Seattle Colleges International Programs presents... Conversations with!
Seattle Colleges International Programs presents... Conversations with!
S3E25: Seattle Colleges Conversations with! Associate Director of International Student Services Shunsuke Kanazawa
In this our twenty-fifth episode (25th) of Season 3, Seattle Colleges host Evan Franulovich interviews Associate Director of International Student Services Shunsuke Kanazawa all about Optional Practical Training (OPT), which is temporary employment that is directly related to an F-1 student’s major area of study.
Everything you want to know about OPT is in this episode!
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Evan Franulovich 0:05
Welcome to Seattle Colleges International Programs and our show 'Conversations with!', where we talk to people that help you understand how you too, can be an international student in the United States and why Seattle Colleges should be your first choice. We'll talk to students and staff and agents and government folks, all kinds of people about what you can expect when you're getting ready to apply or travel here, what you'll experience while you're with us, and how it can all lead to an amazing life. Don't forget to check out the Seattle Colleges International Programs website at intl.seattlecolleges.edu where you can find a treasure trove of information about the school, the programs here and best of all, fill out and submit your application. Again, that's intl.seattlecolleges.edu.
Evan Franulovich 1:07
Hey everybody! Welcome back to Seattle Colleges 'Conversation with!', here at Seattle Central College in beautiful downtown Seattle. Welcome back, Shun! Now you may not recognize him, because last time he did this podcast, it was audio only.
Shunsuke Kanazawa 1:24
Yeah, that's right.
Evan Franulovich 1:25
Now you get to see the handsome. Can you introduce yourself? It's actually important to introduce yourself, because you've actually been promoted since the last time I talked to you.
Shunsuke Kanazawa 1:36
I transitioned to a new role. So my name is Shun. I am the Associate Director of International Student Services here at Seattle Colleges. So before we did a podcast interview, that was how many years ago, I can't remember.
Evan Franulovich 1:50
Two years.
Shunsuke Kanazawa 1:51
Two years. At that time, I was an International Student Advisor, primary at North Campus. But now I transition to my new role, where I travel to all three campuses.
Evan Franulovich 2:02
Putting miles on the car.
Shunsuke Kanazawa 2:04
That's right.
Evan Franulovich 2:05
Do you have to drive?
Shunsuke Kanazawa 2:08
I do. I could take light rail, but still it takes about the same time. So it's easier for me to just drive down.
Evan Franulovich 2:16
Yeah, I take the light rail pretty much everywhere I go, except for South, because there is no light rail that goes out south.
Shunsuke Kanazawa 2:21
Not yet.
Evan Franulovich 2:22
Not yet. Maybe one day, please that'd be great. But the bus isn't too bad. The 125 takes you right up. So what's the difference between the job you were doing as an advisor and what you're doing now? Like, what are your additional duties?
Shunsuke Kanazawa 2:36
Yeah, so I was a primary advisor for students at North. So I was providing academic and immigration advising to students attending North Seattle College, but now I oversee front desk managers at three campuses, and I do sort of support for advising at three campuses.
Evan Franulovich 2:58
Gotcha.
Shunsuke Kanazawa 2:59
So if there's a need for advising support, then I will be putting on a advisor hat, and then I support advisors.
Evan Franulovich 3:09
Like you did today when I came into your office an hour early. You advise, that's really great. So you like being at each of the campuses? That must be kind of cool.
Shunsuke Kanazawa 3:21
I do. Each campus has such a unique culture and people. And I love interacting with students from different campuses, and different campuses have different programs.
Evan Franulovich 3:32
That's true.
Shunsuke Kanazawa 3:33
Yeah, each day is a different day, and I love being at three campuses.
Evan Franulovich 3:38
Nice.
Shunsuke Kanazawa 3:39
Yeah.
Evan Franulovich 3:39
Well, we're gonna get into the information that you've probably all joined us for. We are focusing just on one particular aspect of what goes on here, called OPT. You want to tell them what OPT stands for?
Shunsuke Kanazawa 3:55
OPT stands for 'Optional Practical Training.'
Evan Franulovich 3:58
Yeah.
Shunsuke Kanazawa 3:59
Yep.
Evan Franulovich 3:59
Yeah. And we'll talk about what that means. But before we get into that, before we get into OPT, you all should know that Shun just finished a marathon, which is pretty awesome.
Shunsuke Kanazawa 4:12
Yes, that was my first full marathon.
Evan Franulovich 4:15
That's crazy.
Shunsuke Kanazawa 4:15
Yeah, and I can't believe I did that, but I just feel such a sense of accomplishment, and it was a long time bucket list of mine. So finally I checked the box, and yeah.
Evan Franulovich 4:29
Where was it?
Shunsuke Kanazawa 4:30
It was in Florida.
Evan Franulovich 4:31
It was in Florida.
Shunsuke Kanazawa 4:32
Yeah.
Evan Franulovich 4:32
It's a long ways to go just for marathon. Now, last time I talked to you, you were still a little sore. Is it all passed now?
Shunsuke Kanazawa 4:39
I'm done, and I actually run for the first time since the marathon. So it was kind of weird feeling to be running again, but it feels great.
Evan Franulovich 4:50
Oh, good.
Shunsuke Kanazawa 4:50
Yeah.
Evan Franulovich 4:51
No shin splints?
Shunsuke Kanazawa 4:53
No, no injury.
Evan Franulovich 4:54
Thankfully.
Shunsuke Kanazawa 4:55
Yeah, yeah.
Evan Franulovich 4:57
All right. Do you think you'll do another one?
Shunsuke Kanazawa 5:00
Not full marathon. I think that was one and only.
Evan Franulovich 5:05
Yeah.
Shunsuke Kanazawa 5:05
And I think I'm more inclined to do a half marathon. Half is a lot shorter. You know, half. Yeah, it's, it still is, but it's more enjoyable.
Evan Franulovich 5:18
Right.
Shunsuke Kanazawa 5:18
It doesn't feel like it's a torture.
Evan Franulovich 5:20
It's not torture. I'm curious how you trained to do a full marathon, because I like to run, but, you know, I run 20 minutes and I'm like, 'All right, I want to do something else.' If you train for a marathon, you kind of got to go out there and spend some time on the road.
Shunsuke Kanazawa 5:35
Yeah. So every two weeks, I increased miles by two. So I started maybe, like running five miles, and then two weeks later, I run seven miles, nine miles, and then I got to 17 miles or so. That was, like the maximum that I could have run.
Evan Franulovich 5:55
Yeah.
Shunsuke Kanazawa 5:56
So 26 mile was beyond my imagination, but I did it.
Evan Franulovich 6:02
And when we talked before you told me at one point how many miles in before you hit a wall?
Shunsuke Kanazawa 6:07
20 miles.
Evan Franulovich 6:08
20 miles.
Shunsuke Kanazawa 6:09
Yeah, 20 was the biggest.
Evan Franulovich 6:11
What does that feel like when you hit the wall? I mean, you just don't want to run anymore? You just want to sit down and cry?
Shunsuke Kanazawa 6:16
Physically, mentally, I'm like, 'Can I do this? Can I just quit right now?'
Evan Franulovich 6:21
Right.
Shunsuke Kanazawa 6:21
That was just, you know, physical, mental struggle and fight with myself, but I pushed through.
