Q&A for Second Approvers of CPT E-Form

Curricular Practical Training (CPT) is a benefit for international students in F-1 status that allows temporary training authorization for an “alternative work/study, internship, cooperative education, or any other type of required internship or practicum which is offered by sponsoring employers through cooperative agreements with the school.”  

CPT can only be authorized prior to a student’s degree completion for a work experience that is in their major field of study and considered to be “an integral part of an established curriculum.”  

Study in the States explains, “CPT is only available for F-1 students when it is part of an established curriculum within a school. CPT must be integral to your program of study” 

In 2020, ISSS conducted a comprehensive review of our Curricular Practical Training (CPT) protocol for international students holding F-1 nonimmigrant status. Based on the results of the ISSS internal review, we instituted comprehensive changes to our CPT protocol (requiring that the internship experience be connected to either an internship course or a degree requirement) that became effective on May 6, 2021. Detailed information is available regarding this change as well as a summary of the data collected during our internal review.

Since ISSS is not an academic unit, we ask for the assistance of academic advisors and graduate program administrators to confirm that the student’s degree program is designed in such a way that they are eligible for CPT. By completing the CPT Request e-form, you are confirming that the student is either enrolled in an internship course that could count for credit towards their program or, alternatively, that their degree program requires an internship, and the internship requirement is clearly documented in the University catalog.

• If a student is enrolled in an internship course for credit, you’ll be asked to provide the course name and number of that class.
• If the student’s degree program requires an internship, you’ll be asked to provide a link to the section or webpage in the University Catalog where that requirement is clearly documented. 

While ISSS does not set a specific deadline, an ISSS Advisor will reach out to second approvers who have not signed the e-form after 3 business days. ISSS cannot review and authorize the CPT until we have received a completed CPT Request e-form that includes confirmation from the second approver.

Yes! Once you click on the CPT Request e-form through the email you receive, there is a link at the top of the form called “Curricular Practical Training (CPT) Request” that will open a page with the information the student provided on their section of the e-form. The offer letter can be found at the bottom of that page in a separate section called “attached file(s)”.  

Please see below for the link to use to access the student’s section and offer letter:

For example, if a PhD student is already in their dissertation stage and an internship course could be applied towards the student’s degree requirements, we would authorize CPT based on their enrollment in the internship course.

Yes, as long as this is approved by the academic department. The internship class in which students enroll in order to be eligible for CPT must be a course for credit that could count towards their degree. If the academic department approves the student’s subsequent enrollment in the internship course over multiple semesters, ISSS can accept this as meeting the requirement to be eligible for CPT.

The minimum is one credit. ISSS does not set a maximum number of credit hours for the internship class. We defer to the academic department, as each department may have their own internship policies depending on the course requirements and contact hours. 

The academic department has some discretion when deciding what the internship dates can be. However, ISSS policy dictates that for the purposes of CPT the internship start and end dates cannot overlap with another semester. CPT authorization can begin after the previous semester ends. The CPT authorization must end before the first day of the next semester. For example, if the Spring Semester ends on May 4, 2022, then you can request CPT to start as early as May 5, 2022. If the student is graduating, the internship end date can be no later than the last day of the semester or semester term in which the student completes their degree.

No. One of the requirements for CPT is that students need to have completed one full academic year (Fall & Spring semester) of continuous full-time enrollment in active nonimmigrant status. ISSS can authorize CPT prior to the grades in a student’s second semester posting. Please note, if a student receives an incomplete grade(s) they must complete the requirements of the Incomplete within the deadline set by the faculty member. 

If applying for CPT based on enrollment in an internship course, the student must be enrolled in the course before they submit the CPT request to ISSS. ISSS will not authorize the CPT until we confirm enrollment in the course. Therefore, the student should try to enroll in the course as early as possible.

If a student withdraws from the internship course upon which their CPT has been authorized, then their CPT authorization will be immediately cancelled and they may face loss of F-1 status if ISSS determines they have worked without authorization.

No. An independent study does not count as an internship class for the purposes of CPT eligibility.