{"id":274,"date":"2014-10-04T22:33:21","date_gmt":"2014-10-05T02:33:21","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.saintpeters.edu\/global-learning\/?page_id=274"},"modified":"2025-11-25T08:03:42","modified_gmt":"2025-11-25T13:03:42","slug":"curricular-practical-training-cpt","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.saintpeters.edu\/global-learning\/international-students\/curricular-practical-training-cpt\/","title":{"rendered":"Curricular Practical Training (CPT)"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>Curricular Practical Training (CPT) is a type of employment authorization available to eligible F-1 students when the training is an integral part of their academic program. CPT allows students to gain practical experience directly related to their field of study while completing their degree. F-1 students may be authorized by a Designated School Official (DSO) to participate in Curricular Practical Training (CPT) to satisfy the requirements of a required or elective internship, practicum, or fieldwork course. In all cases, the employment must form<strong> \u201can integral part of the established curriculum\u201d <\/strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.ecfr.gov\/current\/title-8\/chapter-I\/subchapter-B\/part-214\/section-214.2#p-214.2(f)(10)(i)\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">8 CFR 214.2(f)(10)(i)<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p><strong>CPT is not guaranteed and is subject to approval by the Center for Global Learning (CGL), as well as the <\/strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.saintpeters.edu\/ceel\/\"><strong>Center for Career Engagement and Experiential Learning (CEEL)<\/strong><\/a><strong> for undergraduate students, or the academic advisor for graduate students.<\/strong><\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<div id=\"accordions-1207\" class=\"accordions-1207 accordions\" data-accordions={&quot;lazyLoad&quot;:true,&quot;id&quot;:&quot;1207&quot;,&quot;event&quot;:&quot;click&quot;,&quot;collapsible&quot;:&quot;true&quot;,&quot;heightStyle&quot;:&quot;content&quot;,&quot;animateStyle&quot;:&quot;swing&quot;,&quot;animateDelay&quot;:1000,&quot;navigation&quot;:true,&quot;active&quot;:999,&quot;expandedOther&quot;:&quot;no&quot;}>\r\n                <div id=\"accordions-lazy-1207\" class=\"accordions-lazy\" accordionsId=\"1207\">\r\n                    <\/div>\r\n\r\n    <div class=\"items\"  style=\"display:none\" >\r\n    \r\n            <div post_id=\"1207\" itemcount=\"0\"  header_id=\"header-17502730190\" id=\"header-17502730190\" style=\"\" class=\"accordions-head head17502730190 border-none\" toggle-text=\"\" main-text=\"Eligibility Requirements\">\r\n                                    <span id=\"accordion-icons-17502730190\" class=\"accordion-icons\">\r\n                        <span class=\"accordion-icon-active accordion-plus\"><i class=\"fas fa-chevron-up\"><\/i><\/span>\r\n                        <span class=\"accordion-icon-inactive accordion-minus\"><i class=\"fas fa-chevron-right\"><\/i><\/span>\r\n                    <\/span>\r\n                    <span id=\"header-text-17502730190\" class=\"accordions-head-title\">Eligibility Requirements<\/span>\r\n                            <\/div>\r\n            <div class=\"accordion-content content17502730190 \">\r\n                <p>To qualify for CPT, a student must meet the following criteria:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Have a <strong>job offer<\/strong> directly related to their academic major prior to applying for CPT.<\/li>\n<li>Must be making normal progress toward degree completion and be in good academic standing.<\/li>\n<li>Must be in valid F-1 status at the time of application. If the SEVIS record is in terminated status, the student cannot engage in CPT. <strong>If the student is dropped or withdrawn from classes after the CPT has been approved, the student must cease all employment immediately.<\/strong><\/li>\n<li>Must have completed at least one academic year (full-time enrollment) before applying:\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Undergraduate students<\/strong>: One fall and one spring semester.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Graduate students<\/strong>: Fall, winter, and spring trimesters.