Curricular Practical Training (CPT)

Curricular Practical Training (CPT) is employment that is integral to an established curriculum and is directly related to an F-1 student's major or program of study. 

CPT is intended for practical training experiences that are a required component of the student's established academic curriculum, such as a required internship, practicum, cooperative education experience, or similar curricular component. CPT is not intended to provide an additional or supplemental employment opportunity simply because the employment is related to the student's field of study.

Recent guidance issued by the federal Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP) significantly narrows the circumstances under which Curricular Practical Training (CPT) may be authorized for students in F-1 status. Under the guidance, in addition to being integral to the student’s established educational program, CPT must be required for completion of the degree. Optional or elective program options no longer qualify for CPT.

On this page, you can find answers to common questions:

What is CPT?

Curricular Practical Training (CPT) is training that is an integral part of an established curriculum. The training must be required for program completion for all students in the program. CPT can be paid or unpaid experiences and must include enrollment in a course for academic credit.

CPT options can include but are not limited to:

  • Capstone
  • Clinical experience
  • Cooperative education (including unpaid EEPs)
  • Practicum
  • Student teaching
  • Thesis or dissertation
  • any other required curricular component

If you are a graduate student engaged in research that is integral to a thesis or dissertation, you and your advisor must demonstrate that your thesis or dissertation cannot be completed without engaging in the CPT opportunity. All required coursework for the degree must be completed to use this form of CPT. 

Optional or elective course offerings do not qualify for CPT.

Who is eligible for CPT?

To be eligible for CPT, F-1 students must meet all criteria below:

  • Hold active F-1 status
  • The curricular opportunity must be required for program completion. Optional curricular components do not qualify for CPT.
  • Have completed one full academic year (30 weeks) of full-time study immediately prior to the start of CPT. 
    • Students who have studied under a different immigration status during this period may also meet this requirement. 
    • The 30-week requirement is waived for graduate students in a program that requires immediate CPT participation for all students.

Studying in an online program outside of the United States does not count towards the full academic year requirement.

Full-time vs. Part-time

  • Full-time CPT is more than 20 hours per week
  • Part-time CPT is 20 hours a week or less
    • For part-time CPT to be issued, you must be simultaneously enrolled in full-time in-person classes to maintain lawful F-1 status.
    • Part-time CPT does not result in the loss of OPT eligibility.

If a student participates in 365 days or more of full-time CPT, they will lose eligibility to apply for Optional Practical Training (OPT). Participation in part-time CPT does not affect eligibility for OPT.

Apply for CPT

  1. Receive an offer letter from your employer (a sample letter is available). The offer letter should be on company letterhead and should include the following information:     
    1. Your job title, 
    2. Job duties, 
    3. Dates of employment, 
    4. Name and address of employer, 
    5. Salary
  2. Submit a Curricular Practical Training e-form in iBearcatsGlobal.
    1. The e-form will be routed to your academic/co-op advisor. They'll explain how the work is necessary to complete your degree. After your advisor completes the certification, the e-form is routed back to our office, where it will take up to 5 business days to process. So, plan ahead.
  3. Receive authorization from UC International. With this authorization, you can begin your employment.

You are not eligible to work until you receive your CPT I-20 from UC International Services and the start date of your work authorization has arrived. No other authorization is required for CPT.

Registration Requirements

Students are required to be enrolled in an appropriate course each term they are authorized for CPT. The course will be determined by college/co-op advisors based on the curricular component the student is fulfilling.

Sample employment agreement (offer letter)

All CPT authorizations require an employment agreement between the employer and the student. Guidance from SEVP allows an offer letter to serve as the agreement. 

Download a sample offer letter

Information for special populations

CPT is required for each training / employment experience used to fulfill a co-op requirement. These include paid or unpaid experiences as well as co-op alternatives like Experiential Exploration Programs (EEPs), service learning, international experiences, study abroad, etc. This also includes all work/training taking place on campus.

Students can only be authorized for the number of experiences necessary to fulfill the curricular requirement for the degree. Accepting additional CPT opportunities beyond the minimum requirement necessary to complete the degree is not possible.

If your employment/training is taking place outside the U.S., CPT will not to be issued on your SEVIS record. However, you still need to submit the CPT e-form in iBearcatsGlobal, so UC International can record your co-op participation and keep your SEVIS record active. 

You will need to enroll in the appropriate co-op course for each semester in which the employment/training is taking place. Failure to enroll can result in the termination of your CPT employment and possible termination of your F-1 status.

CPT for curricular options like capstones and internships can only be authorized if the capstone or internship is required to complete the degree program. CPT cannot be obtained for optional curricular components.

If required, CPT authorization is needed for each experience, paid or unpaid. You will need to enroll in the appropriate internship/capstone or other course for each term the employment/training is taking place.

