Curricular Practical Training (CPT) is a type of employment authorization available to F-1 students who are engaged in an off-campus internship or practical training employment that is an integral part of the curriculum or academic program and directly related to the student’s major. Paid or unpaid, ALL internships or practical training of any kind must be authorized.

QUICK CPT INFO

C = COURSE. CPT is course with credits that count toward your academic degree. You must enroll in an internship course that is approved by your academic advisor. CPT is authorized only for the duration of the semester in which you are enrolled in the course. If you are permitted by your academic program to extend the internship, you must enroll again in an internship course in the subsequent term.

P = PART-TIME. CPT is part-time (less than 20 hours per week) during a fall or spring semester when classes are in session. You must also meet the regular FT courseload requirements to maintain your F-1 status. CPT can be 20 hours or more during a summer term.

T = TRANSCRIPT evidence must match the CPT authorization dates on the I-20. You must be enrolled in an approved course during the same academic term in which you are employed in the internship. If the internship spans more than one term, you must be enrolled in a corresponding course in each term. A maximum of two terms is permitted because too much CPT can cause you to lose OPT eligibility.

HOW TO GET CPT AUTHORIZATION ON YOUR I-20

1. Submit the internship form in Handshake and enroll in the corresponding course for the term in which you want to do the internship. Your academic advisor will approve the internship in Handshake.

2. Upload a pdf of the approved Handshake form and a copy of the offer letter to the UIS CPT Request Form. UIS will issue an I-20 with the CPT authorization on page two.

3.  If you don’t already have a Social Security Number (SSN), follow the instructions on www.ssa.gov to apply for an SSN. You will need the CPT I-20 and a FT status letter from UIS along with the offer letter.

4.  You need the CPT I-20 and the SSN (or receipt of having filed for the SSN) to begin working. Plan your start date accordingly.

CPT and the Visa Regulations

• The F-1 visa was issued to be a full-time student and not for employment, hence U.S. Immigration (USCIS) is very strict about employment on the F-1 visa.
• Unauthorized or inappropriate employment, even for one day, is considered a serious violation of visa status and thus cause for deportation.
• It is the students’ responsibility to understand the regulations regarding employment and to obtain the necessary employment authorization before beginning work.
• Although the rules may seem restrictive, the UIS policies are careful to protect the student from inadvertently creating problems with USCIS now or in the future.
• For any and all kinds of curricular practical training, paid or unpaid, you must have CPT authorization added to your I-20 prior to beginning work. Your employer will need this document before you can begin working.

Eligibility:

• To be eligible to apply for CPT, an undergraduate student must have been at the University for one full academic year (2 semesters). Graduate students may be eligible as soon as their second semester. 
• Students must not be on academic probation.
• Students must be enrolled in a full course load (including the internship course) (9 credits for graduate students of which 6 credits must be on-ground, 12 credits for undergraduate students of which 9 credits must be on-ground). A remote internship is considered to be a remote course and does not count as on-ground credits.
• You must be registered for the appropriate internship course within your major before the I-20 can be issued.

Restrictions:

• CPT must be part-time (less than 20 hours per week) during the fall and spring terms. CPT can be full-time (20 hours or more per week) during the summer session. However, please note that full-time CPT will be scrutinized by USCIS and may affect OPT, STEM OPT, and any future H1-B application.
• CPT is only allowed within the dates of the term that a student is enrolled in the internship course. If an internship spans two terms, the student must register in a corresponding internship course in each term. A maximum of two terms is permitted.
• CPT employment is employer- and location-specific. If the student wishes to change their employer, the student must obtain a new job offer letter and restart the Handshake approval process. If approved, the student needs a new authorization in SEVIS. CPT is not transferable from one job to the next.
• CPT is also required for internships that involve on-campus positions or research. 
• CPT authorization is needed for an internship whether or not it is a paid position.
• During the regular semester, the F-1 visa requires students to be on campus and taking classes on-ground. Any internship that is on-site (not remote) must be within a reasonable commute of campus (approx.100 miles). On-site internships that are outside this radius are only permitted during a summer term.

Application Process: 

1.  Obtain a job offer letter from the employer for whom you will be working. The employer must be willing to employ an F-1 student on CPT. The offer letter must be printed on company letterhead and include the following information:

• Name of Company 
• Mailing Address of Company
• Start and End Dates (within the dates of the term)
• Number of hours per week 
• Job title and description of role

2.   Speak with your academic advisor, who must confirm that the opportunity will meet the requirements to get the credits needed for your academic program. You must have permission from your academic department to enroll in the internship course during the term you plan to complete the internship, because the credits must show on your transcript. 

3.    Submit the New Internship Request Form within the Handshake system on the Career Development Center page. Include all information about your internship and how it is related to your program of study. You must upload your offer letter. The Internship Form will be sent to your academic advisor for approval. Confirm with your advisor that you have registered for the correct course.

4.    After your academic advisor approves your internship, you will be enrolled in the internship course. Print or screenshot a copy of the form to submit with your CPT Request to UIS.

5.   You must request the CPT authorization be added to your I-20. Submit the PDF of the approved form, and your offer letter to the UIS using the CPT Request Form. Upload the required documents to the e-form and submit your request at least one week in advance of the start of your internship to assure a timely response. 

6.  The UIS will process your request and issue you a new I-20 with CPT authorization based on the employer information and specific dates of employment indicated in the job offer letter. You must have this I-20 before you begin working or apply for a Social Security Number.  

7.  If the internship position is paid, you will need to apply for a Social Security Number once you’ve been issued your CPT I-20 if you do not already have an SSN.  The UIS can provide a letter confirming full-time student status to help you with the SSN application. Find out more about the SSN at www.ssa.gov.

8. PLEASE NOTE: The SSN card does not grant eligibility to work, which is why it has the note about needing DHS authorization as well. When filling out an I-9 at the start of employment, the following documents are helpful: Passport, visa, I-94, and I-20. For CPT the I-20 includes official work authorization on the second page.

DISCLAIMER: CPT cannot be used for off-campus employment unrelated to course work, nor simply for the purpose of working to support oneself. Find more about the requirements for CPT and how to request it on the UIS myCharger pages, or email uis@newhaven.edu.

UIS reserves the right to make the final decision on CPT authorization because regulations and the way they are interpreted by federal agency.

UIS Curricular Practical Training I-20 Request Form

OPT Handbook

Post-completion OPT I-20 Request Form

Career Development Center Charger Link

Student Employment Office

If after reviewing this information, you still have questions, submit your inquiry to UIS via the General Inquiry Form. UIS will answer inquiries in the order they are received.