Rather than apply for OPT early in the semester, isnt it a better idea to wait until I have a job offer?
If you wait until you have a job offer before you apply for OPT, you risk delaying the start of your employment, which can, in turn, often mean losing the job offer. It can take up to 90 days to receive OPT work authorization and most employers are unwilling to wait that long to fill a position. ISSS does not recommend dependence upon Curricular Practical Training gap-fill employment until your OPT is approved. The purpose of CPT is for the purpose of meeting an integral curricular component within your degree program and not merely to facilitate work authorization to begin employment. Therefore, CPT is not an option if you have a job offer for a full-time, benefit eligible position and you have completed the degree requirements for your program of study.