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li>Must maintain full-time enrollment while on CPT, except during official university breaks:<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Undergraduate students<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Must register for a minimum of 12 credits at all times (except the summer term and last semester, if less than 12 credits are needed to complete the program); credited internship courses can count towards full-time enrollment<\/li>\n<li>Students cannot take an internship course by itself (except during summer term <em>if it is not <\/em>the final term).\n<ul>\n<li>If summer is the final semester of study, students are required to have at least one in-person course.<\/li>\n<li>Students may be allowed to engage in CPT in their final semester if they are taking other required courses to finish their degree.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li>If enrolled in less than 12 credits during a required term, the student must submit a request for <a href=\"https:\/\/isss.saintpeters.edu\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Reduced Course Load<\/a>. Be sure to read the information on <a href=\"https:\/\/www.saintpeters.edu\/global-learning\/full-course-of-study-requirement\/\">Full Course of Study Requirements<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Graduate students<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Must register for a minimum of 6 credits at all times (except the summer term and last semester, if less than 6 credits are needed to complete the program); credited internship courses can count towards full-time enrollment<\/li>\n<li>If enrolled in less than 6 credits during a required term, the student must submit a request for <a href=\"https:\/\/isss.saintpeters.edu\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Reduced Course Load<\/a>. Be sure to read the information on <a href=\"https:\/\/www.saintpeters.edu\/global-learning\/full-course-of-study-requirement\/\">Full Course of Study Requirements<\/a><\/li>\n<li>Students cannot take a CPT course by itself (except during summer term <em>if it is not<\/em> their final term)<\/li>\n<li>If summer is the student\u2019s final trimester prior to program completion, they are required to register for at least one in-person course in addition to the internship course<\/li>\n<li>Students may be authorized to engage in CPT in their final trimester, if they are taking other required courses to finish their degree.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>NOTE<\/strong>: The clock on the requirement to complete one full academic year of full-time enrollment <strong>resets<\/strong> under the following circumstances:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>The student <strong>began a new academic program<\/strong> after participating in <strong>Post-Completion OPT<\/strong> or the <strong>STEM OPT Extension<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<li>The student <strong>returned to F-1 status<\/strong> after spending time in a <strong>different immigration status<\/strong> in the U.S. while <strong>not enrolled full-time<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<li>The student <strong>returned from a Leave of Absence<\/strong> after being <strong>outside the U.S. for 5 months or more<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<li>The student <strong>regained F-1 status<\/strong> through \u201ctravel and re-entry\u201d after their <strong>SEVIS record was terminated for any reason, including Authorized Early Withdrawal (AEW)<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>If any of these situations apply, the student will need to complete one academic year of lawful full-time enrollment before becoming eligible for CPT.<\/p>\n            <\/div>\r\n    \r\n            <div post_id=\"1207\" itemcount=\"1\"  header_id=\"header-17502730191\" id=\"header-17502730191\" style=\"\" class=\"accordions-head head17502730191 border-none\" toggle-text=\"\" main-text=\"Program Requirements\">\r\n                                    <span id=\"accordion-icons-17502730191\" class=\"accordion-icons\">\r\n                        <span class=\"accordion-icon-active accordion-plus\"><i class=\"fas fa-chevron-up\"><\/i><\/span>\r\n                        <span class=\"accordion-icon-inactive accordion-minus\"><i class=\"fas fa-chevron-right\"><\/i><\/span>\r\n                    <\/span>\r\n                    <span id=\"header-text-17502730191\" class=\"accordions-head-title\">Program Requirements<\/span>\r\n                            <\/div>\r\n            <div class=\"accordion-content content17502730191 \">\r\n                <ul>\n<li>CPT must be <strong>an integral part of the established curriculum<\/strong> and directly related to the student\u2019s program of study.