For international students in F-1 status, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) recently added eight new fields of study to the list of STEM degrees that qualify for a two-year extension of work authorization.  The eight new fields, which took effect on July 12, 2023, are:

1. Landscape Architecture

2. Institutional Research

3. Mechatronics, Robotics, and Automation Engineering Technology/Technician

4. Composite Materials Technology/Technician

5. Linguistics and Computer Science

6. Developmental and Adolescent Psychology

7. Geospatial Intelligence

8. Demography and Population Studies

The agency’s announcement is available here. 

By way of background, international students in F-1 status are given work authorization for up to 12 months upon completion of their degree program, which is referred to as Optional Practical Training (“OPT”).  F-1 students who study certain STEM fields are eligible for an additional 24 months of work authorization provided they work for an employer that is registered with E-Verify and will supervise their work, which is referred to as STEM OPT. Since the introduction of the STEM OPT program in 2008, the list of eligible fields of study has grown. The full list is available here. 

This alert is for informational purposes only.  Please contact us if you would like to discuss this development further.