US DHS adds eight new fields of study that qualify for STEM OPT extension

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On July 12, the Department of Homeland Security announced in the Federal Register that the STEM Designated Degree Program List will include eight new fields of study. This list is used to determine if F-1 international students are eligible for a 24-month STEM OPT extension after their initial OPT period ends. The update to the list means that more students will be eligible for the STEM OPT extension.

STEM OPT was first implemented in 2016 and had previously added 22 disciplines in January 2022. This is the second major update, and the eight fields added are as follows:

Fields of Study	CIP Code
Composite Materials Technology/Technician	15.0617
Demography and Population Studies	45.0501
Developmental and Adolescent Psychology	42.2710
Geospatial Intelligence	43.0407
Institutional Research	13.0608
Landscape Architecture	04.0601
Linguistics and Computer Science	30.4801
Mechatronics, Robotics and Automation Engineering Technology/Technician	15.0407

The announcement is here: https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2023/07/12/2023-14807/update-to-the-department-of-homeland-security-stem-designated-degree-program-list

Derek Yang

I’m an immigrant living with my family in a small town on the East Coast. I love classical music, enjoy a good cup of coffee, and have a soft spot for BMWs. I believe in lifelong learning and look forward to connecting with you to share our life experiences. Twitter @mrderekyang.

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