STEM OPT I-983 Training Plan 30 sample answers

Update 1: Per the USCIS announcement on September 2023, STEM OPT applicants can submit electronically signed Form I-983. Specifically, students and employers can use electronic signatures produced with software programs or applications. Also, students and employers can use digitally reproduced copies of signatures meaning scanned images of a physical signature.

Update 2: Additionally, electronically signed Form I-983 can also be submitted to DSO via email or “through a secure platform that students can access with individual account credentials.”

International students, who majored in one of the STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) programs and meet the STEM OPT requirements, can apply for the 24-month extension of the OPT program. (To learn more about STEM OPT eligibility, the application process, and required application documents, click the related blog posts below.)

Related blog post 1: STEM OPT eligibility, process, required documents
Related blog post 2: How to file Form I-765 online for OPT, STEM OPT

Completing the I-983 Training Plan is an essential part of completing your STEM OPT application because DSO makes recommendations based on the completed Form I-983. If students don’t have a clear understanding of what to write and how to write each section, DSOs might ask students to make edits. This, in turn, causes longer processing times.

Therefore, this post will introduce how to write the I-983 Training Plan and provide sample answers for STEM OPT applicants. If you are working on the I-983 Training Plan, follow along with the post and check out how to answer each question correctly.

Contents

• What is the I-983 Training Plan and where to get it?
• Page 1; how to complete section 1 and 2
• Page 2; how to complete section 3 and 4
• Page 3; I-983 Training Plan sample answers
• Page 4 and 5

What is the I-983 Training Plan and where to get it?

U.S. federal official website Study in the States says: “The formal training plan must clearly articulate the STEM OPT student’s learning objectives and affirm the employer’s commitment to helping the student achieve those objectives.”

The same webpage has the link to the Form I-983 Training Plan document. Please note that the current version says the expiration date of the current Form I-983 is May 31, 2025. Therefore, if you are completing the form I-983, check out the Study in the States webpage or search the form on Google to find the most updated version of form I-983.

Update on March 2023: The expiration date of Form I-983 has been updated to 5/31/2025. To access the most recent form click here.

Page 1; how to complete section 1 and 2

The first page of Form I-983 is about student information and it’s where I find most mistakes. The below image is to give you an overview of how to complete section 1 and I will explain further in the next paragraph.

Values that you enter in section 1 including student name, name of the school, SEVIS school code, student SEVID ID, and CIP code should be matched with your Form I-20. Please find the below information where students make the most mistakes:

• STEM OPT Requested Period: The STEM OPT program “extends” your OPT period. Therefore, the “FROM” date should be the next day of your OPT end date. Use the Date Calculator and add 24 months from the FROM date to calculate the TO date.
• Based on Prior Degree: If you are applying for the STEM OPT program based on the most recent degree that you earned, check “No.” I-983 Instructions says “Check ‘Yes’ if your STEM OPT participation is based on a previously‐obtained STEM degree and is not the same degree upon which your current post completion OPT was granted.”

There’s nothing particularly difficult field to answer in Section 2. However, note that the STEM OPT applicant should print out the form and sign with a pen. Electronic signature will not be allowed.

Page 2; how to complete section 3 and 4

Section 3 and 4 in page 2 of the Form I-983 are about employer information. Thus, students will have to reach out to their supervisors, HR representatives etc to get the information to enter the field or they can simply have their employers to complete the sections.

Page 3; I-983 Training Plan sample answers

Now this page is where you get to explain how your employment will deepen your knowledge or skills that you obtained during your study. From next paragraphs, you will learn what are the things that the form is asking and how to complete each section. STEM OPT applicants can simply switch “[ ]” sections to customize their answers.

Student Role

The form says “Describe the student’s role with the employer and how that role is directly related to enhancing the student’s knowledge obtained through his or her qualifying STEM degree.”

When DSOs recommend STEM OPT for the student in SEVIS, they need to write the student’s position title. However, form I-983 doesn’t ask for the student’s position title. Therefore, it is good practice to include the student’s position title in the first section. For example, look at the first sample answer below.

1. The student is working as [position title] and responsible for [projects and tasks]. The student is required to utilize the knowledge and skills that are obtained from her [degree program or list courses that students had taken] to perform her position.
2. The students majored in [degree program] where he/she studied [related knowledge or skills]. By working as a [position title] at [employer name], the student will enhance his knowledge and skills.
3. The everyday tasks will deepen his/her knowledge in [degree program/ related skills] to attain a high level of both theoretical and practical understanding of his/her major. 
4. The student will be working as a [position title] and the responsibilities are [examples of responsibilities]. This every exposure to the responsibilities will train the student to attain a higher level of understanding of his/her [degree program].
5. The student is working as [position title] at [employer]. While working in this position, the student is able to apply his/her academic knowledge in [degree program[ and obtain experience in the field of [field]. 

