Curricular Practical Training (CPT)
Curricular Practical Training (CPT) is an alternate 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 is a curricular or academic pursuit. It is not a way to begin Optional Practical Training (OPT) early or used as a means to secure employment prior to graduation.
To be authorized for CPT, you must be registered for a corresponding course at the school within your identified curriculum path that will assess the internship, co-op, or practicum experience academically, AND the internship experience must either be an established component of your degree's curriculum or you will be receiving academic credit toward your degree for the experience agreed upon with your department. Typically, CPT is not authorized for a first year on an I-20 unless explicitly stated and required in the curriculum path for the student. Note that ISSS does not authorize CPT for the first semester at WVU.
Students interested in CPT should first speak with their academic advisor/department to see if taking part in an internship or co-op is a required part of the curriculum or if there is an opportunity to receive academic credit for the experience. You will identify, with the help of your academic advisor, the corresponding course you need to take in the semester in which you plan to take part in CPT and then register accordingly.
Once you have spoken to your academic advisor/department, identified the course in which you will be assessed for the CPT experience, and you have registered for the course, you can then request CPT from ISSS. You will need to plan for at least 15 business days for review and authorization. Immediate requests for CPT are not possible and you will need to request CPT early and plan accordingly for the experience.
Do not work off-campus in the experience until authorized for CPT, not until you have received the updated CPT I-20, and not outside of the dates authorized.
If the CPT authorization is not complete by the date you intended to start, you will need to contact the potential employer and postpone or change the dates for the experience. You cannot begin working until authorized by ISSS and the CPT notation appears on your update I-20. CPT must be authorized for a particular set of dates only in a semester and you must only work within the dates that are authorized on your I-20. Working outside of these dates is a violation of your F-1 status and will lead to serious immigration consequences. If needed, CPT must be reauthorized each semester that it is required, so you will likely need to place a request for CPT in any additional or subsequent semesters.
Please note that students who have received one year or more of full-time CPT are ineligible for post-completion practical training (OPT)—part-time CPT has no effect on your eligibility for OPT (from 8 CFR 214.2(f)(10)(i)).
To find out more information about CPT, please consider attending one of our CPT workshops to become familiar with the CPT process and to get your questions answered. Meetings will be arranged via zoom.
CPT Workshop Dates
If you are interested in joining the meeting, please email us by 12pm on the day of the event prior to the workshop: isss-students@mail.wvu.edu. Please include your full name, student ID number, and note which workshop date you would like to attend. We will then provide the zoom meeting info in a follow up e-mail.
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Student Eligibility Requirements
- To be eligible for Curricular Practical Training (CPT), an F-1 student must continue to make reasonable progress toward degree completion AND satisfy one of the following requirements:
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The internship, practicum, or field placement/study is a requirement for the degree program and the experience will confer course credit. The student may work for the length of time that the curriculum requires in the CPT experience for the degree. Full-time CPT is allowed during regular semesters under this criterion if required for your degree. Required CPT is defined as training/employment which is required of all degree candidates in the program and is necessary for the awarding of the degree. This requirement must be formally documented in the WVU catalog.
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The internship, practicum, or field placement/study is an integral part of the degree program and confers course credit, but is not a requirement of the degree program although it is an option. Part-time (up to 20 hours per week) curricular practical training is allowed during regular semesters under this criteria. Full-time training is allowed only during vacation periods, such as summer vacation under this criteria.
- An F-1 student is required to have completed one academic year of studies to qualify under both criterion unless explicitly stated that the experience must take place in the first year of study. Please note that ISSS does not authorize CPT in the first semester of study at WVU.
You must speak with your academic department/advisor about the opportunity prior to considering CPT in order to determine if it is a required component of your curriculum or one in which you may receive credit for toward your degree.
You must be registered for a related/corresponding course throughout your CPT experience. If you need to drop/withdraw from this course, you must cease employment on CPT immediately upon dropping/withdrawing.
CPT cannot be authorized in a last semester unless an internship in the last semester of the degree program is a required component of all students in that degree program. An exception would be for experiences that are necessary to complete individual research or thesis/dissertation work.
- The total employment hours (on and off campus combined) should not exceed 20 hours per week while school is in session (fall/spring). Please consult with ISSS if you intend to work on-campus and take part in CPT off-campus during fall/spring semesters.
- If you have completed your courses and the necessary research
for your thesis or dissertation, you are generally not eligible for CPT and should rather explore Optional Practical Training (OPT).
