How I lost my STEM Extension 🤯
Summary
TLDRIn this video, the creator shares their personal experience of losing a STEM extension, a first-time revelation even to their parents. They recount their journey from joining Purdue University in 2017, navigating through CPT, Co-op, and OPT, to the anxious wait for H1B approval. The video details the process of applying for work authorizations and the creator's oversight in the STEM extension application, leading to a tense period of uncertainty. It serves as a cautionary tale for international students and a testament to the importance of meticulous application checks.
Takeaways
- 😀 The video is a personal account of the creator's experience losing their STEM extension, which is a first-time disclosure even to their parents.
- 🏫 The creator first joined Purdue University in 2017 and had to navigate various visa and job authorization processes, including CPT, OPT, and the STEM extension.
- 📚 CPT (Curricular Practical Training) and OPT (Optional Practical Training) are obtained regardless of the course, while the STEM extension is specific to STEM-approved courses.
- 🔍 The process for applying for CPT and Co-op is typically straightforward and managed through the university, without the need to submit documents to USCIS.
- 📝 The speaker emphasizes the importance of saving all I-20s and related documents, as they are crucial for future applications and authorizations.
- 💼 The creator secured a job with Willman Construction and applied for OPT after graduation, experiencing a delay in receiving their EAD card due to high application volumes.
- ⏳ The STEM extension application process is more complex, requiring careful attention to detail and timely submission to avoid falling out of status.
- 😓 A critical oversight in the form (not checking a box on the I-765 form) led to the rejection of the STEM extension application, causing significant anxiety for the creator.
- 🆘 The creator reached out to International Student Services and HR for guidance when they realized they might be out of status, highlighting the importance of communication in such situations.
- 👍 Despite the setback, the creator's H1B visa was picked in the lottery and later approved, which resolved their immigration status concerns.
- 📈 The video serves as a cautionary tale, urging viewers to be meticulous with their visa applications and to seek help when needed.
Q & A
What is the main topic of the video?
-The main topic of the video is the creator's experience with losing their STEM extension while studying at a US university.
What does STEM stand for in the context of the video?
-In the video, STEM stands for Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math, which is a specific extension for students in these fields.
What is the difference between CPT, OPT, and STEM extension?
-CPT is Curricular Practical Training, OPT is Optional Practical Training, and STEM extension is a two-year extension for students in STEM fields after their OPT.
Why did the video creator apply for a STEM extension?
-The video creator applied for a STEM extension because their OPT was about to expire and they wanted to continue working in the US.
What was the mistake made by the video creator that led to the rejection of their STEM extension application?
-The mistake made by the video creator was not marking the checkbox on the I-765 form indicating that they were applying for a STEM extension.
What is the term 'Cap Gap' mentioned in the video and what does it mean?
-Cap Gap refers to the period between the end of OPT and the start date of an H1B visa, during which a student is considered to be in valid status due to their H1B application being picked in the lottery.
Why did the video creator feel anxious after receiving an I-797C notice?
-The video creator felt anxious because the I-797C notice was a rejection for their STEM extension application, and they were unsure of their immigration status.
What was the role of the video creator's HR and ISS in helping them navigate the STEM extension issue?
-The HR and ISS provided support by forwarding the case to a lawyer, offering advice on what to do next, and ensuring the video creator was not working out of status.
How long did it take for the video creator to receive their OPT approval?
-It took the video creator about four and a half months to receive their OPT approval.
What advice does the video creator give to other international students regarding their visa applications?
-The video creator advises international students to double-check and triple-check their visa application forms, and consider having a friend review them as well to avoid mistakes.
What was the final outcome for the video creator regarding their H1B visa application?
-The final outcome was positive, as the video creator received an approval notice for their H1B visa application.
Outlines
🎓 Challenges Faced with STEM Extension Application
The speaker begins by introducing the topic of their video, which is the personal experience of losing their STEM extension. They explain the importance of STEM extension in the context of U.S. university education and the different types of work authorizations available to students, including CPT, OPT, and the STEM extension. The speaker shares their journey from joining Purdue University in 2017, applying for CPT and a co-op, and eventually facing difficulties when their STEM extension application did not go through, causing them to be in a bad state. The paragraph highlights the process of applying for these authorizations and the ease of doing so through the university, as well as the importance of saving all relevant documents.