Goals and Objectives

The form says “Describe how the assignment(s) with the employer will help the student achieve his or her specific objectives for work-based learning related to his or her STEM degree. The description must both specify the student’s goals regarding specific knowledge, skills, or techniques as well as the means by which they will be achieved.”

To illustrate your goals and objectives, you can use the following sentences:

1. The student will learn [goals regarding specific knowledge, skills, or techniques]. By doing [projects and tasks-how can the goals be achieved?], the student can learn [goals] as well. 
2. The student’s specific objective at [the employer] is to enhance his/her [knowledge/skills] that he learned at [the university name]. 
3. Working at [the employer] has helped him to obtain/be/deepen [goals].
4. The student’s goal is to enhance his/her knowledge and gain professional experience in learning the tools and techniques used in [knowledge/ skills]. The projects will get his/her hands-on experience with [examples of works]. 
5. The main goal of this training and work assignment is to provide the student with theoretical and practical hands-on experience in [field] using [knowledge/skills]. 
6. The student will acquire this knowledge and skills set through [examples of tasks and projects].

Employer Oversight

The form says “Explain how the employer provides oversight and supervision of individuals filling positions such as that being filled by the named F-1 student. If the employer has a training program or related policy in place that controls such oversight and supervision, please describe.“

You can write the following expressions to write about the oversight and supervision:

1. The student will be instructed on [how] by [who]. 
2. The student is provided with [trained/certified personnel/ online instruction] to perform the job. 
3. I will be the supervisor for the student and provide [instructions].
4. The student will receive on-the-job training for knowledge in [tasks/ goals].
5. The student is required to receive continuing internal training, attend online classes, and seminars as part of the learning process.
6. The student works under the supervisor of the [supervisor title]. 
7. [The employer] requires continuing training that is evaluated as part of the employer’s work performance. This includes [examples of the training].
8. The student works under the supervision of and trained by the [supervisor] at [employer]. Training oversight will be provided as necessary by the division supervisor. In addition, the student is required to successfully complete internal training courses, tutorials, and training plans as they apply to this work responsibilities and training goals. 
9. The student will be given assignments that are closely monitored by [whom]. 
10. The student will be working with his/her supervisor. The student will take part in regular weekly meetings which touch upon [related tasks]. 
11. The student will report his/her [tasks] to her supervisor regularly. 

Measures and Assessments

The form says “Explain how the employer measures and confirms whether individuals filling positions such as that being filled by the named F-1 student are acquiring new knowledge and skills. If the employer has a training program or related policy in place that controls such oversight and supervision, please describe.” 

Students can better explain measures and assessments by using the following sentences.

1. Employer will provide/designate [position title] to teach, train and verify performance associated with [the task].
2. The student will submit a [weekly/monthly/annual] review to evaluate the student’s skill, knowledge, and ability to perform the position. 
3. The student’s performance will be reviewed [weekly/monthly/annually] and guidance and adjustments will be made to ensure the student meets the goal. 
4. The [supervisor] will monitor the [project/task] to determine if the student is meeting the performance standards in the role of [the position title].
5. The student’s performance is reviewed by [HR/supervisor/department] every [how often you will be reviewed] to see if his/her training goal is met.
6. The student will participate in regularly scheduled performance evaluations conducted by his/her supervisor. The student will also be assessed to ensure that [knowledge, skills, and techniques] meet the goals. 
7. The supervisor monitors specific work assignments to determine if the student is meeting company performance standards and the work is compliant with applicable regulatory requirements.
8. The student is subjected to periodic reviews and evaluations to ensure that the student possesses the necessary [knowledge and skills]. 

Page 4 and 5

If you have completed the form all the way to page 3, it’s time to have your supervisor sign and date on page 4. The I-983 instructions say “The individual who signs this Certification (of section 6) need not be, but can be, the same individual who signed the Employer Certification in Section 4.”

In terms of page 5, you are not required to fill it out at the time of applying for the STEM OPT. To learn more about how to complete page 5 and STEM OPT reporting requirements, click the following article.

Related blog post: Important STEM OPT reporting requirements

All the information and regulations about STEM OPT application as well as case studies like “what should I do if I don’t receive the EAD card and my OPT end date is near” can be found on the STEM OPT page.