OPT, CPT & H-1B Explained: Complete 2026 Guide for Indian Students

OPT, CPT & H-1B Explained: Complete 2026 Guide for Indian Students

I began with the establishment of Gateway Educonnect 15 years ago, and the awareness of Indian families about the difference between CPT, OPT, and H-1B was very low. I continue to provide a different answer to the same query today, when 23,000+ students, after completing their US degree, are led across the borders of the US, UK, Canada, Australia, Germany, France, and Dubai, and the worried parents within the Udaipur, Delhi and Pune metropolises inquire: What happens next? This is the answer to the question in plain language in this OPT CPT H-1B guide. It is authored based on real counselling sessions, as opposed to research. At the conclusion, you will get to know the H-1B lottery process, the whole process of F1 to the OPT to H-1B and get acquainted with the STEM OPT extension 2026 policies.

The Importance of this OPT CPT H-1B Guide to Indian Students.

Thousands of viewers receive an F-1 visa every year in the US, having big dreams as Indian students. However, not many are properly informed about how their work approval functions.

• An incorrect decision by the CPT may jeopardise your right to be eligible for the entire OPT.
• Missing OPT deadlines may make you lose months of experience.
• A lack of knowledge about the H-1B lottery might leave you unprepared when it comes to negotiation about sponsorship.

And this is precisely why I have developed this OPT CPT H-1B guide based on the lives of real students with whom we have consulted at Gateway Educonnect rather than using textbook definitions.

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What does the Supply of CPT (Curricular Practical Training) Mean?

CPT is a temporary work permit that is specific to your coursework. It enables F-1 students to acquire some experience during their studies.

Key Features of CPT

• CPT should be directly connected to the field of study that you are majoring in.
• It has to be authorised by the international office of your university in advance.
• It may be a part-time semester or a full-time break.
• Applying 12 months-plus of full-time CPT may render you ineligible to receive the OPT CPT H-1B guide in the future.

A puzzled Rohit, a student of Jaipur, arrived at us due to his university offering him a co-op (which resembled CPT). He signed nothing before we looked into his offer letter and curriculum requirements together. The move itself saved his entire 12-month OPT. 

What Is Optional Practical Training?

The most popular work authorisation for international students is explained in a simple way that allows you to work in your field starting 12 months after graduation and does not require employer sponsorship to use it.

OPT Eligibility and Process

This OPT CPT H-1B guide could not be complete without a reference to timing risks. Processing delays are routinely undervalued, and students exceed their unemployment limit, which is presently limited to 90 days as part of the first round of OPT.

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Knowing English as an Indian Student: Extension of STEM OPT 2026

Provided your degree is in a subject that is already designated under the STEM designation, then you are able to seek an extension of the STEM OPT 2026 which extends a 24-month employment permission to you.

Extension of STEM OPT 2026 Requirements

• Your degree has to be on the official STEM Designated Degree Program list.
• Your employer has to be registered in E- Verify.
• You and your employer have to undergo some sort of training plan regarding Form I-983.
• Application should be prior to your first 12-month OPT.

I explain to parents during home counselling sessions that the STEM OPT extension 2026 is not automatic. It requires aggressive paperwork, collaboration of the employer and prompt filing. One of our Udaipur students (a computer science student), Priya, had the STEM extension that she applied for approximately 90 days prior to the expiry of the OPT. That initial move provided her with nearly three years of overall work permit, more than enough time to seek the OPT CPT H-1B guide lottery twice.

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Understanding the H-1B Lottery Process for Indian Students

The H-1B is a work permit which has to be sponsored by the employer, and Indian students constitute a significant proportion of applications annually. Embracing the H-1B lottery system among Indian students at an early age may help eliminate stress at a later stage.

The H-1B Registration in 2026.

• Each candidate has to be registered electronically at a fee of $215 per beneficiary by the employer.
• The financial year 2027 registration period will be between March 4 and March 19, 2026.
• USCIS has implemented a wage-based selection process where positions with higher salaries have a higher probability of being chosen.
• The master qualification is an added entry point for candidates holding a qualifying US master's.
• The usual period for filing a full H-1B petition is 90 days for the selected registrants.

In a recent presidential proclamation, a fee of $100,000 on some H-1B petitions targeted at beneficiaries outside of the US was introduced. The fact that most of our students will find this fee inapplicable to change-of-status filings done domestically, which is the typical path that F-1 students must take to go to H-1B, is good news. The duration to retain valid F-1 status is vital, as violation of any status may result in a loss of eligibility for this exemption.

Why the Lottery is Unpredictable.