😓 The Unexpected Rejection of STEM Extension
The speaker continues with the story of their STEM extension application, detailing the process and timeline leading up to the rejection. They explain that they applied for the extension just before their OPT was about to expire, and due to the COVID-19 pandemic, there were delays in receiving their new I-20 from the university. The anxiety builds as the speaker describes waiting for the approval, only to receive a rejection notice due to a missed checkbox on the I-765 form. This oversight led to the denial of their STEM extension, causing significant distress and uncertainty about their legal status and future in the U.S.
🤔 Seeking Solutions After STEM Extension Rejection
In the final paragraph, the speaker recounts their actions following the rejection of their STEM extension. They reached out to Purdue's International Student Services (ISS) and their HR department for guidance, expressing concern about their employment status and legal standing in the U.S. The speaker also mentions the potential need to leave the country and return after H1B visa stamping. However, after consulting with a lawyer, they learn about the 'CAP Gap' which allows them to remain in the U.S. legally while waiting for their H1B visa to begin on October 1st. The speaker concludes by sharing the relief they felt upon receiving their H1B approval notice and reflects on the importance of careful application preparation and the value of seeking help when facing immigration challenges.
Mindmap
Keywords
💡STEM Extension
💡CPT (Curricular Practical Training)
💡OPT (Optional Practical Training)
💡I-765 Form
💡USCIS (United States Citizenship and Immigration Services)
💡I-20 Form
💡H-1B Visa
💡Cap Gap
💡International Student Services (ISS)
💡HR (Human Resources)
💡Receipt Number
Highlights
The video discusses the personal experience of losing a STEM extension.
The speaker reveals this incident to their parents for the first time through the video.
Details the process of applying for visas and job authorizations as an international student in the US.
Explains the difference between CPT, OPT, and the STEM extension.
Describes the ease of applying for CPT through the university without USCIS involvement.
Mentions the importance of saving all I-20 documents for future applications.
Shares the experience of applying for OPT and the online process introduced by USCIS.
Warns about the potential for OPT applications to be denied and the importance of careful form filling.
Narrates the personal story of waiting for OPT approval during a peak application period.
Discusses the anxiety of applying for the STEM extension close to the deadline.
Reveals the mistake made in the I-765 form that led to the rejection of the STEM extension.
Expresses the emotional impact of receiving the rejection notice for the STEM extension.
Provides advice on reaching out to International Student Services and HR in case of visa issues.
Explains the concept of 'CAP Gap' and its significance for H1B applicants.
Shares relief upon learning about the CAP Gap status and the eventual H1B approval.
Concludes with a message of caution and the importance of double-checking visa applications.
Invites viewers to share their experiences with visa application issues.
Transcripts
hey everyone welcome to another video
and in this video i'm going to talk
about how i lost my stem extension
i haven't really talked about this to
anyone before
and uh this is the first time i'm even
telling my parents so they are going to
know
through this thing so i was in a really
bad state last year
once when when my stem extension didn't
go through so i'm going to tell you that
story
only a few people knew about it uh
someone knew about it my
roommate emmanuel about it and a couple
of people from hr knew about it so
let's go back a little bit let's go to
2017 when i joined purdue for the first
time
when you study at a us university you
have to apply for a certain number of
visas or you have to apply for a certain
number of like job
authorization from uscis and from the
university
and that's what we are talking about
here so there is cpt that is curricular
practical training there is opt that is
optional practical training
and there is stem extension that is
science technology
engineering and math extension um stem
extension you only get when your course
is stem approved uh opt and cpd you get
regardless of your course so in 2017
i joined purdue for my internship first
first
year that was 2018 summer i apply for my
cpd
applying for cpd the process is really
easy it's only through the university
you don't have to submit any of the
documents
to uscis so it makes the whole process
much easier
usually the designated school officer
who gives you i20 who
authorizes your i20 they'll help you
fill out the documents if you're missing
some
document they will help you out so the
process is
really easy i'm going to do three links
from uh from different
universities on how the process goes so
during the summer when you're applying
for your cpd for internship
it will be useful for you i go through
that process that's really easy
and then i decide i want to do a co-op
that is a four months or a semester-long
internship
that is also going through the
university and not through
uscis so that also goes through very
easily and i'm going to leave
link in description of the process on
how it goes
from different universities so that you
can check it out so cpd goes through
like really easily
and i'm all good every time i get work
authorization for like cpt and co-op
i get a new i-20 from the university
and uh during my summer internship and a
co-op
i get two i20s for that and one thing