Evan Franulovich 6:30
Did you stop at any point to eat something?
Shunsuke Kanazawa 6:33
Yeah, yeah. So they're like, water station, banana, snacks and like, yeah, all sorts of, you know, goodies.
Evan Franulovich 6:41
Yeah, yeah.
Shunsuke Kanazawa 6:41
Because you can't, you know, run for, you know, several hours without eating.
Evan Franulovich 6:48
So when you were training for it, did you change your diet in any way?
Shunsuke Kanazawa 6:54
Not as much as I should have. I still love junk food. I love dessert, so not as much as I should have. Yeah, I somehow, you know, managed to do it.
Evan Franulovich 7:07
Right. Have you listened to David Goggins book where he talks about running these 100 milers?
Shunsuke Kanazawa 7:15
No.
Evan Franulovich 7:16
Yeah, he talks about running these 100 mile runs, you know? And I just, it's hard for me to wrap my head around running that far. I mean, a marathon is hard enough, but I was gonna ask you, any idea, any desire, to try something even more ambitious?
Shunsuke Kanazawa 7:33
That's like a above human level.
Evan Franulovich 7:35
Right. But, yeah, there's a lot of people that do it.
Shunsuke Kanazawa 7:38
Yeah, my friends actually do, like, ultra marathon and 100 miles.
Evan Franulovich 7:43
Yes.
Shunsuke Kanazawa 7:44
24 hour marathon. I don't know how they do. It is unimaginable.
Evan Franulovich 7:49
It is unimaginable. But I think, what he kind of talks about in his book is this 40% rule, like we leave a lot on the table, like there's always more in the gas tank, like you and I are having a hard time imagining it, but probably could do it...
Shunsuke Kanazawa 8:05
Yeah.
Evan Franulovich 8:06
...with the right training, the right diet.
Shunsuke Kanazawa 8:08
The right diet.
Evan Franulovich 8:09
The right mental space.
Shunsuke Kanazawa 8:11
Yeah, totally.
Evan Franulovich 8:12
So, yeah, let me know if you ever decide you're gonna do that.
Shunsuke Kanazawa 8:14
I will let you know.
Evan Franulovich 8:16
That'd be cool. What's any other big goals you want to meet in the next year? I mean, you knocked off the marathon.
Shunsuke Kanazawa 8:25
Yeah, I mean in terms of, like, you know, physical exercise, I think marathon was my highest goal. Yeah, I haven't really thought about anything above. But, I still want to continue running for enjoyment and also for my health.
Evan Franulovich 8:46
There you go guys. If you want to know about marathons, check in with Shun, and he can help you a bit. But if you want to know about OPT, Optical Practical Training, he's your guy, and we're going to get into that topic right now.
Shunsuke Kanazawa 8:58
All right.
Evan Franulovich 8:59
We decided we were going to spend a whole podcast talking about this because I had run into a student who was in a bit of a panic, and there's some confusion about timelines. And I'd say, what percentage of our students decide they want to do a OPT?
Shunsuke Kanazawa 9:15
That's a good question. I'd say between 20-30%.
Evan Franulovich 9:19
Okay.
Shunsuke Kanazawa 9:19
Yeah.
Evan Franulovich 9:20
And basically correct me if I'm wrong. OPT is just work that you do following your completion of your program.
Shunsuke Kanazawa 9:28
That's correct. So basically, a student can use the knowledge and skills that they gain through their classes their degree, and apply that to a professional experience.
Evan Franulovich 9:40
Right.
Shunsuke Kanazawa 9:40
So OPT, one of the important thing to remember is to engage in employment that is directly related to their study. So that is a requirement for Optional Practical Training.
Evan Franulovich 9:53
Right. And I read that it seems like that's a little bit open to interpretation. So, If I'm a business major, just about everything out there is doing some sort of business, right? So is it a stretch to say? Oh yeah, I'm a business major, so I want to work at, you know, Amazon. That seems like a reasonable thing, but I'm a business major, and I want to work at a law firm that maybe, how do you decide?
Shunsuke Kanazawa 10:21
Could be. So we don't decide it's a student's responsibility to make that direct connection between employment and what they have studied. And students on OPT are required by law to report their employment, and one of the requirement is to write and explain how the job is related to their field major. So one of the examples that I give students is to use some of the classes that they took and then apply that towards their employment and what they do. So for example, if they can say, I took business law class in my business degree, and I'm applying that skills and knowledge into the employment at a law firm, then I think that's a great explanation.
Evan Franulovich 11:08
Yeah, that makes sense.
Shunsuke Kanazawa 11:09
Yeah.
Evan Franulovich 11:09
Okay, so there's an application that they have to fill out in order to do this, and there they get that opportunity to talk about what they want to do. So I guess going back to, we kind of know what OPT is now, it's work following their degree. They have to make a decision about whether they want to even do OPT or not. You said only a certain percentage do it, what would be the reason for not doing it? Why? Oh, I guess, what are the pros and cons of doing OPT?
Shunsuke Kanazawa 11:41
Pros: Definitely for students to gain professional experience in their major. And when they apply academic experience and professional experience, that is a great combination. That's definitely a biggest pro. Cons: If students have certain timeline of completing their education, then that 12 months of OPT could be a gap year.
Evan Franulovich 12:10
Right.
Shunsuke Kanazawa 12:11
And that could delay their educational goal.
Evan Franulovich 12:14
That's true. I think another pro, I've heard that like they actually get paid, right?
Shunsuke Kanazawa 12:19
Well, it could be paid or unpaid. It doesn't really matter, because the point is to gain professional experience. So it could be unpaid internship or volunteer experience.
Evan Franulovich 12:29
Oh, it could be unpaid.
Shunsuke Kanazawa 12:30
Yes, unpaid internship or volunteer experience within their major. And if it's paid, that's great.
Evan Franulovich 12:38
Sure.
Shunsuke Kanazawa 12:38
You know, earning income, plus, you know, getting hands on skills in your major.
Evan Franulovich 12:43
Right. Okay, I didn't realize. I thought all the positions were paid, so that's not necessarily the case. All right, fair enough. That's cool. So there's another acronym I've heard batted around when I go into the other office, like CPT, which stands for...?
Shunsuke Kanazawa 13:00
Curricular Practical Training.
Evan Franulovich 13:02
All right, so you'll hear CPT and you'll hear OPT and if you haven't come to the United States yet as a student, you may be like, I don't know what these things mean. What is the difference between CPT and OPT?
Shunsuke Kanazawa 13:14
So the shortest answer I can give is, CPT is something that students can pursue while they're in school.
Evan Franulovich 13:22
While they're a student.
Shunsuke Kanazawa 13:23
Yes. So for example, if your program requires internship as graduation requirement, then you can get that employment authorization CPT, to be able to pursue employment or internship or campus to gain that experience.
Evan Franulovich 13:39
Right. So can you give me an example of can you think of a program that requires CPT?
Shunsuke Kanazawa 13:46
Let's see...
Evan Franulovich 13:47
Does culinary require?
Shunsuke Kanazawa 13:48
They do not. They do all the hands on skills in the program on campus.
Evan Franulovich 13:52
Gotcha.
