STEM OPT extension for IB?
I'm an international student and was thinking of double majoring in Economics/Finance + a STEM field in order to get the OPT extension.
However, I'm unsure whether IB qualifies for the extension.
Some sources mention the work needs to be related to the area of study (http://internationalcenter.umich.edu/immig/fvisa/…), others say it needs to be in a STEM field - which sounds more restrictive.
Econometrics, Math and Business statistics all qualify as STEM, and I was thinking of double majoring in one of those.
Based on your experience, does IB qualify for this extension and are BBs used to deal with this kind of thing from new hires?
Talk to the program director of the program you're interested in.
From what i've heard from my stats major friend who obsesses over this, it qualifies if you have a good lawyer. I know my friend who was a physics major and went into quant trading couldn't make it work.
Not even USCIS can be sure of this.
But if it makes you feel better, plenty of F1 students have used STEM OPT while working in Banking. You need a cooperative school, and a cooperative employer/lawyer.
In short, yes it is possible. You just need to play your cards right. Other people have managed to do it.
Alright, thanks for the answers
Nietzsche fan?
Yes haha
Btw, could this process deter a BB from hiring me out of UG? Because I would be carrying to much baggage or something? Or do they not care as long as I qualify?
And if I ended up not getting the H1B, how hard would it be to then transfer to London?
BBs really don't care whether you have STEM OPT, from my experience.
Had quite a few friends who were econ majors who didn't get the H1B. They got transferred to local offices, or even to offices where they could get visas. Not sure whether policies have changed.
What do you mean with offices where they could get visas? Sorry if it's a dumb question.
Would you say getting transferred affected your friends career? As in starting all over in a new place.
For instance, I had a friend who was European who was transferred to London to work on the same desk that he was on in New York. I have an Indian friend who didn't get the H1B, and they're tossing up whether to put him in Dubai or Singapore.
Moving around for rotations anyway is really common in investment banks, so I don't think it harms your career.
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