- If you are taking part in CPT during your last semester and/or registered for less than full-time credits while on CPT (9 for Graduate and 12 for undergraduate), you will also need to request a Reduced Course Load (RCL) from ISSS. Please see "Maintaining your Status" on the F-1 Students Webpage for further information about RCLs.
| Part 2: The CPT Request Process with ISSS
International Students & Scholars Services (ISSS) will review each request for CPT to determine the merit of each request against federal requirements and regulations. A request for CPT to ISSS should be considered an intake form for us to gather information about this experience and the academic information needed to assess if the CPT experience can be authorized for the dates requested.
To be sure that you receive CPT authorization in a timely manner, you should:
- apply at least 15 business days before your employment is to begin.
- be sure you submit your employment offer letter from your employer with your request.
- Follow up with the advisor listed in your electronic CPT Approver Form. This is the Academic Advisor or Department Chair you listed in your CPT request AND
Be registered for the corresponding academic course that will be used to assess your CPT experience and give you academic credit. The course must take place in the semester in which you will be doing your CPT.
ISSS does not guarantee turnaround times; however, we strive to complete each request in the order that it is received within 15 business days or within government deadlines.
You should plan to allow for and expect at least 15 business days (from the date we receive a complete and correct request) for us to process your CPT request. We cannot expedite requests.
Do not begin working until you receive authorization from ISSS. You may choose to consult with one of the international student advisors at ISSS to pre-determine your eligibility before submitting your CPT documents by e-mailing isss-students@mail.wvu.edu. CPT is approved by ISSS and our office will let you know once your CPT has been authorized for your record and then provide you the updated CPT I-20 with dates authorized.
To make a request for an updated I-20 with CPT authorization, please click on the following link to be directed to the student request portal login page > Request CPT Authorization.
- Once you are logged in, please go to "Requests and Documents" and select the "CPT Application" icon to begin. Please start by reading the directions for the request carefully. Please fill out all of the required info and answer all of the questionnaires.
- Please ensure the information you enter matches what is stated in the employment offer letter and what was discussed with your academic advisor/department approver. If the information is inaccurate or there is any discrepancy, you may need to resubmit your CPT request.
- Please upload a copy of your CPT offer letter from the company/organization you will be working with. This letter must include a start date and end date for the experience and indicate if this is full-time/part-time.
- Be sure you are registered for the corresponding course in the semester in which the CPT experience will take place. We cannot authorize your CPT prior to registering for this course.
- Please be sure you list the appropriate academic advisor e-mail in the "Approver" section in order for us to receive the academic information required about the experience from a member of your academic department.
You should have already discussed this information with the academic approver prior to sending the request to them so they are fully prepared to provide us the info about the academic component of this CPT experience. Please follow up with the academic approver to ensure they complete the recommendation. We will not receive your CPT request until the approver has provided and submitted the academic information we need to work on authorization.
> For Statler College of Engineering Student Only, please send the CPT recommendation for approval to Robin Hissam at robin.hissam@mail.wvu.edu
> For Chamber's Business and Economics Students Only, please send the CPT recommendation for approval to Ryan Noon at Ryan.Noon@mail.wvu.edu
> For College of Law Students Only, please send the CPT recommendations for approval to the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs. Please note that students should speak with the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs at least 90 days prior to CPT opportunity.
> For all other students, please speak to your academic advisor/department for the appropriate person to approve CPT academic information.
- A DSO will then review your request and documents within 15 business days and will contact you via mix e-mail once the request is complete with further information about accessing and printing your updated CPT I-20 electronically via your ISSS request portal. The I-20 will have the recommendation for CPT and authorized dates for the experience recorded on page 2. You still must print and sign your form I-20 once received electronically.
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You may not engage in CPT prior to receiving an updated I-20 with your CPT employment authorization annotated. Doing so is a serious violation of your F-1 visa.
- Do not work off-campus in the internship experience until authorized for CPT, not until you have received the updated CPT I-20, and not outside of the dates authorized on your updated CPT I-20.
- You should plan for and expect at least 15 business days from the time that ISSS receives a complete and properly submitted request before CPT is authorized. Please monitor your WVU MIX e-mail for updates regarding your CPT authorization request.
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If the CPT authorization is not complete by the date you intended to start, you will need to contact the potential employer and postpone or change the dates for the experience and alert isss-students@mail.wvu.edu of any change.
- You may e-mail isss-students@mail.wvu.edu to inquire about the status of your CPT request, however, requests placed with less than 15 days from the requested CPT start date cannot be guaranteed completion by the date requested. You will need to make arrangement with the potential employer to amend start dates if an untimely request is placed. You should not expect CPT authorization to be immediate or place requests within several days of starting the CPT experience.