Shunsuke Kanazawa 13:53
So some of the programs that require CPT are, some of the BS programs. They usually have internship components, and students can pursue those requirements off campus. Or if there's any on campus employment that they can apply towards their internship, then they could do that on campus as well.
Evan Franulovich 14:20
Okay. So, OPT they apply for, we'll get into the details of that. But I heard that not only do you apply for it, but you also have to pay to do it.
Shunsuke Kanazawa 14:34
That's correct.
Evan Franulovich 14:35
Is it cheap?
Shunsuke Kanazawa 14:37
It's currently $470 application fee. Well, it's still expensive, you know, in the eye of students.
Evan Franulovich 14:45
Sure.
Shunsuke Kanazawa 14:47
CPT is authorized by international programs, so we DSO authorize CPT. OPT is approved by USCIS, so students will have to apply, submit application to USCIS and pay the application fee of $470.
Evan Franulovich 15:07
Right. We love acronyms here in the United States. So if you're out there listening and you're like, I don't know what USCIS is, what does that stand for?
Shunsuke Kanazawa 15:16
United States Citizenship and...
Evan Franulovich 15:20
Customs and Immigration Services.
Shunsuke Kanazawa 15:23
Yeah.
Evan Franulovich 15:24
Customs and Immigration Services. You're hearing a lot about them on the news.
Shunsuke Kanazawa 15:27
Citizenship and Immigration Services.
Evan Franulovich 15:28
Okay, gotcha. So, yeah, that's who you'll go through when you do the application. All right, very good. So there are also some other scenarios for work. I mean, there's CPT, OPT. Can you think of any others? Like the other day, I ran into a student, and they were looking to do volunteer for credit, but it's not CPT, is it?
Shunsuke Kanazawa 15:54
So volunteer credit is something that Seattle Central College offers, and you can actually engage in volunteer activities with a nonprofit organization, and you can earn credits, and that credits can count towards your graduation requirements. Yeah, so that's the benefit of taking volunteer class and then earn credits.
Evan Franulovich 15:57
Do you have to match up the beginning of that volunteer work with the beginning of a quarter? Or can you just jump in and do that volunteer work anytime and get the credit?
Shunsuke Kanazawa 16:32
So it depends on how many credits they enroll, because depending on the credit number, then the required hours are different.
Evan Franulovich 16:40
Well, that makes sense.
Shunsuke Kanazawa 16:41
Yeah, so when students are not able to complete the required hours within the quarter, I believe there is extension of the quarters that you can pursue and complete the required hours.
Evan Franulovich 16:53
Gotcha. Is there kind of an average number of hours students usually go after when they do volunteer for credit?
Shunsuke Kanazawa 17:01
It's usually one to two credits. That's not too many, and I think that's doable for students to complete within a quarter or so.
Evan Franulovich 17:11
Right. Now, volunteering for credit or CPT are those counted as in person time towards their visa requirement, like they have to have so many credits in person or hybrid to maintain visa status?
Shunsuke Kanazawa 17:26
So volunteer credits, you specifically enroll in that volunteer credit class, I believe they do count as in person.
Evan Franulovich 17:36
Oh, okay.
Shunsuke Kanazawa 17:38
Where is CPT, depending on the program or internship costs that you enroll, it might be online or in person, so that depends on types of internship costs that each campus offer.
Evan Franulovich 17:51
Right. So they should really check with their advisor about how it's gonna work?
Shunsuke Kanazawa 17:56
Or internship coordinator at each campus.
Evan Franulovich 17:58
Okay, they're different people?
Shunsuke Kanazawa 18:01
Yes, so North, Central have different internship coordinators, and South I believe, have work source department that oversees internship.
Evan Franulovich 18:14
I work at Central. Who's our internship coordinator?
Shunsuke Kanazawa 18:17
Karen Kato.
Evan Franulovich 18:19
Okay, there you go. Great, very good. So does the college help you find...? Well, I mean, there's we're talking about three different things. We're really focused on OPT, but let's say I want to do OPT, I want to get that work experience, I want to take some time. Does the college help me find that work or is it all up to me?
Shunsuke Kanazawa 18:44
So I think students should have a good idea of what kind of employment they want to pursue, or location or types of you know, employers.
Evan Franulovich 18:54
Right.
Shunsuke Kanazawa 18:54
But each campus has Career Services, and they can go to those departments to get, you know, job search tips and, you know, practice their job interview skills.
Evan Franulovich 19:09
Right.
Shunsuke Kanazawa 19:10
Edit their resume and cover letter. So these are the types of services that Career Services can provide.
Evan Franulovich 19:16
Gotcha. So if I'm say, an aeronautical engineering major, and I've had this come up a few times, and they're like, 'Oh, I want to start looking for OPT.' They can kind of help connect them with some of the aerospace engineering companies around town.
Shunsuke Kanazawa 19:31
Yeah. And they also, Seattle Colleges uses some app called Handshake, and that's an app that students can use to search for employment within specific field.
Evan Franulovich 19:43
Can you get on handshake from anywhere, or do you have to be on campus to get on it?
Shunsuke Kanazawa 19:47
I believe you can get on it anywhere.
Evan Franulovich 19:49
Okay, yeah. So check with front desk at your campus, and you can talk to them about how to get on handshake. They'll set you in the right direction. I had heard, when I was talking to this student, that there are sometimes better quarters to graduate than others, because the likelihood of your application getting processed by USCIS, it goes faster and it's more likely you won't burn up as much time waiting. Is that true?
Shunsuke Kanazawa 20:21
Unfortunately, it's true. Typically, spring quarter graduate experience longer wait time, because most of the international students in the United States, they're graduating in the spring...
Evan Franulovich 20:34
Of course.
Shunsuke Kanazawa 20:35
...semester quarter.
Evan Franulovich 20:36
Right.
Shunsuke Kanazawa 20:36
And that is when there are more application going into USCIS, and that creates backlog of application. So especially spring quarter graduate, I highly recommend that they apply as early as possible.
Evan Franulovich 20:52
Right, right. But they can't apply too early, right?
Shunsuke Kanazawa 20:55
That's correct. There's a time frame.
Evan Franulovich 20:57
So let's get into the time frame. This is tricky, so listen closely people. Let's talk about that time.
Shunsuke Kanazawa 21:03
Yeah, so when a student is graduating, they can apply as early as 90 days before their graduation day. So graduation day is typically the last day of the final quarter. And during my OPT workshop, which I can talk about later on, I present what date their application window opens. So that's the earliest a student can submit OPT application to USCIS. If they submit earlier than 90 days, 91 days, 92 days before graduation, unfortunately, their application will be denied for applying too early.
Evan Franulovich 21:40
Gotcha.
Shunsuke Kanazawa 21:41
Yeah.
Evan Franulovich 21:42
And the good news is, is the OPT workshop that you do, you offer it pretty regularly, right?
Shunsuke Kanazawa 21:48
Yes. So I offer once a month, but sometimes I offer two times a month, especially when it's closer to graduation, so more students can attend and get more information about how they can apply for OPT.
Evan Franulovich 22:04
Sure. And you know, we have three campuses. So do you do this seminar at each campus?
Shunsuke Kanazawa 22:12
No, I offer OPT workshop virtually.
Evan Franulovich 22:15
Oh, it's virtual?
