STEM OPT Increase:
The MSBAPM Program is STEM Designated. OPT for STEM designated programs was recently increased to include an additional 24 months! See the full text here: https://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2016/03/09/fact-sheet-white-house-announces-doubling-techhire-communities-and-new
Specifically, the above ruling lengthens STEM OPT from 17 months to 24 months, allows for two lifetime STEM OPT extensions instead of one. Students will be able to stay in the United States for an additional 24 months post-graduation to participate in on-the-job training within the STEM field. Taken in addition to the 12 months that all programs provide, MSBAPM Students will enjoy 36 months (3 years) of OPT. This long period is very attractive to potential company employers, and makes it more likely that they will hire international students.
The State of Connecticut’s Office of Higher Education granted STEM designation for UConn’s MS degree in Business Analytics and Project Management (MSBAPM). Under the new STEM classification, MSBAPM international students can now qualify for a 24-month OPT (Optional Practical Training) Extension making it a full 36 months of OPT.
Press Release:
MSBAPM joins MS in Financial Risk Management as the only two programs in the School of Business to receive STEM designation.
Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) fields are essential to U.S. economic competitiveness and growth. Over the last several decades the country has experienced a significant shortage of qualified workers for employment in STEM fields. Increasingly, businesses have to hire international workers to meet their needs. Therefore, STEM designated educational programs make it possible for international graduates to remain stateside longer to not only establish their careers but also to help meet the demand for STEM-educated professionals.
UConn’s STEM designated programs, and their related initiatives, also play an important role in Next Generation CT, state legislation passed into law and signed by the governor, that will invest over $1.5 billion dollars in UConn over the next 10 years.
Katherine Duncan, Graduate Career Adviser, states that “UConn’s STEM education equips students to drive innovation, creativity, and advancements in virtually every industry. In turn they are helping to increase domestic and global economic success! The workforce is growing in this field and our students will be entering a challenging and rewarding career!”
Under the traditional OPT program, international students who graduate from colleges and universities in the U.S. are able to remain in the country and receive training through work experience for up to 12 months. Students who graduate from a designated STEM degree program can remain for an additional 24 months on an OPT STEM Extension.