01. OPT Expiration Without H-1B Lottery Selection
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From the OPT expiration date, students have a 60-day Grace Period during which their SEVIS must be transferred to a new school; otherwise, they will need to leave the country.
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Once the SEVIS transfers to a new school, they must start the program within five months of their OPT expiration date or by the next available start date, whichever comes first.
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After receiving an offer from the new school, students can begin applying for CPT. Most school websites provide application guidance, and typically the earliest CPT start date is the program’s start date.
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Since the school’s CPT approval process takes time, it’s recommended that students coordinate with their original school’s DSO to release their SEVIS to the new school at least one month before the program starts (no later than the first day of classes) and submit the CPT application.
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Once the original school’s DSO schedules the SEVIS release in the system, the new school can see the student’s SEVIS. Some schools can pre-approve CPT based on this, speeding up the process.
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The new school can only activate the I-20 and approve CPT after the student’s SEVIS is fully transferred to the new school.
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If the original school changes the student’s status to "Completed" or "Terminated" for any reason, the student will need the new school to issue an Initial I-20, pay the I-901 fee, and leave the country to activate it before proceeding with the CPT application.
02. Laid Off During OPT Period
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被裁员期间OPT身份无需转换，因为CPT和OPT都基于学生签证，只需将SEVIS转入新学校。
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从裁员之日起，有60天的Grace Period，建议在找工作同时也寻找合适的CPT学校，以备两手准备。
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一旦开始CPT，之前未用完的OPT时间将作废。
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如需申请CPT，学生的SEVIS必须在这60天内转入新学校，否则需要离境。
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学生转入新学校后，需在裁员之日起5个月内或下一个开学日入学，以较早日期为准。
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获得新学校offer后，学生即可申请CPT，学校网站通常提供申请指南，CPT最早开始日期通常为项目开课日。
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学校审批CPT需要时间，建议在项目开课前一个月与原学校DSO安排SEVIS释放时间（须早于开课日），以便转入新学校并提交CPT申请。
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若原学校的身份状态因故变为“Completed”或“Terminated”，学生需由新学校发Initial I-20，缴纳I-901费用并出境激活，之后再申请CPT。
03. Laid Off from H-1B / H-1B Expiration
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H1B失效后若希望以CPT身份留美，则涉及从工作签证到学生签证的身份转换，需尽早准备。
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从裁员之日起有60天的Grace Period，期间须获得Initial I-20并提交身份转换申请（Change of Status）。
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提交身份转换申请后即可合法留美，但在批准前无法开始全职学习。
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身份转换由移民局审批，时间不可控，建议尽早准备。
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身份转换获批后，学生需向学校提交Change of Visa Status，通知学校已为学生签证身份并可开始上课。
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在学习期间如找到工作，可凭Offer Letter申请CPT并开始工作。
04. To Study and Work in U.S.
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The process is similar to applying to any U.S. school: prepare and submit the required application materials.
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After receiving the school’s Offer Letter and paying the enrollment fee, the school will issue the Initial I-20.
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Once you have the Initial I-20, you can gather the remaining materials and schedule your visa interview with the embassy.
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After obtaining the visa and arriving in the U.S., your I-20 will remain in Initial status, which will be activated only after classes begin.
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If you find a job during your studies, you can use the Offer Letter to apply for CPT and start working.
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Keep in mind that full-time CPT for 12 months will make you ineligible for OPT. Therefore, if you plan to use OPT after graduation, it’s advisable to complete your program within one year and ensure your CPT work does not exceed 12 months.