which i'll tell you
save all of your i20s whatever itemities
you have
up until now save all the documents we
come to opt now that is optional
practical training
after my graduation i decide that i want
to work in the us
and i interview for a bunch of companies
i get into one of the companies that is
willman construction
as soon as i get the offer i go ahead
and apply for opt
one of the things which uscis did great
this year is made the whole
process of opt applying our opt
application online
earlier it was offline earlier stem
extension was offline as well
so what had happened was you have to
submit all the relevant documents
and then you send it through postal
services the process is fine the only
thing is like
nobody helps you with that process your
international student services office or
oiss or
whatever you want to call it at your
university those guys help you
but they'll not watch each and every
section of your
i-765 form and sometimes students can
mess it up i don't know it has happened
before one of my
really close friend's brother who was
studying at asu last year
his opt got denied for some reason and
at the end of the day
he had to go back so there are cases
like that so you have to make sure that
when you're filling up your opt
application it's
all solid and it's ready to go so i
filled in the application
put it through uscis i get an approval
from my
iss that is international student
services at video
that you're good to go i put in the
documents in
2019 when i applied for my opt it was
crazy during that time because a lot of
people
were applying us admissions were at peak
that time
u.s graduation was at peak that time so
there was just a lot of people
graduating
and uscis was really backed up
usually it takes like two months to
three months to get your ead card
mine took like four and a half months or
so and i know some people who have took
like
five months to get back so i applied in
april
and i got my ead approval in august i
started working on august 19th
um i think like a week after i got my
approval
it was good that i was work like my
employer was accommodating of the fact
that you know opt
can take a lot of time and hersh goes
that indian guy was going through the
same thing that time and
just communicating that with your
employer really works out it took four
months that's like
way too much time for it to take that
much for the process
but it came through and i was good to go
now comes the stem extension
so stem extension is a little different
in opt you are still at the university
while you're applying for it
you can just go to the iss to help you
out and you can get a double check with
everyone
myopt was getting over on 8th of july
2020.
i knew by this time my company my
employer already applied for my h1b
and my h1b picked up in the lottery
remember it was picked up in the lottery
it wasn't approved getting picked up in
the lottery doesn't necessarily mean
that it will
it will get approved the documents and
the backup documents that your lawyer
puts in
should make sense so i applied for my
stem extension that is the two years
extension over opt luckily my
lottery was picked up and i was like you
know i was comfortable sitting down and
waiting until the last moment like hey
i'll apply for my step extension that's
no big deal i applied on a month
a month and few days before my deadline
so july 8th was my deadline july 2020
and june 2nd is when i submitted all the
necessary documents that is
i-765 and there's a bunch of other forms
which you have to submit and there's a
list
which i'm going to put that as well and
you have to submit that to your iss
so that they can authorize that yeah you
are good to go and they will also
send you new i-20 saying that yeah this
is stem extension approved and what's
the status like just to give you a new
identity to
apply to the university or to apply to
the uscis
so i submitted my documents on june 2nd
and during that time because scovitus
was on the peak last year
during that time it was taking too much
time for iss to get back to me
so my i20 i received my i20 by june 22nd
and july 8th
that's not too far apart okay that's two
to three weeks apart i would say
eight plus eight sixteen so that's two
weeks apart
and uh that's that's just not too enough
time
for them to give me approval right away
okay so
i apply on june 22nd itself and i get a
notice that
they have received my case in on june
23rd it is good because
the uscis has office in phoenix it takes
a lot less time for them to
send a receivable notice uh usually even
if you're sending it to
in texas or i think san francisco has
one office or somewhere
it doesn't take too long to get a uh
like a notice that they have received
your documents but
once they receive your document it's
gonna take some time to process it right
so that process was going through now my
anxiety was going a little bit
like i was already late my status gets
over on july
8th what am i going to do now it was all
a weight came i was just waiting for it
on july 13th i think i saw
a message coming on my phone that hey
there's a change on your case you can
check it online so
i went to uscis websites put my receipt
number and i see
it didn't say denied it said something
else on july 16th i see
the document in my hand i see a post i
take out the post i open it up and i see
that there's a
i797c which is a rejection notice
i was like what the hell happened like
am i did i just get rejected for stem
extension what did i do wrong
i was like all right this this is some
sort of mistake you know
i'll try to figure it out and of course
i can apply again right like
in my mind at that time i was like all
right i'll just apply again for this