<\/li>\n<li>To qualify, the academic program must include:\n<ul>\n<li>An <strong>internship elective<\/strong> that contributes to the required degree credits, or<\/li>\n<li>A <strong>fieldwork\/practicum requirement<\/strong> built into the curriculum.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n            <\/div>\r\n    \r\n            <div post_id=\"1207\" itemcount=\"2\"  header_id=\"header-17502730192\" id=\"header-17502730192\" style=\"\" class=\"accordions-head head17502730192 border-none\" toggle-text=\"\" main-text=\"Course Registration\">\r\n                                    <span id=\"accordion-icons-17502730192\" class=\"accordion-icons\">\r\n                        <span class=\"accordion-icon-active accordion-plus\"><i class=\"fas fa-chevron-up\"><\/i><\/span>\r\n                        <span class=\"accordion-icon-inactive accordion-minus\"><i class=\"fas fa-chevron-right\"><\/i><\/span>\r\n                    <\/span>\r\n                    <span id=\"header-text-17502730192\" class=\"accordions-head-title\">Course Registration<\/span>\r\n                            <\/div>\r\n            <div class=\"accordion-content content17502730192 \">\r\n                <ul>\n<li>CPT requires enrollment in a <strong>corresponding internship or co-op course<\/strong>. This course must be for credit, except for graduate programs that have a required internship but no credit-bearing course.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Undergraduate students<\/strong>: Must contact <a href=\"https:\/\/www.saintpeters.edu\/ceel\/\"><strong>CEEL<\/strong><\/a> for course registration. Undergraduate students can engage in a maximum of 9 internship credits (Please consult with CEEL).<\/li>\n<li><strong>Graduate students<\/strong>: Must contact their <strong>academic advisor<\/strong> to register. Internship courses are typically 1 credit. Students in 30 credit programs can earn a maximum of 2 internship credits over the course of the degree. Students in 36 credit programs can earn a maximum of 3 internship credits over the course of the degree.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n            <\/div>\r\n    \r\n            <div post_id=\"1207\" itemcount=\"3\"  header_id=\"header-17502730193\" id=\"header-17502730193\" style=\"\" class=\"accordions-head head17502730193 border-none\" toggle-text=\"\" main-text=\"CPT Dates\">\r\n                                    <span id=\"accordion-icons-17502730193\" class=\"accordion-icons\">\r\n                        <span class=\"accordion-icon-active accordion-plus\"><i class=\"fas fa-chevron-up\"><\/i><\/span>\r\n                        <span class=\"accordion-icon-inactive accordion-minus\"><i class=\"fas fa-chevron-right\"><\/i><\/span>\r\n                    <\/span>\r\n                    <span id=\"header-text-17502730193\" class=\"accordions-head-title\">CPT Dates<\/span>\r\n                            <\/div>\r\n            <div class=\"accordion-content content17502730193 \">\r\n                <p>Students must submit their application for CPT by no later than the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.saintpeters.edu\/academic-calendar\/\">add\/drop deadline<\/a> for the term for which they are requesting authorization and they must be physically present in the U.S. to engage in CPT.<\/p>\n<p>CPT employment will be authorized on a semester\/trimester basis <strong>from the start of the current academic term through the day before the next term<\/strong>, aligning with SPU\u2019s academic calendar:<\/p>\n<div class=\"tg-wrap\">\n<table width=\"90%\">\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td><strong>Term<\/strong><\/td>\n<td><strong>Authorization Period<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Summer<\/td>\n<td>First day of summer term \u2013 Day before fall term<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Fall<\/td>\n<td>First day of fall term \u2013 Day before winter term<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Winter<\/td>\n<td>First day of winter term \u2013 Day before spring term<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Spring<\/td>\n<td>First day of spring term \u2013 Day before summer term<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<p><strong>NOTE: If the student is completing their program at the end of the term for which the CPT is authorized, the CPT authorization will end on the program completion date:<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Undergraduate Students<\/strong>: the <strong>last day of final exams, <\/strong>as listed on <a href=\"https:\/\/www.saintpeters.edu\/academic-calendar\/\">SPU\u2019s academic calendar<\/a>.