Shunsuke Kanazawa 22:16
Virtual, yes. So, students can log into their computer on Zoom, anywhere. So that doesn't really restrict students to be at, you know, one location physically.
Evan Franulovich 22:27
Right. That makes a tremendous amount of sense. So how do they sign up for this workshop?
Shunsuke Kanazawa 22:35
Yeah, so I create OPT workshop flyer for each month, and they can go into the URL or scan a QR code on the flyer and then register to attend for OPT workshop.
Evan Franulovich 22:48
Perfect. Pretty easy. That's really great. I don't have to do a full year of OPT do I? Let's say I just want to take six months to work because I don't want to spend too much time? Is that possble?
Shunsuke Kanazawa 23:02
Great question. Yes, it is possible, and it's up to students how long they want to do OPT. So once you are approved for OPT. Yes, you are most likely given 12 months OPT, that's maximum. You get to choose how long you want to do OPT, and after that it depends on your plan, transfer to university or start a new program study or return to your home country? It's really important that they take an action on their immigration record so that OPT doesn't, you know, go on and on while they're not pursuing employment.
Evan Franulovich 23:37
Right, right. So let's say I graduate in the spring, and I just want to spend the summer working and then get right back into it in the fall. That's totally possible?
Shunsuke Kanazawa 23:46
That's totally possible.
Evan Franulovich 23:48
Yep, good idea. So like these guys, like if, let's say you're an environmental studies major and you want to go spend the summer, you know, counting frogs for the Forest Service, totally possible?
Shunsuke Kanazawa 24:01
Totally possible. And OPT can be done anywhere in the entire United States, so it doesn't have to be within Washington state. If you find a great job in New York or Florida or Texas, you can move there and then pursue your employment there.
Evan Franulovich 24:18
That's very cool.
Shunsuke Kanazawa 24:19
Yeah.
Evan Franulovich 24:20
Hawaii?
Shunsuke Kanazawa 24:21
Yeah.
Evan Franulovich 24:23
Why not make it a work-vacation? That would be kind of cool.
Shunsuke Kanazawa 24:26
That be too hard to work.
Evan Franulovich 24:28
What about like Puerto Rico? Could they go to like our commonwealths, or maybe like. US Samoa?
Shunsuke Kanazawa 24:33
That's a great question. I do have to do a research on that, because I've never had any students doing OPT in, U.S Islands, or anything like that.
Evan Franulovich 24:43
Yeah. The cool thing is, the US is a big place. So you can do the lower 48 you could do Alaska, you could do Hawaii. And perhaps we don't know for sure, maybe you can reach out to our commonwealths, different parts of the world. So let your imagination go crazy. I think that's kind of cool. Okay, so let's say I've done six months of my program, like say a six month IP short term certificate. Can I get right into OPT after that?
Shunsuke Kanazawa 25:13
So to be eligible for OPT, you have to complete at least one full academic year of full time enrollment, which is typically nine month old full time enrollment. So unfortunately, six months doesn't reach that requirement, eligibility requirement. So if they want to pursue OPT, definitely, we recommend that they extend their program so perhaps they can complete nine months of full time enrollment and be eligible for OPT.
Evan Franulovich 25:40
So if they applied to Seattle Colleges to do a six month short term certificate, and then they like, oh, they want to change their mind and do an extra quarter so they can get the OPT. Is it okay that they can do that?
Shunsuke Kanazawa 25:51
They could do that? Yes. So they all have to do is extend their I-20 before their current I-20 ends, so that it can be extended for the duration that they want to study.
Evan Franulovich 26:03
And if you didn't catch what you just said, rewind and listen to that again. That's kind of important. Timing is really everything else, it seems like. So the more research you do, the more planning you do, the better off you're going to be. So we talked, you know, obviously, if you get an associate's degree, that makes you eligible because you're going to be here for a couple years probably, IP short term certificates. What if I do SCIE? What if I do a year's worth of intensive English? Could I do OPT after that?
Shunsuke Kanazawa 26:34
Unfortunately, SCIE is not one of the degree that qualifies for OPT, so to be eligible for OPT. It has to be certificate, associate, bachelor's, master or doctoral degree. So those are the higher level degree as students can complete to be eligible for OPT.
Evan Franulovich 26:51
What about VO tech training? Let's say I do air frame and power plant out at South Seattle College. I do aviation maintenance. Can I do a OPT after that?
Shunsuke Kanazawa 27:01
Yes, you can.
Evan Franulovich 27:02
There you go.
Shunsuke Kanazawa 27:03
It doesn't matter what major you pursue, as long as you're completing a degree level, then you're eligible.
Evan Franulovich 27:10
Cool. So check that. What about high school completion plus students? You know, those are younger people usually, can they do OPT?
Shunsuke Kanazawa 27:17
Yes, they can. Because the requirement for a high school completion plus program is to complete any associate degree level, so that means they are eligible for OPT.
Evan Franulovich 27:29
So don't worry about your age too much. Just be confident and mature when you go in for your interview. Okay, so if you intend to do work in a job directly related to your field focus of study, it needs to be close to that field of study, it has to be within the realm of possibility. What if somewhere along the way, when I'm getting ready to do that, I messed up my status, my F-1 status at some point, like I forgot to do something, then I had to get back in status. Can I still do OPT if I messed up a little bit?
Shunsuke Kanazawa 28:08
Good question. So OPT per degree level. So once you are approved for OPT, say, for associate level, then that is the only OPT you get for that degree level.
Evan Franulovich 28:22
Right, right.
Shunsuke Kanazawa 28:23
So the next time someone can be eligible for OPT is to is when they complete higher level degree, which is bachelor's degree.
Evan Franulovich 28:32
Sure. Okay, so I can do a OPT after my bachelor's degree, then I go do graduate school. Can I do a OPT after I get my masters?
Shunsuke Kanazawa 28:39
Yes.
Evan Franulovich 28:40
And then after I get my doctorate?
Shunsuke Kanazawa 28:41
Yes, you can.
Evan Franulovich 28:42
Great. Yeah. So theoretically, someone could come to the States, start their university, and they could be here for years and years and years and years after just each level doing OPT.
Shunsuke Kanazawa 28:52
That's something that I mentioned during my OPT workshop, that for one if one student's academic career, they could have multiple OPTs to gain professional experience. Yeah, and it's a great benefit for F-1 students.
Evan Franulovich 29:05
Right. You were an international student.
Shunsuke Kanazawa 29:08
Yeah, I was.
Evan Franulovich 29:09
Did you do OPT?
Shunsuke Kanazawa 29:09
I did. So I got my OPT after my bachelor's and also master's degree.
Evan Franulovich 29:15
Oh, you did.
Shunsuke Kanazawa 29:16
Yeah.
Evan Franulovich 29:16
And where'd you work?
Shunsuke Kanazawa 29:17
I worked at a college called Babson College, and because I studied specifically international education, I worked for the international student and scholar services office at Babson College.
Evan Franulovich 29:29
Cool. And how was your experience?
Shunsuke Kanazawa 29:30
It was great. I used the entire 12 months of OPT.
Evan Franulovich 29:34
Nice.
Shunsuke Kanazawa 29:35
I worked closely with DSOs, and learned so much from the immigration advisors.
Evan Franulovich 29:42
And you got paid?
Shunsuke Kanazawa 29:43
I did.
