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  • Change of Status
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  • Employment
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  • Maintaining Legal Status
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    F-1: Curricular Practical Training 

    Curricular Practical Training (CPT) is authorization for employment that is an integral part of an established 
curriculum and is directly related to a student's major area of study. It may be defined as: alternate 
work/study,internship, cooperative education (Co-Op), or other type of required internship practicum. 
The potential employment must be related to a student’s major, and to specific course in which the 
student has enrolled and will complete.
    CPT can be full-time (more than 20 hours per week) or part-time (20 hours or less per week). Students 
registered for part-time CPT during fall or spring semester must also be enrolled in a full course of study. 
Students engaged in part-time CPT during summer vacation do not need to be enrolled full-time.

    Students must be in legal status which includes, but is not limited to:

    • Possessing a valid passport,
    • Being registered as a full-time student each fall and spring semester (excluding summers),
    • Having been in F-1 student status for at least one full academic year,
    • The only exception is an F-1 graduate student who is required to be employed as part of a required course in his/her plan of study.
    How to Apply for CPT 
    In order to apply for CPT), you must have a job offer. The job offer should provide the following details: 
(a) if position is full or part-time; (b) location of employment; (c) the period of employment.
    1. Complete Section A of the Curricular Practical Training Academic Advisor Recommendation form. Have your academic advisor complete Section B. Engineering majors will also need to obtain the approval of the Associate Dean of the School of Engineering .
    2. Schedule an appointment with an ISSS advisor. Allow 30-60 minutes for the appointment. Take to the appointment your: (1) completed Curricular Practical Training Academic Advisor Recommendation Form, (2) current I-20 (3) I-94 and (4) passport.
    3. During the appointment, the ISSS advisor will verify your F-1 status and review the CPT Academic Advisor Recommendation Form to confirm if the employment meets the curricular requirements. If the ISSS advisor approves the CPT, the authorization will be submitted to SEVIS, which will result in the issuance of a new I-20 showing that you are authorized for this employment.
    4. You will receive an e-mail (usually within 48 hours, excluding weekends) informing you that your new I-20, with CPT authorization on page 3, is ready for you to pick up in the ISSS office. Be sure to sign and date page 1 of the I-20 (Section #11) and let ISSS make a photocopy for your student file. 
    Employment may begin only after the ISSS advisor has authorized CPT by endorsing your I-20.  The I-20
is the official document authorizing the Curricular Practical Training employment.
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