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Graduate Students<\/strong>: <strong>the last day of the trimester, <\/strong>as listed on <a href=\"https:\/\/www.saintpeters.edu\/academic-calendar\/\">SPU\u2019s academic calendar<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>If the student wishes to continue working with the same employer after graduation, they <strong>must not resume or continue employment<\/strong> until they have received <strong>OPT approval<\/strong> and their <strong>EAD card<\/strong> has been issued.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n            <\/div>\r\n    \r\n            <div post_id=\"1207\" itemcount=\"4\"  header_id=\"header-17502730194\" id=\"header-17502730194\" style=\"\" class=\"accordions-head head17502730194 border-none\" toggle-text=\"\" main-text=\"Work Hours &amp; Timing\">\r\n                                    <span id=\"accordion-icons-17502730194\" class=\"accordion-icons\">\r\n                        <span class=\"accordion-icon-active accordion-plus\"><i class=\"fas fa-chevron-up\"><\/i><\/span>\r\n                        <span class=\"accordion-icon-inactive accordion-minus\"><i class=\"fas fa-chevron-right\"><\/i><\/span>\r\n                    <\/span>\r\n                    <span id=\"header-text-17502730194\" class=\"accordions-head-title\">Work Hours &amp; Timing<\/span>\r\n                            <\/div>\r\n            <div class=\"accordion-content content17502730194 \">\r\n                <ul>\n<li>CPT can be authorized part-time (up to 20 hours per week) or full-time (over 20 hours per week).<\/li>\n<li><strong>The student may not begin work before<\/strong> the CPT start date <strong>or continue after<\/strong> the end date listed on your I-20.<\/li>\n<li>CPT <strong>cannot be modified or approved retroactively<\/strong> once the employment start date has passed.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n            <\/div>\r\n    \r\n            <div post_id=\"1207\" itemcount=\"5\"  header_id=\"header-17502730195\" id=\"header-17502730195\" style=\"\" class=\"accordions-head head17502730195 border-none\" toggle-text=\"\" main-text=\"Impact on OPT\">\r\n                                    <span id=\"accordion-icons-17502730195\" class=\"accordion-icons\">\r\n                        <span class=\"accordion-icon-active accordion-plus\"><i class=\"fas fa-chevron-up\"><\/i><\/span>\r\n                        <span class=\"accordion-icon-inactive accordion-minus\"><i class=\"fas fa-chevron-right\"><\/i><\/span>\r\n                    <\/span>\r\n                    <span id=\"header-text-17502730195\" class=\"accordions-head-title\">Impact on OPT<\/span>\r\n                            <\/div>\r\n            <div class=\"accordion-content content17502730195 \">\r\n                <ul>\n<li>If the student engages in <strong>12 months or more of full-time CPT<\/strong>, they will <strong>lose eligibility<\/strong> for <strong>Optional Practical Training (OPT)<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Part-time CPT<\/strong> does <strong>not affect OPT eligibility<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n            <\/div>\r\n    \r\n            <div post_id=\"1207\" itemcount=\"6\"  header_id=\"header-17502730196\" id=\"header-17502730196\" style=\"\" class=\"accordions-head head17502730196 border-none\" toggle-text=\"\" main-text=\"Applying for CPT\">\r\n                                    <span id=\"accordion-icons-17502730196\" class=\"accordion-icons\">\r\n                        <span class=\"accordion-icon-active accordion-plus\"><i class=\"fas fa-chevron-up\"><\/i><\/span>\r\n                        <span class=\"accordion-icon-inactive accordion-minus\"><i class=\"fas fa-chevron-right\"><\/i><\/span>\r\n                    <\/span>\r\n                    <span id=\"header-text-17502730196\" class=\"accordions-head-title\">Applying for CPT<\/span>\r\n                            <\/div>\r\n            <div class=\"accordion-content content17502730196 \">\r\n                <p><strong>STEP 1<\/strong>: Attend an F-1 Curricular Practical Training Workshop<\/p>\n<p><strong>STEP 2<\/strong>: Obtain an offer of employment<\/p>\n<p><strong>STEP 3<\/strong>: Enroll in credited Internship course<\/p>\n<p><strong>STEP 4<\/strong>: Log into the International Student Portal and submit the Request for Curricular Practical Training<\/p>\n<p><strong>STEP 5<\/strong>: The CGL will be review your application within 7 business days. If your application is approved, your I-20 with the CPT approval will be uploaded to the portal.<\/p>\n<p><strong>STEP 6<\/strong>: Print, sign, and present your I-20 to your employer.