Evan Franulovich 29:44
Nice.
Shunsuke Kanazawa 29:45
A paid position.
Evan Franulovich 29:46
Did you make enough to be able to save towards your master's degree? Towards your next level?
Shunsuke Kanazawa 29:52
Well, no. No, it was enough. But, you know, the experience was more than you know, what I got paid, and I really appreciate for that time and my mentors who gave me so much insight and experiences.
Evan Franulovich 30:11
So we have some students that live in student housing, if they live in student housing and then they graduate, but they want to do OPT, can they remain in student housing while they're doing their OPT?
Shunsuke Kanazawa 30:25
Oh, that's a great question. I do have to check with our housing manager about that.
Evan Franulovich 30:30
Yeah, right on. And then the other question, if they are here and they get hurt, like you know, when they're a student with us, they usually are mandated to carry insurance, but once they kind of graduate and move on, how do they continue to take care of themselves?
Shunsuke Kanazawa 30:55
Yeah, great question. So students on OPT are still eligible to continue with our health insurance through Lewermark health insurance.
Evan Franulovich 31:03
Right.
Shunsuke Kanazawa 31:03
So it's great to have some kind of medical coverage. So if a student gets sick or get injured while on OPT, then they have that benefit to pay for their medical bills. So if they want to continue with Lewermark health insurance during OPT, they have to continue purchasing every single quarter.
Evan Franulovich 31:23
Every quarter.
Shunsuke Kanazawa 31:24
Yeah, and if there's a break in coverage, then they lose eligibility, so they will no longer be eligible.
Evan Franulovich 31:33
Make yourself a little flow chart of when everything has to be done. Make sure you get those things done. So don't forget about insurance. America, unfortunately, is an expensive place to get hurt or sick, so yeah, make sure you have that insurance in place, and we help with that. So that's a great deal. Wonderful. If I get hurt on the job at my place of OPT, on the job injuries, are those covered by the state? If I get hurt on the job? Like, let's say I'm doing something and I fall off a ladder at work, will they cover something? Does that also work?
Shunsuke Kanazawa 32:16
I'm not sure. And that might be up to the employer...
Evan Franulovich 32:21
Maybe.
Shunsuke Kanazawa 32:22
...and what kind of contract a student may have with employment. But if they get hurt and they can't work, if they have medical leave authorized by the employer, then they can still maintain their F-1 status, because during OPT, there's a maximum days that you can go without a job, which is 90 days. So if someone goes beyond 90 days, that is status violation.
Evan Franulovich 32:53
Right.
Shunsuke Kanazawa 32:53
Students have to make sure that they continue working and not go over 90 days of unemployment.
Evan Franulovich 32:59
Right. And just so you guys know, I believe that means it includes weekends, right?
Shunsuke Kanazawa 33:05
So if someone is not working, that's correct, it includes weekends. A student has to keep track of how many days they have not worked, and not go over 90 days. If they're struggling finding employment, it is always a great idea to talk to advisor and also talk to career services so that they can get some resources and help in finding employment as soon as possible,
Evan Franulovich 33:31
Right. You know, hopefully none of this will apply to you guys. Hopefully you're listening to this and you're just interested in getting an OPT, but these are nice things to kind of keep in the back of your mind, just in case and we have lots of information, or you can always talk to us to refresh your memory. It's not a problem. Well, that's great. Well, let's say I'm a student now, and I'm like, I've listened to the podcast, I've talked to my buddies. They've done OPT starting to sound like a really good idea to do. What's the very first thing I need to do if I've decided yes, I'm gonna do OPT, What do I gotta do first?
Shunsuke Kanazawa 34:07
So they should first apply for graduation, depending on what you know they're pursuing. If it's a degree program, then they have to apply for graduation. If it's a IP short term certificate program, there's no graduation application, but all students who are completing the program have to submit graduation quarter requests, basically notify international programs that this is going to be their final quarter.
Evan Franulovich 34:32
Gotcha. And they they do this before they attend the workshop? Or do they do it after?
Shunsuke Kanazawa 34:36
Well, they can do it before or after.
Evan Franulovich 34:38
Okay.
Shunsuke Kanazawa 34:38
But that's that's a requirement for all graduating students.
Evan Franulovich 34:41
Okay.
Shunsuke Kanazawa 34:43
Another thing that students have to do is to attend OPT workshop.
Evan Franulovich 34:47
Right.
Shunsuke Kanazawa 34:47
So they can learn what makes them eligible for OPT, what kind of documents that they need to collect, how they can file online application to USCIS.
Evan Franulovich 34:58
Right. How long does the workshop take?
Shunsuke Kanazawa 35:03
I schedule it for one hour and 15 minutes.
Evan Franulovich 35:06
Okay, so it's not too bad.
Shunsuke Kanazawa 35:07
Yeah, but we go through a lot of important information, because it's such a very, you know, important document application for F-1 students. So I want to make sure that I get them, you know, every single resource and information that they need.
Evan Franulovich 35:23
Right. On average, how many students attend your workshop?
Shunsuke Kanazawa 35:29
It depends on the timing. Sometimes I only have two students. Sometimes I have 10 students.
Evan Franulovich 35:34
All right.
Shunsuke Kanazawa 35:35
Especially when we are, you know, getting closer to spring quarter graduation, that's when I get more students running OPT workshop.
Evan Franulovich 35:43
Would you recommend, like, if you're going to be graduating in spring, would you recommend say, 'Oh, I'll take my vacation quarters so I graduate in the summer?' Would that be more advantageous? I mean, would you recommend someone do that? Or you say, just do what you're going to do? You know...
Shunsuke Kanazawa 36:00
Well, I think it really depends on the student's plan.
Evan Franulovich 36:04
Okay.
Shunsuke Kanazawa 36:04
Yeah, if they're eligible for vacation and, you know, kind of delay their graduation, they could do that to kind of avoid such a backlog of USS application. But again, you know, that means they're delaying their graduation, delaying their you know, opportunities. Sometimes a lot of companies may be recruiting interns and employees starting, you know, summer. So if that's the case, then, you know, they might want to consider when is the best time for them to graduate.
Evan Franulovich 36:36
Right. So let's say I graduate in spring. I'm going to start my OPT in the fall. I can go homeduring the summer and hang out with my friends? What's the rule about leaving the country?
Shunsuke Kanazawa 36:49
So that really depends on the status of your application. It could be tricky to travel outside the United States after graduation and while your OPT is pending, because, depending on your OPT status, the document that you bring back to enter the United States is different. For example, if your OPT is still pending, then you need to have something called receipt notice, basically confirmation from USCIS that says that they have received students OPT application and application and application is pending, that is the proof that they need to bring when they're re entering the US.
Evan Franulovich 37:27
Gotcha.
Shunsuke Kanazawa 37:28
If their OPT has been approved, then they have to bring something called employment authorization document or EAD card. So basically, that's like a card that shows what a student is eligible to work, and what they need, and their employment. So that is one of the immigration document they have to bring to enter the United States.
Evan Franulovich 37:48
Yeah, super important that you know this stuff, so that you don't get stuck at the border or sent home or something.
Shunsuke Kanazawa 37:55
So in any case, if you have to travel before your OPT begins, I highly recommend students to consult with advisors, and we can talk about pros and cons and how they can prepare for their re entry back to the US.