If the training/employment is necessary for completion of a thesis or dissertation, CPT is required for each semester the employment/training will take place. You are required to enroll in 1 credit hour of thesis or dissertation research for each semester the employment/training will take place except for the summer. If the employment/training will take place during summer term only, then enrollment in the relevant research credit is necessary in the Summer Term.

To obtain CPT for a thesis/dissertation you will have to demonstrate that your thesis/dissertation cannot be completed without engaging in the training opportunity.

In all cases, submit the CPT e-form to UC International using iBearcatsGlobal.

CPT and OPT: differences and protecting OPT eligibility

 CPT and OPT serve different purposes: CPT is tied to an integral curricular component of the student's program, while OPT provides practical training related to the student's major that is not part of the required curriculum

Required CPT should not be waived, shortened, or otherwise altered solely to preserve a student's future OPT eligibility. Students may not substitute OPT for required CPT or use OPT and CPT simultaneously for the same practical training experience.

Find a Job in the U.S.

Part of the CPT process will involve finding a job in the United States. While you may use other connections and websites to find positions, UC has a resource for its students called Handshake. Using this portal, you can find co-ops, internships and post-graduation jobs that best match your career path.

In this video from the College of Cooperative Education and Professional Studies, learn how to use Handshake to find employers who will sponsor international students, don't require a U.S. work visa and accept students on CPT.

FAQ

You're not limited in the amount of Curricular Practical Training you may utilize if you continue to meet an academic need/requirement. However, students who have engaged in a year (365 days) or more of full-time CPT are ineligible for Optional Practical Training (OPT). Those who utilize 364 days or less of full-time CPT are still eligible for OPT.

In most cases, yes. If your CPT goes even one day into the next semester, you need to register for your CPT in that semester. If you wish to avoid this, you'll need to communicate with your employer to shorten your employment to a date before the start of the semester.

If you're a PhD student who is utilizing CPT for dissertation research, your enrollment requirements are slightly different. See information for special populations on this webpage.

If you're still not sure if you need to register, please contact our office.

On your first day of work, you will complete an I-9 form with your employer. It certifies how you are authorized to work in the US. The two most common questions about this form are answered below:

  • In Section 1, "An alien authorized to work", your Admission # is your I-94 number.
  • You are “authorized to work until” the end date of the CPT listed on page 2 of your I-20.
  • In Section 2, CPT falls under the category of "List A", document #4: Unexpired foreign passport, with Form I-94 indicating unexpired employment authorization. This section is to be completed by the employer, not the student.

You are authorized to work with the company, at the location, during the dates stated clearly on page 2 of your I-20. If anything should change in any of the details, UC International will need to authorize such changes.

For example, if you wish to work beyond the authorized period of employment, the employer is going to transfer you to another location, or you are going to work full-time instead of part-time, UC International will need to make these alterations to your authorization. All changes must be approved by your academic/co-op advisor first.

Your academic / co-op advisor will need to put any changes into writing and send them to UC International.

If you wish to take part in a new period of CPT for a new term, submit the CPT Request eForm again or get a letter from your advisor explaining the changes. The advisor's letter must be received by UC International Services prior to you starting work under the changed conditions.

Remember, it will take several business days to process your request. Plan ahead!

While on CPT you are still in F-1 status. Please make sure that you are following all of the rules to maintain your status.

This includes any changes of address (within 10 days). To update your local address, please submit the new address in Catalyst. You can find instructions for this process on the Enrollment Services website.

You can travel in and out of the United States while on CPT provided your I-20 has been signed by UC International Services within the past 12 months. You can obtain a new travel signature by completing the "Travel Signature Request" in iBearcatsGlobal.

You are still covered under University Student Health Insurance during your period of CPT. Your employer may need to know this if you wish to waive their health benefits.

Alternatively, if you wish to use your employer’s health benefits and wish to waive the University Student Health Insurance for the period you are on CPT, you will need to apply for a waiver prior to the deadline.

Either one of these can be given to you by an employer if you are working for them as a salaried employee or as an independent contractor, although it is often only issued if working as an independent contractor.

The W-9 is completed by US Citizens and Resident Aliens for Tax Purposes. Non-Resident Alien for Tax Purposes complete a W-8BEN. See "what is a W-4" in this FAQ for an explanation of the difference. Once you have your CPT approved, you can show your employer your I-20 (page two will have your work permit) and then give them a Form W-8BEN (which is the Non-Resident Alien for Tax Purposes version of the W-9).

You only need to complete Part I and Sign Part III (leaving Part II blank).

W-8BEN Form

A W-4 is issued if you will be working for a company as a salaried employee and not as an independent contractor. If you have been present in the US in F-1 status for less than five years, you will qualify as a Non-Resident Alien for Tax Purposes. This means your W-4 will need to be notated and completed in a certain way. 

How to complete your W-4 Resident Alien for tax purposes Determining if you are a Non-Resident Alien or Resident Alien