What is CPT?

Curricular Practical Training (CPT) is employment that is an integral part of an established curriculum.

Curricular practical training is defined to be alternative work/study, internship, or cooperative education arranged with the approval of your program, or any type of required internship or practicum that is offered by sponsoring employers through cooperative agreements.

USCIS uses a broad definition of employment – any activity for which a student receives a benefit, monetary or otherwise – even unpaid internships require CPT authorization.

CPT may take place during the academic year and/or in the summer and must be undertaken prior to the completion of a course of study.

Integral Part of the Established Curriculum

Training must be an integral part of an established curriculum. Therefore, training must be either:

(1) Required by the curriculum

(2) If not required, the student must register for an approved project course (3 credits) for the semester or summer (graduate students) or for “Assimilating the Internship Experience” for 3 credits (undergraduates). This is necessary for a paid or unpaid internship.

Who is eligible for CPT?

Students in F-1 status must have been lawfully enrolled in school full-time for at least one full academic year before becoming eligible for practical training. CPT must be undertaken prior to the completion of a course of study.

The academic year in-status requirement is waived for students enrolled in graduate studies, which require immediate participation in curricular practical training.

CPT Authorization

You must have authorization from the ISSS Director at Manhattan University before you begin a paid or unpaid internship or any other form of CPT. 

F-1 students cannot engage in employment or practice until you receive your SEVIS I-20 with the CPT endorsement.

Any internship, paid or unpaid, must be authorized before you start up with a placement! 

Beginning an internship or practicum without proper CPT authorization is a violation of immigration regulations and can have serious consequences.

How much CPT time can you have?

Students who complete 12 or more months of full-time curricular practical training will be ineligible for optional practical training (OPT). Part-time CPT does not get counted. To continue to be eligible for OPT you will want to make sure to do 364 days or less of full-time CPT.

What paperwork is required for CPT?

Students will need to complete the following forms with the help of their academic advisor or dean:

1. Recommendation Form for Curricular Practical Training
2. Employer's Agreement for Providing Curricular Practical Training

The student will need to submit these forms to the Office of International Student and Scholar Services, which will issue a Form I-20 with the CPT recommendation on page two.

Students cannot commence employment until they have been issued their Form I-20.

8 CFR 214.2(f)(10)(i)

(i) Curricular practical training. An F-1 student may be authorized by the DSO to participate in a curricular practical training program that is an integral part of an established curriculum. Curricular practical training is defined to be alternative work/study, internship, cooperative education, or any other type of required internship or practicum that is offered by sponsoring employers through cooperative agreements with the school. Students who have received one year or more of full time curricular practical training are ineligible for post-completion academic training. Exceptions to the one academic year requirement are provided for students enrolled in graduate studies that require immediate participation in curricular practical training. A request for authorization for curricular practical training must be made to the DSO. A student may begin curricular practical training only after receiving his or her Form I-20 with the DSO endorsement.

8 CFR 214.2(f)(10)(i)(B)

(B) SEVIS process. To grant authorization for a student to engage in curricular practical training, a DSO at a SEVIS school will update the student's record in SEVIS as being authorized for curricular practical training that is directly related to the student's major area of study. The DSO will indicate whether the training is full-time or part-time, the employer and location, and the employment start and end date. The DSO will then print a copy of the employment page of the SEVIS Form I-20 indicating that curricular practical training has been approved. The DSO must sign, date, and return the SEVIS Form I-20 to the student prior to the student's commencement of employment.