Evan Franulovich 38:10
Yeah, smart. Okay, very good. So they've attended a workshop, they've applied for graduation. So it says they got to submit a graduation quarter request eform in SCD Global. I think you might have just mentioned that, but, like, I'm not even sure what that is. What does that mean exactly?
Shunsuke Kanazawa 38:28
So it is basically student confirming I am graduating with this degree in what quarter. And based on that, the advisor will review and see if the student is really eligible for graduation.
Evan Franulovich 38:43
They counted the number of credits, and go, 'Yeah, you got enough credits, good job!'
Shunsuke Kanazawa 38:47
And then that triggers advisors to shorten their I-20, so that their I-20 end date matches when they're graduating.
Evan Franulovich 38:57
Gotcha, gotcha. Man, when I graduated, I don't remember all this stuff. I mean, I wasn't an international student, I was domestic. But still, you have to apply to graduate, you have to fill paperwork.
Shunsuke Kanazawa 39:11
You've done all those, you just forgot.
Evan Franulovich 39:14
Long time ago. Man, I feel sorry for you guys. So then after you got all that stuff together. There's all these application materials. I know you have to meet with an advisor. I know you talk about this in your workshop, but just for fun, can we talk about some of the documents you would need to bring to your advisor or collect?
Shunsuke Kanazawa 39:35
Yeah, so most students will have to collect a copy of their passport, copy of F-1 visa, even if it's expired, copy of the I-94, copy of I-20, only if they have been authorized for OPT or CPT in the past, or if they have had different SEVIS ID number in the US, then they will need to submit copies of I-20s.
Evan Franulovich 40:01
Okay.
Shunsuke Kanazawa 40:02
Sometimes students might come to the United States on a different visa category and change their immigration status. If that's the case, then they will need to bring that document to advisor for a review as well.
Evan Franulovich 40:13
Yeah, and we talked to a lot of you guys out there who are in the states already. Maybe you're here as an Au Pair, you're here as a tourist or something, and, oh, you love it. I want to stay and be a student. That's okay. You have to go through the right channels to do all that. Okay. Well, cool. That doesn't sound too bad. The advisor is going to meet with you. What's the advisor just going to go through that paperwork, or do they talk about other stuff?
Shunsuke Kanazawa 40:41
Yeah, so the the advisor will go through student application draft to make sure all the information matches their immigration documents and everything has been, you know, entered fully, completely, because if you have any blanks or if you miss something, then that could be, you know, rejection of OPT application or denial. So in order to avoid unnecessary denial, advisors here to help students review their application.
Evan Franulovich 41:15
How many or how often do you see him get denied? Is it rare?
Shunsuke Kanazawa 41:20
Very rare.
Evan Franulovich 41:21
Okay, good.
Shunsuke Kanazawa 41:21
In my years as an advisor, in 10 years, I've had maybe one?
Evan Franulovich 41:30
Oh, super rare.
Shunsuke Kanazawa 41:31
And it was because student unfortunately filed too late. Other than that, I have never had any denial, because we are here to help students to have complete application. So that should really take care of it.
Evan Franulovich 41:48
That's really amazing, actually. All right. So it says you meet with your advisor and you receive a new I-20, different color? What does it look like?
Shunsuke Kanazawa 42:04
Well, it is somewhat special because it has a OPT recommendation from advisor. Now student will need to choose their OPT start day. So students get to choose how soon after graduation or how late they want to start their OPT. So that is something that student will need to think about. Do I want to start working right after my graduation, or do I want more time to begin my employment because I need time to look for a job? So, yes, student will need to choose those days, and that has to fall within 60 days after their graduation.
Evan Franulovich 42:04
Which isn't a lot of time, honestly. The girl I talked to, she had a good deal because she already had a job lined up. But I'm I've also talked to people who don't, they haven't found a job yet. So how do you choose that date? I mean, that's tricky.
Shunsuke Kanazawa 42:58
It's really tricky. But also once you submit your application, depending on how long the wait time is, that something that you you know, put into consideration. So if you're applying today, and let's say your application processing time at USCIS is two months, then you might want to choose OPT start day more than two months from that day.
Evan Franulovich 43:22
Gotcha. Yeah, I know you need a social security card to work in the United States. That's part of what they're doing during this process?
Shunsuke Kanazawa 43:30
Yeah. So some students may already have social security number because they worked on campus, but if you don't have social security number, you actually can apply for one with the same OPT application.
Evan Franulovich 43:43
While you're waiting. Yeah, okay.
Shunsuke Kanazawa 43:44
Well, no, no, same application, OPT application.
Evan Franulovich 43:48
I get it.
Shunsuke Kanazawa 43:49
They ask you, 'Do you have a social security number in the United States?' And if you don't, you can apply to check yes. And that's a great benefit for students who don't have social security number, they can just submit one application, and you get OPT approval EAD card, and Social Security Card.
Evan Franulovich 44:08
Is there an additional fee if they apply for that?
Shunsuke Kanazawa 44:10
No.
Evan Franulovich 44:11
No. Wow, cool!
Shunsuke Kanazawa 44:13
Yeah.
Evan Franulovich 44:16
Well, how long does it take from the time the application goes in, I know it depends a little bit on the backlog, but on average, let's say, let's just take spring, because spring's the busy time. On average, spring students should expect to wait how long to get a response?
Shunsuke Kanazawa 44:31
If they apply early enough, then I'd say three months would be a wait time.
Evan Franulovich 44:38
That's a long time.
Shunsuke Kanazawa 44:39
Yeah, if they wait until very last minute and apply, they might wait four-five months.
Evan Franulovich 44:47
Wow!
Shunsuke Kanazawa 44:47
Yeah, so that is exactly the reason why we recommend students to apply as early as their OPT application window opens.
Evan Franulovich 44:55
Right. Now, I don't want to date this podcast too much, but there are always changes in administrations, different governments. And do you oversee any changes since we just changed to a new president? Do you anticipate that timeline growing longer, or do you think it is the word on the street that will probably stay the same?
Shunsuke Kanazawa 45:19
I haven't really heard of any changes. As far as I know, usually springtime is a long wait time. But you know, not just because of the new government. I think in the springtime is when a lot of applicants are applying, so it will still be the same my, in my opinion.
Evan Franulovich 45:39
Right.
Shunsuke Kanazawa 45:40
Yeah.
Evan Franulovich 45:40
You can always talk to us, kind of get a feel for where we're at, it changes from day to day, week to week, year to year, depending. So get a feel for how long it's going to take. That's good to know.
Shunsuke Kanazawa 45:40
And one thing I want to mention.
Evan Franulovich 45:53
Sure, yeah.
Shunsuke Kanazawa 45:54
USCIS actually has something called premium processing service.
Evan Franulovich 45:58
Oh, boy.
Shunsuke Kanazawa 45:58
So if you want to spend extra money, you can have your application expedited. So that basically means your application might skip the line and might get processed quicker than normal, and it's a fee that you have to pay, It's $1,685, I believe.
Evan Franulovich 46:23
That's crazy.
Shunsuke Kanazawa 46:25
It's a lot of money. But if you're someone who has jobs lining up.
Evan Franulovich 46:31
Oh, yes.