<\/p>\n<p><strong>In order to submit your request successfully, you will need to:<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Provide the name and email address of your academic advisor or department contact.<\/li>\n<li>Provide the name, address, and dates of employment for your proposed CPT employer.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>You will also be asked to upload a scanned copy of your:<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Offer of employment. The offer of employment must contain the following information <strong>(<\/strong><a href=\"https:\/\/docs.google.com\/document\/d\/1YPyRblxpiuMMTx7NVT4ODuV9iK4rt5AJ\/edit?usp=sharing&ouid=115468583853048130439&rtpof=true&sd=true\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><strong>View sample offer letter<\/strong><\/a><strong>)<\/strong>:\n<ul>\n<li>Job title<\/li>\n<li>job description<\/li>\n<li>number of hours per week you will work<\/li>\n<li>start date of employment and end date of employment<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li>Completed and signed <a href=\"https:\/\/drive.google.com\/file\/d\/1iVz4uTh8xzyXCUrJt-jmuXi4ah2fquaF\/view\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Cooperative Learning Agreement<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n            <\/div>\r\n    <\/div>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n            <\/div>\n<hr \/>\n<p><strong>Important Notes<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>CPT cannot be used to <strong>extend the student\u2019s program<\/strong>. Requests to extend the program solely to pursue CPT will not be approved.<\/li>\n<li>All CPT applications must be submitted and approved <strong>before beginning employment<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<li>CPT is <strong>not available<\/strong> for students whose program does not include an internship or fieldwork as part of the established curriculum.<\/li>\n<li>Time spent lawfully enrolled full-time while in a different nonimmigrant classification can be counted towards the one academic year enrollment requirement.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Please note that a request for CPT is not considered submitted until your academic advisor verifies that the proposed employment satisfies the requirements of the internship course.<\/strong> If your start date is within less than 10 business days from the date you submit the application, we cannot guarantee that the CPT will be authorized by the requested employment start date and you would need to delay the date you begin work. <strong>Curricular practical training is granted based on program requirements rather than individual employment needs. It&#8217;s essential for both you and your employer to understand this distinction.\u00a0<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Curricular Practical Training (CPT) is a type of employment authorization available to eligible F-1 students when the training is an integral part of their academic program. CPT allows students to gain practical experience directly related to their field of study while completing their degree. F-1 students may be authorized by a Designated School Official (DSO) [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":0,"parent":258,"menu_order":-1,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-274","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.saintpeters.edu\/global-learning\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/274","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.saintpeters.edu\/global-learning\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.saintpeters.edu\/global-learning\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.saintpeters.edu\/global-learning\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.saintpeters.edu\/global-learning\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=274"}],"version-history":[{"count":29,"href":"https:\/\/www.saintpeters.edu\/global-learning\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/274\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1209,"href":"https:\/\/www.saintpeters.edu\/global-learning\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/274\/revisions\/1209"}],"up":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.saintpeters.edu\/global-learning\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/258"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.saintpeters.edu\/global-learning\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=274"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}