22 New Fields of Study Added to STEM OPT Programs in the US

For students planning to study in the USA in the near future, we have some good news. The Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) program for foreign students in the US is expanding to include 22 additional subjects.

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The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) released this information in January 2022. These disciplines are being developed to assist the expansion of the US economy and innovation while enhancing the contributions of non-immigrant students. This post will be very helpful to you if you want to study in the US since we will discuss the list of new courses and the advantages of this policy change for foreign students.

22 New Fields in STEM 

The 22 new academic disciplines that have been added to the STEM workforce in the US are listed below. Students who want to study in the USA can now choose their preferred STEM course:

•  Bioenergy
•  General Forestry 
•  Forest Resources Production and Management 
•  Cloud Computing 
•  Anthrozoology 
•  Climate Science
•  Earth Systems Science
•  Economics and Computer Science 
•  Environmental Geosciences 
•  Geobiology 
•  Geography And Environmental Studies 
•  Mathematical Economics 
•  Mathematics and Atmospheric and Oceanic Science
•  Financial Analytics 
•  Industrial and Organizational Psychology 
•  Data Analytics 
•  Social Sciences 
•  Human-Centred Technology Design 
•  Research Methodology and Quantitative Methods 
•  General Data Science 
•  General Data Analytics 
•  Business Analytics and Data Visualisation 

How will these changes benefit students?

Thanks to this legislative reform, non-immigrant students who choose to pursue their education in the United States can now profit greatly. The following list includes the main advantages of this new policy.

36 Months to Work in your Field of Study

The STEM OPT program allows F-1 students who are studying bachelor’s, master’s, or doctorate degrees in specific STEM fields to work in the country for up to 36 months. o The inclusion of 22 new fields of study will give overseas students wanting to pursue higher education in the US a wider selection of degree options in highly competitive STEM sectors.

USCIS Policy Manual Guidance

The United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) policy handbook standards are being updated and improved by DHS.

USCIS is revising regulations to clarify how some STEM graduates and business owners may be eligible for the national interest waiver for the employment-based immigrant visa classification as an advanced degree professional non-citizen or a non-citizen of exceptional ability.
The program is now easier to utilize for noncitizens with the necessary skills, such as STEM graduates and business owners, making it possible for them to start the process of gaining lawful permanent resident status in the US.
Since these new reforms increase options for international students seeking to pursue higher education and employment in the US, it is imperative that students are aware of them.