so i come to my apartment and i show it
to my roommate and i started looking it
up like
hey what does i 797c means and
can i apply for stem extension again now
because
8th of july was my last date i was a
little skeptical about it
but i was optimistic at that time i
looked it up online and it says that you
cannot apply for stem extension once
your
deadline is over so my opt is over and
if my stem extension is denied after it
i just can't apply
i'm like what the so usais took two
and a half weeks to just get back to me
to say that i've been rejected and i was
i was really nervous about it that night
i slept well i was like you know i'll
figure it out tomorrow
in the morning while i was doing my
business i looked it up on my phone and
started
reading a lot about it and that's
the time when i got really anxious
that's the time when i got really
nervous like
ah this i think means that i lost
my stem extension
i applied first of all a little too late
and second when i was going through my
forms seeing like why did i not
get my stem extension what happened was
in the i-765 form
on the first page there's a check box
which asks like
are you applying for opt are you
applying for stem extension
and i didn't mark that checkbox i had
everything prepared everything was good
to go
except for that checkbox and because of
that checkbox
i got rejected and that made me that
friday
so july 17th was the friday when i went
to the office
and in the morning i first of all
emailed iss that is
international student services at pdu
and
i emailed my hr i told her like hey this
is the case
what should i be doing i am a little
skeptical that i'm out of status so i
don't even know if i should be working
right now
um you know just being in this space so
much
like i have seen some people getting
into this kind of problems
so it's always better to just reach out
to your
international student services and your
hr if you're working during that time
i reach out to her she gets back to me
quickly like hey i forwarded this to the
lawyer
let me check with her like what's going
on we don't want you to be working
if you're out of status she was really
nice about it really comforting
but to get to a lawyer like even if a
company is hired lawyer full-time
it takes a little while because they're
always busy and something
so i get to it and i'm sitting there and
i'm like
my pants almost like oh am
i out of status would i have to go back
so i was a little
optimistic more about that hey my
lottery is picked up
for h1b so my case is already in
i haven't got an approval notice but it
should look positive
just in case everything goes to and
i'm out of status i'll just leave the
country
right now and just come back after my
h1b stamping
and that would take a while so i would
be gone for the from the country for at
least
six to seven months seeing how covered
was during that time
so again i'm reaching out to isis i'm
calling them they're not able to get
back to me they're like
hey just email and we'll see how it goes
then
and um i'm texting my hr like hey did
you get any status update from
the lawyers she's like hey the lawyers
just got back to me
they're saying that they'll give me a
call at 3 p.m
and it is a friday so i'm off early like
we usually do 7 to 4
and i got out by 2 30 that day and i'm
trying to sleep i'm trying to take a nap
because i'm like just
so frustrated i didn't sleep well last
night so
i'm trying to take a nap i'm trying to
calm down and hr calls me up and tells
them like
hey park looks like you are completely
okay
ah and i was like all right that sounds
perfect
so what the hr did was hr put together a
total case and
gave it to the lawyers and told her hey
this is the case
because i sent like a very comprehensive
mail to her
saying that hey this is the notice which
i got this is my all my i20s these are
all my documents
so once the lawyer saw that she figured
out like hey
this person should be on cap cap right
now now let me tell you what capcap is
so if you're on opt not first of all not
every course has stem extension okay
if you're on opt um and if your employer
applies for h1b right away then
you have like this three months of
period or two months of period between
your end of opt and october 1st
when your h1b kicks in so between that
time
a student is in cap cap so what cap gap
is like when you
are approved for your h-1b you get onto
cab gap so you're never out of status
so you don't have to go fly back to your
country and come back in you could still
stay in the country and your
h1b will just kick in on the on
october 1st that's when it kicks in i
took a deep breath
she sent me some more reading material
on what tab cap is
i read about cap cap and i was so so
relaxed
luckily by 24th july
is when i got approval notice saying
that hey your h1b is approved so i calm
down even more that day
but the point of me making this video is
just that
i will i have been in this like space
and i've been helping students and i
have all the resources even then i got
really nervous and scared
and it was my mistake at the end of the
day that i did not fill up that check
box at i-765
i should have double checked triple
checked maybe i should have asked a
friend of mine to
check it for me and yeah i just got
lucky because match when we got picked
up if it wouldn't
have gotten picked up i would have been
in a flux
thank you so much guys for watching this
video if you have been in this kind of
situation before
please comment down below and tell me
how did you solve it
and yeah thank you so much guys for
watching and until then i'll see in the
next one
take care everyone bye
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