Optional Practical Training (OPT) for Michigan State University

To design a solution for international students at MSU to understand and complete their OPT training without having to meet one-on-one with an advisor, as the office was becoming overwhelmed.

The Office of International Students and Scholars at Michigan State is tasked with assisting all international students on campus in a variety of ways. OPT is a status that students can apply for to allow them to stay in the country and look for practical training opportunities after their graduation. This application process involves thousands of students each year.

I designed and developed a fully-online training solution for this office, which breaks down the entire OPT process into small, digestable modules that students can work through at their own pace. Students must visit each content page of the module and successfully complete an assessment in order to unlock the next module. At the end of the 7 modules, students are awarded a certificate which allows them to then schedule an appointment with an advisor. The training provides them with all of the necessary forms and instructions to complete their paperwork prior to the advisor meeting, which relieves much of the burden from advisors and allows their meeting time with students to focus more on specific details/questions pertinent to that student. Prior to this solution, advisors were bogged down by repetitive questions, multiple advising meetings, and not enough time to schedule all appointments in a timely fashion.

Various iterations of this were made during the project in response to conducted user tests with international students new to OPT. Each test provided new insights to make the training more clear and accessible.

The course serves approximately 1,000 students each academic year.

Advisors report a much smoother workflow with students seeking OPT status, due directly to this training course. Advising appointment times have been more efficient and provide the opportunity for richer discussion among students and advisors.