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¾ÅÐãÖ±²¥ / Academics / Global Experiences / Center for Global Education / International Students and Scholars / Doing an Internship with Curricular Practical Training

F-1 students may apply and be approved for off-campus training/internships related to their academic major through the use of Curricular Practical Training (CPT.)

¾ÅÐãÖ±²¥ Approval Process

To gain approval from a DSO, a student should schedule an appointment with the Center for Global Education and bring the following documents:

  • Offer letter from the employer that indicates the following: employer/company full address; start and end date of employment, and number of hours per week OR if the job is full time/part time,*
  • from academic advisor (form available from Center of Global Education,) and
  • Proof of registration for an credit-bearing internship course IF an internship is not required in your academic major

*If any of these details change, you will need to receive a new CPT authorization.

Please allow a minimum of three business days for CPT applications to be processed and authorization via DSO endorsement for CPT activities on a reprinted Form I-20. SEVIS authorization MUST be entered by a DSO before work begins. Internships or training (paid or unpaid) done without CPT endorsement on a reprinted Form I-20 is unauthorized and puts an F-1 student at risk for being out of status.

Commonly Asked Questions About CPT

A student must:

  • Have been enrolled full-time at ¾ÅÐãÖ±²¥ for one full academic year,*
  • Be in F-1 status, and
  • Have not yet completed their academic objective (ie not finished degree level yet)

*Exception exists for graduate students whose programs °ù±ð±ç³Ü¾±°ù±ðÌýimmediate CPT.

The internship and skills used at it MUST be directly related to an F-1 student’s academic major, and doing an internship must be a required part of an established curriculum of that academic major area of study. This means that doing an internship must be a written graduation requirement in the student’s academic major and that student will receive academic credit for the internship.

Yes. If an F-1 student is learning career-related skills, he or she must apply for CPT.

Students may engage in CPT only for the specific employer, location, and period approved and recorded by the Designated School Official (DSO) in the Student and Exchange Visitor System (SEVIS). If the location, number of hours worked, or the employer name changes during the authorized CPT period, a student must apply for new CPT authorization

CPT authorization can be approved for part time (20 hours or less) or full time (over 20 hours), e.g. part time during the academic year and full time during summer recess.

CPT may be granted by DSO in increments of no more than one year, or until expected date of employment completion, whichever is shorter. There is no cumulative maximum (however, see below.)

Use of full-time CPT for 12 months or more eliminates eligibility for Optional Practical Training (OPT). Use of part-time CPT does not affect reliability for OPT.

Yes, students must continue to maintain a full course of study in F-1 status during the period of training if the CPT occurs during a required term (ie during fall or spring semesters.)

“An F–1 student may be authorized by the DSO [Designated School Official] to participate in a curricular practical training program that is an integral part of an established curriculum. Curricular practical training is defined to be alternative work/study, internship, cooperative education, or any other type of required internship or practicum that is offered by sponsoring employers through cooperative agreements with the school. Students who have received one year or more of full time curricular practical training are ineligible for post-completion academic training. Exceptions to the one academic year requirement are provided for students enrolled in graduate studies that require immediate participation in curricular practical training. A request for authorization for curricular practical training must be made to the DSO. A student may begin curricular practical training only after receiving his or her Form I–20 with the DSO endorsement.â€Â 

Need more information?

Schedule an advising appointment at the Center for Global Education

Schedule an international services appointment