What is Curricular Practical Training (CPT) and How to Apply for It

What is Curricular Practical Training (CPT)?

Curricular Practical Training (CPT) offers on-the-job experience for F-1 students that is curricular in nature—that is, tied to a student’s program of study. This difference makes CPT a unique pillar of the F-1 student visa program. It blends strictly academic, or classroom-based, learning with the practical aspect of obtaining a college degree in the United States: gaining full-time employment at a U.S.-based organization afterward.

CPT Eligibility Criteria

You must complete one academic year of full-time enrollment of two consecutive long sessions (i.e., fall-spring or spring-fall) without a break in studies, not counting the summer.

Notable Exceptions

• Graduate students enrolled in programs that require immediate participation in an internship
• Less common exceptions are listed on our CPT page here.

Use of CPT’s Impact on Post-Completion OPT

If you accumulate more than 12 months of full-time (over 20 hours per week) CPT, you automatically lose your initial 12-month post-completion OPT benefit at the completed degree level.

STEM degree graduates also lose their 24-month STEM OPT Extension benefit at that degree level.

If you obtain a higher-level degree, you once again become eligible for post-completion OPT (and STEM OPT Extension, if applicable.)

Applying for CPT

Step 1: Speak with your advisor

To simplify the process, first discuss with your academic advisor how the desired off-campus employment opportunity fits into your program of study. This will help you determine the course or sequence of courses in which you need to enroll, and their timing.

Step 2: Enroll in course/s for the entire requested CPT period

The table below shows the range of CPT start and end dates for upcoming semesters.

If a proposed CPT’s start or end date will overlap with dates permitted for another semester, we will ask you to enroll in a separate internship course to cover the out-of-range start or end date.

To learn how we determine the earliest start and end dates for CPT each semester, review “Frequently Asked Questions: What are the earliest and latest start dates I can use for CPT authorization?” on our CPT page.

Step 3: Initiate a CPT request

Once you have the department’s approval to move forward with a planned CPT, initiate a CPT Request in myIO, and provide all requested information including a valid employment offer letter on company letterhead, or a complete and signed Employment Verification form.

Make sure your letter contains all of the required information:

• The hiring employer or company’s name
• A specific start date and end date. ‘TBD’ or any such variants are unacceptable.
• A job title
• A brief job description
• A physical work site address where you will conduct your job. If the work is to be performed remotely, the company site offering you employment should provide their location’s physical address
• Number of hours per week
• Company representative’s signature

Step 4: Obtain an I-20 with CPT authorization before beginning employment

Do not begin work until you have received an email containing an updated I-20 form that includes your CPT employer’s information and your authorized start and end dates.

Once you have received your I-20, you may start only on or after the authorized start date.

Still have questions about CPT?

Attend our Ask an Advisor: Applying for CPT session on Thursday, March 31. Our advisors will be there to answer all of your basic CPT questions.