OPT All-in-One Calculator: OPT + STEM Extension + Cap-Gap Timeline
Puts the 12 months of post-completion OPT, the 24-month STEM extension and the H-1B cap-gap on one timeline, so you can see how many chances you have left if you aren't selected in the H-1B lottery.
OPT and STEM OPT calculator
Complete OPT timeline with STEM extension and H-1B cap-gap calculations
The program end date on your I-20
STEM OPT options
How the Three Periods Connect
Period 1: 12 months of OPT
12 months counted from your EAD start date. Total unemployment can't exceed 90 days.
Period 2: 24-month STEM extension
If your degree is in STEM and your employer is enrolled in E-Verify, you can apply for a 24-month extension, filed within 90 days before your current OPT expires. The unemployment limit rises to 150 days in total.
Period 3: cap-gap
If an H-1B change-of-status petition is accepted on time while your OPT or STEM OPT is valid, your status is automatically extended to April 1 of the following year or the H-1B start date, whichever comes first (the rule since January 17, 2025). Altogether this can cover up to three H-1B lottery years.
Frequently Asked Questions
- How many lottery chances do non-STEM graduates get?
- Usually only the window covered by 12 months of OPT — in most cases one or two, depending on when you graduate.
- Does a second master's degree give me another OPT?
- You get a new OPT for each higher degree level. Another degree at the same level generally does not give you a new OPT.
Sources: Data and Law
Related Tools
This tool gives estimates based on public regulations and government data, for reference only. It is not legal advice. We are not a law firm. Every case is different — talk to an immigration lawyer before making a decision.