The School of Urban and Regional Planning at Iowa is excited to announce it has now received STEM-related designation under the U.S. Department of Education’s Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP) coding. This change will benefit international students who wish to work in the U.S. beyond graduation. Previously, international F-1 students were allowed a one year optional practical training (OPT) post-graduation. Students who have graduated from a STEM-related field have the option to extend the OPT to an additional 24 months, allowing them to work in the U.S. for three years.

The CIP code helps the federal government track enrollment trends in academic areas within colleges and universities across the country. The former CIP code for those with degrees from our school is 04.0301-- City/Urban, Community and Regional Planning. The recent approval changes our associated code to 30.3301-- Sustainability Studies. This will apply to current and future students studying urban planning at Iowa and cannot be applied retroactively to previous graduates. Information about the 24 month OPT extension can be found through the UI Office of International Students and Scholars Services.