News & Updates
Policy updates, employer tracker, processing times, and founder stories — all in one place. Written for F-1 students, by someone on OPT.
Processing times have stretched to 4–5 months at some service centers. Here's the current data, which centers are faster, and exactly how to protect yourself from gaps.
STEM OPT adds 24 months to your runway — but the filing window, E-Verify requirement, and I-983 reporting are all traps. This is the plain-English walkthrough.
This month: Google reinstated OPT sponsorship for New Grad SWE, Amazon scaled back STEM OPT renewals in AWS, and three Chicago-area startups added E-Verify. Full tracker inside.
Arjun Sharma (Wharton MBA '24) launched a B2B SaaS on F-1 OPT, structured his cap table to stay compliant, and closed his first $500K round before his card expired. A full breakdown.
Can you start a company on OPT? Yes — but the structure matters more than the idea. Here's the plain-English breakdown of what USCIS looks for and how to do it right.
About this publication
OPTionality publishes original reporting on F-1 OPT policy, USCIS data, employer OPT participation, and international founder journeys. All articles are written or reviewed by Guillaume, a Belgian-Swiss founder currently on OPT (Kellogg MBA '26). This is peer navigation — not legal advice.