Which Degrees Qualify for the STEM OPT Extension: The CIP Code List and the Two-Extension Rule
By Muntasir Minhaz • Published Aug 19, 2026
STEM OPT eligibility runs through the CIP code tied to your degree, not your major's name, and you get at most two 24-month STEM extensions across your lifetime.
🎓 Find your CIP code on your Form I-20, next to your program of study.
Check that code against the DHS STEM Designated Degree Program List.
Eligible fields cluster in engineering, biological sciences, mathematics and statistics, and physical sciences, plus related fields DHS has added over time.
A second STEM extension is allowed only with a different, higher-level STEM degree than the first.
No student gets more than two STEM OPT extensions across their whole academic career.
Why the CIP code matters more than your major's title
Two students with a similar-sounding major on their diploma can have different STEM OPT eligibility, because eligibility runs through the Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP) code your school assigned to your program, not the program's public name. Find your six-digit CIP code on your Form I-20 next to your major.
The DHS STEM Designated Degree Program List
DHS maintains the official STEM Designated Degree Program List on Study in the States. Search your CIP code against the published list before assuming your degree qualifies. Eligible fields cluster around several two-digit CIP series, including engineering (14), biological and biomedical sciences (26), mathematics and statistics (27), and physical sciences (40), plus a set of related engineering, computing, and applied science fields DHS has added to the list over time.
If your CIP code is not on the list, a STEM extension based on that degree is not available, even if the coursework felt technical. Some business analytics, economics, and social science programs fall outside the list despite heavy quantitative content, so check the exact code rather than assuming.
Baseline eligibility beyond the CIP code
You must already be on approved post-completion OPT connected to the qualifying STEM degree.
Your employer must be enrolled in E-Verify.
You and your employer complete a Form I-983 training plan describing how the role relates to your STEM field.
Work must be at least 20 hours a week, directly related to your degree.
You apply before your current OPT authorization expires.
The two-extension lifetime rule
A student uses a STEM OPT extension at most twice across their entire academic career. The second extension is only available after completing a new, higher-level qualifying STEM degree that differs from the one used for the first extension. Earning a second bachelor's degree in a different STEM field, or staying at the same degree level, does not open a second extension. A bachelor's degree followed later by a qualifying STEM master's or doctoral degree does.
Students planning a STEM master's or PhD in the US after an undergraduate STEM degree should think about the order and timing of their extensions. Using the second extension on the wrong sequence of degrees forfeits it permanently.
Examples of qualifying and non-qualifying programs
| Program type | Typically STEM-eligible |
|---|---|
| Computer science, data science, statistics | Usually yes, confirm the exact CIP code |
| Mechanical, electrical, civil, or biomedical engineering | Usually yes |
| Business administration, marketing, general management | Usually no |
| Economics without a quantitative CIP designation | Often no, check the code directly |
This table is a starting point, not a substitute for checking your own CIP code against the official list, since programs with similar names sometimes carry different codes at different schools.
Double majors and interdisciplinary programs
If you completed a double major or an interdisciplinary program, your school assigns one primary CIP code for STEM OPT purposes, usually tied to the program under which your diploma was conferred. A STEM major paired with a non-STEM minor generally still qualifies if the primary CIP code you graduated under is on the list. Ask your DSO which CIP code your degree was recorded under if your program combined two fields.
Undergraduate versus graduate STEM degrees
The CIP code rule applies the same way at the bachelor's, master's, and doctoral levels. What changes with degree level is the two-extension rule. A second STEM extension requires a new degree at a higher level than the one used for your first extension, so a second bachelor's degree in a qualifying field does not qualify you for a second extension even when its CIP code is on the list.
Where to double-check if you are unsure
If your DSO is unavailable or uncertain about your specific program, cross-reference your CIP code directly against the current PDF list published by DHS on Study in the States, since school advising pages sometimes lag behind official updates. Save a copy of the page showing your code's status on the date you check, in case questions come up later in your STEM OPT application.
Checking your own eligibility
Locate your CIP code on your I-20.
Search the code on the official DHS list.
Confirm with your DSO before you rely on STEM OPT in your post-graduation plans, since schools sometimes assign CIP codes that differ from what students expect.
If your code is not listed, ask your DSO whether a minor, second major, or additional certificate changes your CIP classification.