Shunsuke Kanazawa 46:32
And you don't have a lot of time for waiting, then that might be the best option for you to get approved in a short amount of time.
Evan Franulovich 46:41
Right. Well, see if you can avoid that, because you save yourself a lot of money.
Shunsuke Kanazawa 46:45
Yep, that's right.
Evan Franulovich 46:45
Wow. But it is available if you're up against a wall. Premium processing, that's great.
Shunsuke Kanazawa 46:52
Yeah.
Evan Franulovich 46:54
Okay, so then they've submitted their application online, and then they have their final quarter complete. So let's say they're in their final quarter and they're halfway through, and they break their leg and they miss the next three weeks of class, so they get all incompletes on that quarter, but they've already started the process for OPT, what happens?
Shunsuke Kanazawa 47:23
Yeah, so that depends on types of grade that you might earn. If you did not finish before your graduation, If you know it's before your graduation you notice that you're not passing your class, then you should definitely extend your I-20 so that you can have extra quarter to finish whatever is left. And if you already applied, you may have to withdraw your application.
Evan Franulovich 47:51
Do you lose your money, or do you get a refund?
Shunsuke Kanazawa 47:53
Yes, you do. You lose your money. So you know you have to be sure that you're passing all your classes in completion of the program is one of the you know requirements for OPT. So yes, it's really important that you're passing and making good grades in your final quarter.
Evan Franulovich 48:11
Right, right, right. Good to know, very good. All right. So if you already have a job on campus, and a lot of these students do. You know, they already have a social security card. They're working on their job, at what point do they have to give up that job?
Shunsuke Kanazawa 48:30
On campus?
Evan Franulovich 48:31
Yeah. Like, I'm working say, down at the MAC center.
Shunsuke Kanazawa 48:34
Sure.
Evan Franulovich 48:34
All of a sudden I gotta go do my OPT.
Shunsuke Kanazawa 48:36
Yeah, the very last day that they can work is last day of the final quarter. So that corresponds with their I-20 end date. So that is when on campus employment eligibility ends, and after that, you're no longer eligible to work on campus.
Evan Franulovich 48:53
Gotcha.
Shunsuke Kanazawa 48:53
So for graduating students, it's always a good idea to communicate with their supervisors and let them know, Hey, this is my final quarter. This is the last day that I can work for you.
Evan Franulovich 49:04
Good information there. Make sure you do that. That's courtesy for one thing for your employer, that's great. So one thing you guys kind of stress is the responsibility to know and follow the regulations for the OPT and maintaining your F-1 status, who ultimately is responsible for that?
Shunsuke Kanazawa 49:24
Students.
Evan Franulovich 49:24
The student is responsible. I love that you answered that so easily. Yeah, guys, in America, we have a lot of emphasis on having the students self advocate. Take care of their own business, plan, take care of the stuff their stuff. Your advisors are not gonna hunt you down in the hallway. I mean, they might, but probably not. So all of this is on.
Shunsuke Kanazawa 49:50
That's correct, but advisors are here to answer any questions. So students on OPT are still more than welcome to meet with advisor ask any questions about their OPT employment, how they can maintain their F-1 status. We're all here for them.
Evan Franulovich 50:06
Right. And is it true that if they meet with their advisors, they should really bring them candy? Is that true? They love chocolate.
Shunsuke Kanazawa 50:13
A nice treat.
Evan Franulovich 50:14
Oh, we're kidding. You don't have to bring them in a candy. Just kidding. The recruiters, however, bring us candy! We love candy. They talk about an I-765 for the the I-765 must be held within 30 days from the day your advice or issues the new I-20. Can you tell them what the I-765 is? Because I don't know.
Shunsuke Kanazawa 50:36
So basically, that is OPT application.
Evan Franulovich 50:38
Oh, that's the OPT application.
Shunsuke Kanazawa 50:41
So when I say I-765 that means OPT application form.
Evan Franulovich 50:44
Yeah. And just so you know, if you go into the IP lobby at any of the three campuses, we have some forms that tell you all about OPT, so you can also pick these up in addition to listening to the podcast, in addition to talking to everybody. Plenty of information. What about on our International website?
Shunsuke Kanazawa 51:06
We do have pages on OPT under the immigration section.
Evan Franulovich 51:11
Cool.
Shunsuke Kanazawa 51:12
So each campus has immigration section where students can find more information about OPT.
Evan Franulovich 51:16
Right. So if you come to us and you say, I don't know what I'm doing, we're gonna hit you over the head, because you have plenty of resources to know what you are doing. I'm kidding, we won't hit you. But we will wonder what you're doing with your time. All right. Very good. Let's see, It says you should receive a Notice of Action from USCIS two to six weeks. What is the Notice of Action? Does that mean they got it, or does that just mean...?
Shunsuke Kanazawa 51:43
Not exactly. I mentioned earlier, receipt notice is a letter that's sent by USCIS that confirms the application has been received and it's under review, and it has something called receipt number. So that's basically your case number that's attached to your application, so you can always check your case number to see what's going on with your application. Is it pending? Has it been approved? So that's something that students can go online, type the receipt number and then find out what's happening.
Evan Franulovich 52:15
Cool.
Shunsuke Kanazawa 52:15
Yeah.
Evan Franulovich 52:15
Very nice. So you can always see what's going on. That's great. One of the things is, if I'm doing OPT, I need to do how many hours? What's the minimum number of hours I can do?
Shunsuke Kanazawa 52:29
That's a great question. So minimum a student has to work is 20 hours per week.
Evan Franulovich 52:30
20 hours.
Shunsuke Kanazawa 52:30
Yes, so as long as a student is working 20 hours per week that is considered as full time under OPT.
Evan Franulovich 52:42
Okay.
Shunsuke Kanazawa 52:43
And they can maintain their F-1 status. If it's below 20 hours per week. Unfortunately, that's part time, and that counts towards their unemployment days. So again, 90 days is the maximum, and any days that you're working, you know, less than 20 hours per week, that counts towards unemployment clock.
Evan Franulovich 53:03
Gotcha. So try to keep it above 20 hours. That's really great. But it said that they can also take classes while they're doing OPT. That's true?
Shunsuke Kanazawa 53:13
Yeah. So we allow students to take one class per quarter, so that's the maximum. And then one class a maximum credit is six credit, because some chemistry classes are six credit.
Evan Franulovich 53:24
Yeah.
Shunsuke Kanazawa 53:25
But yes, a student could take one class per quarter, that's technically full classes within within 12 months. So if someone needs to take an additional class to be able to apply for university, that's a great way to complete requirements, so that they can apply for transfer.
Evan Franulovich 53:44
Very cool, all right, cool. And then go like, so if they're a central student, they can go to any of the campuses to take classes, because maybe their jobs out in Edmonds or something, they'd be closer to the North Campus.
Shunsuke Kanazawa 53:55
Yeah, they can do that.
Evan Franulovich 53:57
So you can do that.
Shunsuke Kanazawa 53:57
Yeah.
Evan Franulovich 53:57
There you go guys. Yeah, so what happens now? We're getting close to the end of this, I've taken up a lot of your time.
Shunsuke Kanazawa 54:07
That's alright.
Evan Franulovich 54:07
I really appreciate it. I'm all done with OPT, I did my year, and now I want to go to University of Idaho or University of Washington or California or whatever to continue on to earn my Bachelor's degree. What do I got to do at the end of my OPT? Is there something special?
