MBA in the USA: How to Stay in the US After an MBA

As an aspiring business professional looking to venture into remarkable vocational endeavors and leadership roles, the decision to pursue MBA or Masters in Business Administration can amp up your career trajectory, optimizing it more so than ever before. Pursuing MBA, particularly in the USA is a credible choice that most international students opt for because of the rich content of the course curriculum as well as the host of employment opportunities that the degree brings along. Not only does securing an MBA in the USA authenticate your skills in terms of professional credibility but also often ensures the most lucrative job opportunities available out there, thereby, providing you a competitive edge over others in a business climate that accords considerable importance to on-the-field experience. If you are looking for pertinent ways to extend your stay in the USA, as an aspiring business executive, so as to seek out the best vocational opportunities that the job market in the USA offers, then OPT or Optional Practical Training is the remedy that you require. As one of the most relevant avenues that you definitely must explore if you are planning to pursue an MBA in the USA and seek experience as a working professional thereafter, here is all that you need to know about OPT or Optional Practical Training.

What is Optional Practical Training and are you eligible for it? To begin with, Optional Practical Training or OPT is a provision by the US government that has been curated specifically for international students, enabling you to prolong your stay by an initial period of 12 months in the USA so as to seek professional opportunities. In fact, as for degree programs that are approved and authenticated by STEM, the extension can be prolonged by a duration of even 24 months to seek out and engage in relevant professional experience.

If you are considering the option of pursuing an MBA in the USA and wondering if you are eligible to avail the benefits of OPT, here are the two crucial determinants that you must bear in mind:

1. You must be an F-1 visa holder in order for you to be eligible for the provision of OPT.

2. Your degree program in the USA must be of a minimum duration of one year.

3. The vocational opportunities that you avail and pursue, in the course of OPT, must be directly related to your designated field of study.

As for the varied formats and types of Optional Practical Training that you can opt for, the pre-completion Optional Practical Training allows you to engage in professional endeavors simultaneously with your academic course, post the completion of the first year of your degree program. The post-completion Optional Practical Training, on the other hand, will help you pursue full-time as well part-time vocational opportunities once you have completed your MBA in the USA. This is a particularly phenomenal option in case you are pursuing an executive education program such as the Global Master of Business Administration (Global MBA) curated by the Richard DeVos Graduate School of Management at Northwood University. Providing a cumulative learning experience that addresses the multifaceted aspects of the ever-changing, dynamic global business climate, this program is an ideal fit for individuals looking to learn the nuances of strategic management and innovation in the transforming economy. Even as you learn to identify your personal brand of business objectives and garner the ability to lead and coordinate your fellow employees, you will also have the opportunity to foster connections with members of an alumni network consisting of eminent business professionals across the globe. The credible guidance that you receive from renowned faculty members will equip you with a strong grasp of the core fundamental concepts as well as a thorough working knowledge of the operational mechanisms in crucial ground-level scenarios. The unparalleled solution-centric approach that you will be armed with, will ameliorate your entrepreneurial acumen, and help you seek the opportunities you want via Optional Practical Training, in the course of or post the completion of MBA in the USA.

While pursuing MBA in the USA is a remarkable step to propel your career in the right direction, the lack of adequate knowledge about beneficial provisions such as the Optional Practical Training or OPT often deters most from proceeding in that direction. Keeping into account these simple functionalities of OPT will garner you with the confidence to secure reliable employment opportunities and extend your stay, post the completion of your MBA in the USA.