Employment

F-1 Curricular Practical Training (CPT)
Eligibility

• Student must be in full-time status for 9 months to be eligible for CPT. 
• Internship must be an "integral" part of the curriculum for one's major course of study. 
• Internship must have been offered prior to CPT being authorized.
• CPT can only be taken before completion of study.

Application Process

• Proof of enrollment in an internship course
• Internship offer letter from employer stating:
• how work is directly related to student's major course of study
• start and end dates of internship
• full-time or part-time
• employer name and address

Approval Process

Upon review, OISS will issue a new SEVIS I-20 with CPT authorization.

Points to Consider

Please note that use of full-time CPT for one year or more eliminates eligibility for 12 month Optional Practical Training.  Use of part-time CPT does not affect the eligibility for Optional Practical Training.

F-1 Optional Practical Training (OPT)
F-1 Optional Practical Training allows you, as an F-1 student, to accept paid, professional-level employment that is directly related to your field of study. You are granted a maximum of 12 months of optional practical training. OPT can be used on a pre-completion and/or post-completion basis, as long as the total amount used does not exceed 12 months. If you are working part-time under pre-completion OPT, please note that the part-time is deducted from the 12 month limit at 50%.

Types of OPT

1. Pre-completion
(A) on a part-time basis only, during the academic year while engaged in coursework
(B) on a part-time or full-time basis, during the annual vacation period
(C) on a part-time or full-time basis, while working on a master's thesis/project or doctoral dissertation following completion of all coursework

2. Post-completion

• Initial 12 Month of OPT per educational level (Bachelor’s, Master’s, Ph.D.)
• 17 Month STEM Extension
   OPT can be extended only to students with degrees in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics fields.
   Employer MUST be registered with E-Verify Program, implemented by the Department of Homeland Security in collaboration with Social Security Administration.
   Only extended 1 time throughout F-1 student life regardless of the number of degrees achieved.
• Cap Gap Extension
   A gap occurs between the time of F-1 OPT status and the time that H-1B worker may start work (usually October 1).
   Automatic extension of duration of status and work authorization, if the student is the beneficiary of a timely filed H-1B petition and the petition is selected for processing by USCIS.
   Applies to all F-1 students under a valid OPT.
   Cap Gap Extension would automatically terminate upon the rejection, denial or revocation of the H-1B petition filed on the student’s behalf.

• The student must be in the U.S. primarily to study rather than engage in academic training;
• Academic training must be done with a specific employer or training site, and be directly related to the major field of study listed on the Form DS-2019.  A specific description of the training opportunity is required;
• The student must be in good academic standing.

F-1 and J-1 students intending to work in the U.S. must obtain a Social Security Card. Students must meet with OISS to be authorized to apply for a Social Security Card.  For more information, please visit our SSN website.