- Please contact isss-students@mail.wvu.edu with any questions about your request and monitor your WVU mix e-mail for updates.
| Part 4: After Being Authorized for CPT
- You will receive an e-mail to your WVU mix address with information about how to electronically access, print, and sign your updated CPT I-20 once the CPT employer and dates have been authorized.
- You may only start working for the CPT employer on the date authorized on the CPT I-20 and within the dates authorized.
- All CPT work must cease on the last day of authorization listed on your updated CPT I-20.
- If needing to extend your CPT experience, please contact isss-students@mail.wvu.edu at least 3 weeks prior to inquire about proper steps to extend or consider submitting a new CPT request to ISSS with new dates for the experience. Authorized CPT dates typically cannot cross different semesters and may require separate authorization. Please e-mail our office to inquire.
A CPT authorization is a job-specific authorization with specific dates authorized for only one particular experience. You must submit a complete new request to ISSS for review if you wish to hold additional CPT employment opportunities in the same or different semesters.
You must be enrolled as a full-time student during the semester of your part-time CPT work. If you are on authorized full-time CPT during your annual vacation term (Summer break), you must be enrolled for at least an internship or independent study course that gives you academic credit for the work you are performing on CPT.
If you need to drop/withdraw from the course assessing your CPT experience, you must cease employment on CPT immediately upon dropping/withdrawing.
Since your CPT authorization is specific to enrollment in the course number and objectives provided in your CPT request, if you change the course, number of credits, or objectives in the course assessing your CPT experience, you must alert isss-students@mail.wvu.edu and coordinate with your academic department/advisor to provide us updated information as soon as possible.
If you quit or end your CPT employment before the authorized CPT end date, you should contact ISSS immediately so that we can amend your authorization dates. This is especially important when you were authorized for full-time CPT, so that this time will not count against your eligibility for Optional Practical Training (OPT).
Keep all original copies of any CPT I-20’s given to you. These likely will be required for any future USCIS benefit applications such as for OPT, H-1Bs, Permanent Residency etc.
Additional information concerning worker's rights. Know Your Rights (Wilberforce Pamphlet) from the Department of State. An information pamphlet describing your rights while working in the United States.
Q. Who is eligible to apply for CPT?
A. Students who have been in F-1 student status for at least one academic year in a degree-seeking program can apply for CPT if they have properly maintained F-1 status each semester. The only exception to this rule applies to students who are in a degree programs where all students in the academic program are required to do internship/practicum hours sooner to fulfill degree requirements and this is clearly stated in the WVU course catalog.
Q. What is the difference between required and optional CPT?
A. Required CPT is defined as training/employment which is required of all degree candidates in the program and is necessary for the awarding of the degree. This requirement must be formally documented in the WVU catalog. Optional CPT is not required for the awarding of the degree, but is considered an integral part of a student’s degree program and the training employment will result in awarding of academic credit toward the degree.
Q. I want to find a full-time internship and not enroll in classes during a regular semester (fall or spring) Can I apply for CPT?
A. Full-time CPT can only be authorized in your annual vacation term (summer) and during breaks between terms. The exception is if the CPT is required for all students in a particular academic program, during a particular semester in the academic year, and clearly stated in the WVU course catalog. Otherwise you’re required to maintain your full-time enrollment during fall and spring semesters and work no more than 20 hours per week in order to maintain your F-1 status, regardless of your CPT work plans. If you are already working part-time on campus and need part-time/full-time CPT, please inquire with ISSS for information you should carefully consider before taking on such workload as it may impact your ability to maintain status or successfully complete your coursework.
Q. Can I do full-time CPT and still be eligible for the full 12 months of optional practical training (OPT)?
A. Yes. However, students who have been authorized for 12 months of full-time CPT become ineligible for OPT. USCIS will count the days of CPT authorization, and if you have had 365 days or more of full-time CPT, you will be INELIGIBLE for OPT. Any amount of full-time CPT adding up to less than 12 months has no impact on OPT eligibility, and part-time CPT does not impact OPT eligibility at all.
Q. My degree program does not require an internship, does this mean I cannot participate in an off campus internship?
A. Not necessarily. You may still be eligible to apply for CPT if you and your Academic Advisor can document how the training is an integral part of your course of study still in progress AND you can enroll in either an internship credit or an independent study course specifically designed for the purpose of evaluating your CPT experience for academic credit toward your degree.
Q. I work on campus for less than 20 hours per week and I have been offered an internship off-campus. Am I eligible to apply for CPT?
