58%
CU Denver Graduated International Students
obtained OPT in 2017
Alert: The Plaza Building will remain closed through Jan. 20, 2025.
The Plaza Building will remain closed through Jan. 20, 2025. The Health Center is operating in a modified capacity. Call 303-615-9999 for appointment information during operating hours. Reminder, the Health Center is closed for the winter break Dec. 24 - Jan. 1.
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Optional Practical Training (OPT)
Optional Practical Training (OPT) is a program that allows you to stay in the United States and gain work experience after you graduate while remaining on your F-1 visa status. Students in most majors can work for 12 months on OPT status, but majors in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) can work up to 36 months.
Denver has a booming economy with both strong job and wage growth. It is a great place to start a career through OPT.
STEM OPT-eligible Degree Programs:
College of Architecture and Planning
- Architecture (BS)
College of Engineering, Design and Computing
- Bioengineering (BS)
- Civil Engineering (BS)
- Computer Science (BA/BS)
- Construction Engineering and Management (BS)
- Electrical Engineering (BS)
- Mechanical Engineering (BS)
College of Liberal Arts and Sciences
- Biochemistry (BS)
- Biology (BS)
- Chemistry (BS)
- Economics (BA)
- Mathematics (BS)
- Physics (BS)
- Psychology (BS only)
- Public Health (BA/BS)
The Business School
- Business Analytics (MS)
- Computer Science and Information Systems (PhD)
- Information Systems (MS)
College of Architecture and Planning
- Architecture (MARCH)
- Landscape Architecture (MLA)
College of Engineering, Design and Computing
- Bioengineering (MS/PhD)
- Civil Engineering (MEng/MS/PhD)
- Computer Science (MS)
- Computer Science and information Systems (PhD)
- Electrical Engineering (MEng/MS)
- Engineering and Applied Science
- Mechanical Engineering (MEng/MS)
College of Liberal Arts and Sciences
- Applied Mathematics (MS/PhD)
- Applied Geography and Geospatial Sciences (MA)
- Biology (MS)
- Chemistry (MS)
- Economics (MA)
- Environmental Sciences (MS)
- Health Economics (MS/PhD)
- Health & Behavioral Sciences (PhD)
- Integrated Sciences (MIS)
- Integrative and Systems Biology (PhD)
- Statistics (MS)
Colorado School of Public Health
- Biostatistics (MS/PhD)
- Epidemiology (MS/PhD)
- Doctor of Public Health (DrPH)
Graduate School
- Biomedical Science & Biotechnology (MS)
- Cancer Biology (PhD)
- Cell Biology, Stem Cells and Development (PhD)
- Clinical Science (MS)
- Clinical Science (PhD)
- Computational Bioscience (PhD)
- Human Medical Genetics and Genomics (PhD)
- Immunology (PhD)
- Integrated Physiology (PhD)
- Microbiology (PhD)
- Modern Human Anatomy (MS)
- Molecular Biology (PhD)
- Neuroscience (PhD)
- Pharmacology (PhD)
- Structural Biology and Biochemistry (PhD)
School of Medicine
- Medical Scientist Training Program (combined MD & PhD)
Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences
- Pharmaceutical Sciences (PhD)
- Toxicology (PhD)