Shunsuke Kanazawa 54:24
Yeah, so if a student has a Transfer Admission acceptance from a university, then they will need to submit transfer out requests.
Evan Franulovich 54:34
Here?
Shunsuke Kanazawa 54:35
Otherwise, yes. Here at Seattle Colleges notifying us which school they're planning to transfer to and when they're planning to start their program at the new school.
Evan Franulovich 54:45
Right.
Shunsuke Kanazawa 54:45
And based on that advisor release, students see this record to their new school, and that's how a student can continue maintain their F-1 status.
Evan Franulovich 54:55
Super important.
Shunsuke Kanazawa 54:56
Yep.
Evan Franulovich 54:57
And then good luck on your junior and senior year. That's awesome. That's really great.
Shunsuke Kanazawa 55:01
Yeah.
Evan Franulovich 55:01
So I've asked you so many questions. You get a big gold star for answering all these questions. There's a lot of information for you guys. You might want to listen to this one a couple times or watch it on YouTube a couple times. I asked all these questions, but I also don't know what I don't know. What did I leave out? Is there anything else you want to make sure that they know? Maybe the question should be like: What's the most common error you see, or what do you advise so that everything goes smoothly? I mean, whatever, this is your time to maybe throw out some last nuggets of wisdom.
Shunsuke Kanazawa 55:32
Yeah. Well, so like I said, OPT is such a great benefit that F-1 students have. So if you are thinking, you know little bit about working in the United States, that's a great way entry way into that professional world. And also in the US, there's currently something called STEM OPT extension. So if you are someone who have earned bachelor's or higher level degree in STEM fields, so science, technology, engineering and mathematics, then you could be eligible for extending your OPT. So if you're a bachelor student in, for example, application development, they have completed, you know, one year of OPT, and if they want to extend their OPT they could do additional 24 months.
Evan Franulovich 56:22
Wow, that's cool.
Shunsuke Kanazawa 56:22
So maximum of 36 months of OPT could be available to those specific major students.
Evan Franulovich 56:29
Wow. And if you wonder if your major falls in the list of STEM majors, then they have a list on the website, right?
Shunsuke Kanazawa 56:38
Yes.
Evan Franulovich 56:39
Not our website.
Shunsuke Kanazawa 56:42
Department of Homeland Security has a STEM eligible program list, and that lists all the programs that are eligible for STEM OPT extension.
Evan Franulovich 56:51
Right. So if you're taking nursing and you're like, 'Hmm, I wonder if nursing is considered stem', you can go on there and check that out.
Shunsuke Kanazawa 56:57
That's correct.
Evan Franulovich 56:58
Wow. I'm curious, since you've met so many students over the years. What's been the coolest OPT that you've heard somebody getting? Like, has anybody gone and worked for the Seahawks? Or, you know, maybe they worked for, I don't know, the kingdom?
Shunsuke Kanazawa 57:17
Well, there's various jobs that students pursue sometimes, you know, if you are an English major, you could actually write your own book and then publish it.
Evan Franulovich 57:30
What?
Shunsuke Kanazawa 57:31
Yeah, so I had one student who was an English major who's done it.
Evan Franulovich 57:37
Well, how does that work?
Shunsuke Kanazawa 57:38
So basically, she worked for herself. So she logged how many hours she worked and how many, you know, how much she was getting paid based on the book that she published. So that was a really cool job. And then for wait for students to, you know, be able to create a work for them.
Evan Franulovich 58:00
Okay. Well, now this is a crazy question then. Let's say I'm graduating as a business major, could I start my own LLC, hire myself as the CEO?
Shunsuke Kanazawa 58:11
You could do that.
Evan Franulovich 58:12
You could?
Shunsuke Kanazawa 58:13
That is a possibility. So if you're starting a business, you will definitely have to get a business license, and that's something that you will need to do research on your own. But yes, that's a possibility. However, at end of OPT, I don't want to disappoint you, but at the end of OPT, you have to either close or sell your business. After OPT, you're no longer eligible for employment.
Evan Franulovich 58:40
That's right.
Shunsuke Kanazawa 58:41
Yeah.
Evan Franulovich 58:44
Can you just mothball it until you're done with your bachelors and then go? It'd be a shame to shut down a business you just started.
Shunsuke Kanazawa 58:51
Right, yeah. But I've had students who have opened their own business. I had wine student at South, she opened her own wine business.
Evan Franulovich 59:00
Wow!
Shunsuke Kanazawa 59:01
And she was doing great, and she really loved operating her own business.
Evan Franulovich 59:07
Was she in the wine studies program at South?
Shunsuke Kanazawa 59:09
Yes, at South.
Evan Franulovich 59:09
Very cool. Where was she from?
Shunsuke Kanazawa 59:12
I believe, she was from China.
Evan Franulovich 59:13
Oh, I want to interview her for my podcast.
Shunsuke Kanazawa 59:17
Yeah, I can find her.
Evan Franulovich 59:19
Yeah, that would be cool. That'd be a really interesting story. Wow, super fascinating.
Shunsuke Kanazawa 59:24
So much possibilities.
Evan Franulovich 59:26
There are.
Shunsuke Kanazawa 59:26
Yeah.
Evan Franulovich 59:27
I didn't even know that's really great.
Shunsuke Kanazawa 59:29
Yeah.
Evan Franulovich 59:30
Well, thanks for all your time. I've taken up so much of your time.
Shunsuke Kanazawa 59:34
My pleasure.
Evan Franulovich 59:35
Yeah, if you have any other questions about OPT, just come into the IP Office. We'll kind of point you in the right direction, and hopefully we'll make your dreams come true. If you're not interested in OPT, that's fine too. Just continue with...momentum is a magic thing. It's like, if I stop for a year, am I ever going to go back and finish? You can just do all four years and get it done.
Shunsuke Kanazawa 59:35
That's true.
Evan Franulovich 59:45
All right, guys. Well, thanks again.
Shunsuke Kanazawa 1:00:06
Well, thank you.
Evan Franulovich 1:00:07
Don't forget to tune in every Wednesday right here at Seattle Colleges 'Conversations with!' Don't forget to like and subscribe, and please share this podcast with everybody you know, educators, parents, students, anybody you think that might value this information, because OPT, you can do that at any school, not just Seattle Colleges. We hope you'll choose Seattle Colleges, but if you're at another community college, or if you're at a university somewhere, and you're hearing this information, we hope it's useful. Alright, guys, take care. Have a good one!
Shunsuke Kanazawa 1:00:40
Thank you!
Evan Franulovich 1:00:40
Bye, bye!
Evan Franulovich 1:00:43
'Conversations with!' is painstakingly crafted for you by the Seattle Colleges International Programs department and supported by the lovely folks here on our campus. This show is produced and edited by me, Evan Franulovich. We welcome your emails and questions about coming to Seattle Colleges. Please reach out to us via our website or just give us a rating and a review on Apple podcasts as this helps others discover the show. Also, don't forget to follow us on Instagram, Facebook, TikTok or YouTube at Seattle Colleges Intl, that's Seattle Colleges Intl. And be sure to check out all of the shows here on 'Conversations with!' Thanks for listening, and we'll see you next week.