A. While there are no regulations that prevent this, it is not recommended that students hold an on-campus position while completing CPT. To best assess your specific situation, please be sure to speak with an international student advisor by e-mailing isss-students@mail.wvu.edu.
Q. I hold a Graduate Assistantship. Am I eligible to apply for CPT?
A. While there are no regulations that prevent this, it is not recommended that students hold an assistantship while completing CPT. To best assess your specific situation, please be sure to speak with an international student advisor at isss-students@mail.wvu.edu.
Q. I have just been offered an internship opportunity that I want CPT authorization for. Can I begin work immediately?
A. No. You must first discuss this opportunity with your academic advisor/department first to see if receiving credit for the experience is possible. If possible and you can enroll in the corresponding credit, you then must request CPT at least fifteen (15) business days before you wish to begin work and wait for authorization from ISSS. You must have been approved for and have received an updated I-20 signed by ISSS and endorsed for CPT before you may begin work and cannot work outside of the dates authorized. Your CPT endorsed I-20 is what you’ll show your employer that you are authorized to work off campus. If you work off campus without pre-approved work authorization, you may be in violation of your F-1 status and may face consequences up to and including having your F-1 status terminated.
Q. Do I need to apply for CPT for an unpaid internship?
A. Yes. Remember CPT is often off campus employment. You should apply for work authorization for any internship/off campus employment/practicum, even if you will not be paid and wait for authorization before you can begin work or participation in the experience.
Q. May I volunteer for an off-campus organization without CPT authorization?
A. Even if you are not being paid for work you are performing off campus, you may still require CPT authorization. "Volunteer work" is considered work for which no one would be paid and is charitable in nature, such as helping at a community food bank or walking dogs at an animal shelter. If you are working for a company, and doing work in your field of study, this would be considered "unpaid employment," which would require work authorization such as CPT.
Q. I’m still confused, so what is the difference between unpaid internship and volunteering?
A. There is a difference between volunteering and engaging in an unpaid internship. Volunteering refers to donating time with an organization whose primary purpose is charitable or humanitarian in nature, without remuneration or any other type of compensation. Internships, both paid and unpaid, are primarily offered by the private sector and related to the intern’s field of study. The U.S. Department of Labor has guidelines for those seeking an unpaid internship: http://www.dol.gov/whd/regs/compliance/whdfs71.htm
Q. Do I have to take classes while on CPT?
A. You must be enrolled as a full-time student during the semester of your part-time CPT work. If you are on authorized full-time CPT during your annual vacation term, you must be enrolled for at least an internship or independent study course that gives you academic credit for the work you are performing on CPT.
Q. My department/college does not have a specific internship course. Can I still participate in CPT?
A. Yes, as long as your academic advisor can identify an appropriate course for you to enroll in that will give you credit for the work you are performing on CPT. Some departments will enroll students in independent study credits for CPT.
Q. Is there a minimum credit requirement for the independent study and/or internship course?
A. There is no minimum credit requirement for CPT. However, you must receive at least one hour of credit, and you must maintain your full-time enrollment during fall and spring. The internship course credit can count toward your overall full-time requirements as an F-1 student.
Q. Can I use my current CPT authorization for another internship since it has not yet expired?
A. No. A CPT authorization is a job-specific authorization, so you must submit a complete new application to ISSS for review if you wish to hold additional CPT employment opportunities in the same or different semesters.
Q. What should I do if I quit my training before the original anticipated CPT authorization end date?
A. You should contact ISSS immediately so that we can amend your authorization dates. This is especially important when you were authorized for full-time CPT, so that this time will not count against your eligibility for Optional Practical Training (OPT).
Q. Do I need to submit proof of enrollment for the past academic year?
A. No. ISSS will verify your enrollment history through the University Registrar's Office. However, if you recently transferred to WVU and wish to begin work on CPT prior to having been enrolled at WVU for one academic year, you will need to provide us with transcripts from your previous school to show that you have fulfilled the one year enrollment requirement.
Q. How do I know that I am authorized for CPT? And when may I begin work?
A. Prior to beginning your CPT employment, you must be in possession of an updated Form I-20, which will be properly endorsed with the CPT authorization. when your updated CPT I-20 is ready, it can be downloaded electronically for you to access, print, sign, and present to your employer. You will receive a notice to your WVU mix e-mail when the authorization is complete. Employment before or after your authorized dates of training is considered illegal employment with immigration consequences. Do not jeopardize your F-1 status and work/participate in an internship opportunity without CPT authorization and outside of the approved dates on your CPT I-20. All CPT work must cease on the last day of authorization.