What Happens to My F-1 Status After a STEM OPT Denial in Texas?
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Reviewed & verified by A. Jason Velez, Esq.*
Managing Attorney, 1LAW · Last reviewed January 1, 2026
Legal Inquiry
Consumer Legal Issue
My initial OPT ended on February 2. I applied for STEM OPT on January 27, got my RFE on May 10, submitted evidence on June 16, and got my denial on June 18. I need to know when my SEVIS will be terminated and whether I will have a grace period. If my SEVIS is terminated, what options do I have? I have an admit from a Day 1 CPT university.
Attorney Answer
Because your STEM OPT extension was denied and your original OPT already ended, you are in a time-sensitive situation. The priority right now is talking with an immigration attorney within the next few days, since some of your options have short deadlines that are already running.
Here is the general framework. When you timely filed your STEM OPT extension before your initial OPT expired, federal regulations generally gave you an automatic extension of your work authorization and F-1 status while the application was pending, for up to 180 days. That automatic extension ends once USCIS denies the application, which happened on June 18. Exactly how your SEVIS record gets updated after a denial, and whether a grace period applies before termination, depends on the specific facts of your case and how your school's international student office and USCIS handle it. Please treat this as a starting point for that conversation rather than a firm answer, since the details genuinely matter.
What you can do
1. Talk to your school's international student office immediately. They can tell you exactly what your SEVIS record shows today and whether it has already been terminated. 2. Ask an immigration attorney about a motion to reopen or reconsider. Denials of Form I-765, which covers STEM OPT extensions, are generally not appealable, but you can typically file a Form I-290B motion within 30 days of the decision, and that clock is likely already running. 3. Look into transferring your SEVIS record to the new school where you were admitted. If your current record has not been terminated yet, a timely transfer paired with a new Form I-20 can sometimes let you continue F-1 status without a gap. 4. Ask specifically about the Day 1 CPT aspect of the new program. These programs let students begin practical training very early, and USCIS has scrutinized some of them in later filings, so make sure your attorney is comfortable with how that school documents and ties CPT to your actual coursework. 5. Understand reinstatement as a backup if your record is terminated before you can transfer, though it has its own strict eligibility rules.
This is general legal information, not legal advice, and because deadlines here are running now, a qualified immigration attorney should review your SEVIS record and denial notice this week.
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Federal Immigration Resources
- Visit U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) to check case status, forms, and official immigration guidance.
- Visit Executive Office for Immigration Review (EOIR) to find immigration court information and hearing details.
- Visit ImmigrationLawHelp.org to find nonprofit immigration legal-service providers near you.
- Use the LSC — Find Legal Aid to find a local legal-aid office by ZIP code.
- Use the ABA Lawyer Referral Directory to get matched with a local attorney through your state bar.
Frequently Asked Questions
Will I automatically get a 60-day grace period after my STEM OPT denial?
Not necessarily. Whether a grace period applies after a denial depends on the specific facts of your SEVIS record, so confirm your exact status with your school's international student office right away rather than assuming.
Can I appeal the denial of my STEM OPT extension?
Form I-765 denials generally are not appealable, but you can typically file a Form I-290B motion to reopen or reconsider within 30 days of the decision. Talk to an immigration attorney quickly since that deadline is likely already running.
Is it safe to transfer to a Day 1 CPT school after this denial?
It can be an option if your SEVIS record has not been terminated, but these programs have drawn extra USCIS scrutiny in some later immigration filings. Have an attorney review the specific school's structure before you commit.
