Curricular Practical Training is work experience which is either required of all students in a specific degree program or, alternatively, which is listed in the course catalog as offering credit that will directly count toward a student’s degree requirements. This may, but will not always, include for-credit internships and cooperative education programs. In very rare cases, it may also include independent study and/or graduate research.
The first step in applying for CPT is to complete the mandatory CPT workshop online. This is a self-enrollable Canvas course.
An application for CPT must be accompanied by a form from the adviser which certifies, among other things, specifically how the training will be evaluated and why the employment is absolutely necessary to fulfill a degree requirement.
You may begin working on the first day indicated in the CPT authorization. No additional employment authorization from United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) is required for the Curricular Practical Training.
Curricular Practical Training is authorized for one semester at a time. You must reapply for any subsequent semesters of CPT by submitting a new application packet to ISSS.
Curricular Practical Training of 20 or fewer hours per week is considered part time and requires concurrent course work during the academic year in order for you to maintain status as a full-time F-1 student.
Employment of more than 20 hours per week is considered full-time Curricular Practical Training. Students who use 12 months (365 days) or more of full-time Curricular Practical Training (CPT) are ineligible for Post-Completion Optional Practical Training (OPT) upon completion of an academic degree. NOTE: it is the responsibility of the student to keep track of how many days they work full-time while on CPT.
It is important to note that immigration may question you if you have repeated part-time CPT authorizations; this is a USCIS decision. OPT approval is at the discretion of USCIS.
Curricular Practical Training Application Packet
Check with an ISSS international student adviser if you're not sure whether your proposed training falls into this category.