thankful to @UMassChemEng @UMassAmherst and @UMassIPO for making this process easier for me. Best of luck to everyone who is currently going through this!
@threadreaderapp unroll please!
