2022 + 2023 STEM OPT list: NEW STEM fields

Update (July 12, 2023): 8 new majors have been added to the 2023 STEM OPT eligible programs list on July 12, 2023. Click here to learn more.

22 new majors have been added to the 2022 STEM OPT eligible programs list on January 21, 2022, by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS).

Given that the CIP code used to be updated or revised in 10 years and the most recent update happened in 2020, this update shows clearly that the Biden administration would like to strengthen the country’s STEM industries and attract more talented students from all over the world.

22 new STEM fields and their CIP codes can be found below. This blog post will also touch upon what is the CIP code and how to confirm your eligibility to participate in the STEM OPT when your major is added to the 2022 STEM OPT list.

Contents

• 22 new STEM OPT eligible majors in 2022
• 8 new STEM OPT eligible majors in 2023
• What is the CIP code and what does it have to do with STEM OPT?
• How to confirm your eligibility to participate in the STEM OPT

22 NEW STEM fields update in 2022

As you can see below, the newly added STEM fields reflect keywords that global leading companies or governments have been focusing on; cloud computing, Data science, interdisciplinary studies, or climate studies.

Another interesting finding is that programs that had not been considered STEM like Industrial and Organizational Psychology as well as Social Sciences, Research Methodology, and Quantitative Methods are now added to the STEM OPT list.

If you are interested in studying any of the following programs in the U.S., now is the perfect time to study and possibly gain 3 years + of work experience in the U.S.

2022 STEM Designated Degree Program List has been officially updated by ICE.gov and can be found here.

8 new STEM OPT eligible majors in 2023

What is the CIP code?

In my previous blog post about the CIP code, I explained what is the CIP code and how you can find it in your I-20:

“CIP stands for the classification of instructional programs and it is listed by the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) at the Department of Education (ED). If you are issued an I-20, you will find the CIP code in your I-20 along with your major. This CIP code is the factor that determines whether you are eligible for a STEM OPT extension or not.

It is worth noting that the school’s program name and CIP Code Title can be different and it is not an issue. For example, as you can see in the table below, each CIP Code has CIP Code Title. Your program might be called something like Agroecology and Agriculture Science, however, your I-20 might say 01.0308 Agroecology and Sustainable Agriculture. Designated School Official (DSO) in your school will cross-check the CIP code with your school’s program and will put the most relevant CIP code in your I-20. Therefore, as long as the CIP code in your I-20 can be found in the table below and it is relevant to your major, the wording doesn’t have to be 100% matched.”

The 17 new majors that were added to the STEM list in 2020 can be found in the following blog post below and the entire STEM OPT eligible programs list can be found in the STEM Designated Degree Program list.

Related blog post: CIP code update 2020; Important concept to get a work visa

How to confirm your eligibility to participate in the STEM OPT

Now you would like to know go to confirm that you can participate in the STEM OPT. As I explained in my previous blog post, the basic rule of thumb is “students should check their major code in the I-20 to confirm their STEM OPT eligibility. If the major code is listed in the STEM Designated Degree Program List, the student is eligible to apply for STEM OPT.”

How about the current students or students who are already participating in the OPT programs?

International students who are currently enrolled in one of the 22 new STEM fields can apply for STEM OPT because the STEM OPT regulations say: students can apply for STEM OPT when they have obtained the STEM degree “at the time” they submit the STEM OPT extension application.

“Therefore no matter you are a new or current student of the STEM-eligible program, if you are going to obtain the degree before you apply for the STEM OPT extension, you can apply for the STEM OPT.

In this light, although your major was a non-STEM major by the time you apply for initial OPT, you may be eligible for STEM OPT, if the program is added later to the STEM eligible program during your STEM OPT application time window.” (quoted from my previous blog post: 2020 STEM CIP CODE; If my major is newly added, can I apply for STEM OPT?)

Hope this helps international students who are interested in studying STEM majors and/or participating in the STEM OPT program. All the important rules and news about STEM OPT can be found here. To learn more about the OPT program, click here.