F-1 CPT

Opportunity for international students to engage in training that relates directly to the student’s major area of study.

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Qualifications

• Training is carried out during the course of the academic program and can be either part-time or full-time depending on what is permitted by the school.
• Area of training must be directly related to the student’s field of study, and it must also be an integral component of the curriculum.
• To be eligible for CPT, must be enrolled full-time at an SEVP-approved school for one academic year or enrolled in a graduate program that requires immediate participation in CPT.
• Requires a signed cooperative agreement with an employer.
• Time spent part-time in CPT does not impact post-graduation Optional Practical Training (OPT), but one who engages in 12 months or more of full-time CPT is not eligible for OPT.

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Timeline

• Must request authorization for CPT from the school, which authorizes CPT in SEVIS and issues a new Form I-20. Following the school’s submission, authorization for CPT is often quite fast.