H-1B lottery Indian students have made it a more competitive process due to an ever-growing demand that has surpassed an annual limit of 85, 000 visas. The new wage-weighted system means that those with a higher wage are statistically more likely to be selected, though one is never certain.Ready to turn your study abroad dream into reality? Explore top online programs and expert guidance at Gateway Educonnect Online Courses.

The Complete F1 to OPT to H-1B Pathway

Having the full F1 to H-1B pathway will assist students in planning the time frame with complete attention rather than responding to the pressure.

Guidance for Pathway

• Step 1: Must enter to the US under an F-1 visa and full-time enrolled.
• Step 2: Provided that CPT is curriculum-mandated, use it judiciously and monitor your usage.
• Step 3: File an OPT application approximately 90 days before the program completion date.
• Step 4: As long as you are eligible, request the extension of the steady state extension 2026 180 before your original OPT expires.
• Step 5: Talk to your employer about H-1B sponsorship long before the March registration period.
• Step 6: If you have been selected, work with the immigration counsel of your employer to submit Form I-129.
• Step 7: Not chosen: you may consider other choices such as extra cycles of OPT, employers not subject to a cap, or other types of visas.

All this F1- OPT to H-1B is the reason we have created our Home Counselling and Video Counselling services in Gateway Educonnect. Most of the choices, such as selecting an eligible program in STEM already during the admission level, have a direct impact on future options of your results in the OPT CPT H-1B guide.

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Best Practical Advice in 15 years of Student Counselling.

• Select STEM-specialized programs when you want to work in the US in the long term.
• Always have all OPT CPT H-1B guide materials together in a single folder.
• Apply for OPT as soon as your DSO permits it, not in the last week.
• Discuss H-1B sponsorship policies with potential employers at the internship interview.
• Make an emergency budget, as visa or lottery hits can play with your schedule.

In Gateway Educonnect, our Loan and Accommodation services are there because the students can have the mental space to study and plan their future careers, instead of frantic preparation in the process of shifting to either OPT or H-1B programs.

What Our Students Say?

"Before having been counselled through video counselling with Gateway Educonnect, I was unaware about OPT CPT H-1B guide until one day when I was informed about it during our video conferencing session. That single session rescued my work authorisation. This is the type of feedback that makes me individually engaged with each group of students that we are counselling, 15 years and thousands of cases later.

A fellow student commented, "The STEM OPT extension program 2026 process was a daunting task until the team divided it into simple steps and timelines that I follow. These discussions make me recall why this OPT CPT H-1B guide could not have been done based on theory, but rather on experience.

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FAQs

Is it possible to combine CPT and OPT? 

No, CPT and OPT are used in different situations, and you can use a lot of full-time CPT and will have less to get OPT.

What does the STEM OPT extension in 2026 due for my work authorisation? 

It will provide you with 24 extra months to your 12 months of initial OPT upon meeting all eligibility requirements.

Will the H-1B lottery process mean that I can be selected with a master's degree? Am I an Indian student? 

None; however, a qualifying US master's degree will provide you with a better entry opportunity via the master’s cap pool.

What would occur if I am not picked in the H-1B lottery? 

If qualified, with proper guidance, you can venture into other OPT cycles, cap-exempt employer options, or other visa types.

Is the charge of 100,000 on an H-1 B to be applied to every Indian student? 

This fee is generally applied to those petitions involving consular processing, but may not normally be applied to change-of-status petitions submitted within the US.

At what point should I begin planning my OPT CPT H-1B guide? 

Preferably, since the time you select a degree program, the decisions to use STEM and CPT made at first influence its application years later.

Final Thoughts

Learning about OPT CPT H-1B guide does not only entail paperwork, but it is also the backbone of all your US career plans. This reflects actual trends we have observed through 23,000+ students of all ages 15+ in 15+ years with Gateway Educonnect. With the correct guidance at the appropriate time, every avenue, including STEM OPT extension 2026 planning or even the H-1B lottery process for Indian students, is simplified. Our counsellors are available to assist in case you would like your F3 application to be processed as an individualised case.

Reserve your free study abroad session with Gateway Educonnect, or apply to a foreign university using our One-Click Apply tool and have your application submitted to your chosen university in 100 seconds. For more assistance, please visit our study abroad consultancy services and explore our wide range of offerings for students interested in studying in the USA, studying in the UK, studying in Canada, studying in Australia, studying in Ireland, and many other countries. 

Author Bio

Abhinav Jain - Founder, Gateway Educonnect and Director.

B.Tech, MBA, AI and Global Education Specialist.

More than 15 years of professional experience in leading students along international routes based on politics and innovation.

Connect: https://www.linkedin.com/in/abhinavedysor/