Curricular Practical Training (CPT) Policy

Policy Statement

In accordance with the Student Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP) governing regulations for students and schools, Curricular Practical Training authorization from the University Designated School Official is required for an international student to engage in any off-campus internship, cooperative education, practicum, and/or practical training experience.

Reason for Policy

This policy sets forth a comprehensive set of guidelines and procedures for the eligibility, requirements, and authorization of Curricular Practical Training (CPT), required for an international student to participate in any alternative work/study, internship, cooperative education and/or other type of required internship or practicum that a sponsoring employer offers through agreements with a student’s academic school.

Who Is Governed by this Policy

F-1 Nonimmigrant Students, Faculty, and Administration

Policy

Curricular Practical Training (CPT) is one type of practical training available to eligible F-1 students. Authorized by the Designated School Official (DSO), CPT is an alternative work/study, internship, cooperative education or other type of required internship or practicum that is an integral part of an established curriculum from a sponsoring employer through a written agreement with the student’s school. An F-1 student must receive prior authorization for CPT from their DSO prior to beginning any off-campus internship or practical training experience to avoid a violation of status.

Unauthorized participation in any off-campus internship or employment opportunity is a violation of F-1 status and will result in the termination of a student’s SEVIS record, requiring the student to depart the country immediately.

The CPT experience must relate directly to the student’s major area of study, be an integral part of the school’s established curriculum, occur prior to the student’s program end date on the Form I-20, requires a signed cooperative agreement or letter from the employer, and the student must be receiving academic credit per the established Adelphi credit hour policy. Employment and academic credit must occur in the same academic term and follow the academic calendar “drop/add” dates.

Employment or training must occur prior to the student’s program end date on the Form I-20.

The student must have been lawfully enrolled on a full-time basis while physically present in the United States for one academic year (i.e., two full terms) with the same SEVIS record ID, unless their academic program requires immediate participation for all students. Non-degree students or participation in a non-degree program does not apply toward the one full academic year requirement.

A student may begin curricular practical training only after receiving his or her Form I-20 with the DSO endorsement and not before the CPT start date indicated on the form.

The employment can be full-time (more than 20 hours per week) or part-time (less than 20 hours per week) as necessary to meet the academic program requirements. Twelve months or more of full-time CPT will eliminate a student’s OPT eligibility.

Students can have more than one CPT authorization at the same time. However, CPT authorization is needed for each employer and each time period.

CPT cannot be authorized to obtain real-world experience or to build your résumé. Students interested in practical training for these purposes must apply for pre-completion OPT with the US Citizenship and Immigration Services.

Students may be eligible for CPT authorization for a required or elective academic internship, clinical or field experience, student teaching, and/or the Jaggar Community Fellows Program.

Definitions

Cooperative education (or co-operative education): A structured method of combining classroom-based education with practical work experience.

Curricular Practical Training: Alternative work/study, internship, cooperative education, or any other type of required internship or practicum that is offered by sponsoring employers through cooperative agreements with the school.

Designated School Official (DSO): Located in International Services, the DSO is responsible for performing institutional compliance responsibilities, including record-keeping and reporting responsibilities for the SEVIS records of nonimmigrant students in F visa categories.

Employment: The condition of having paid work. The state of being employed. Remuneration for services

Educationally Affiliated: Work with an employer that is contractually affiliated with the school for on-campus employment even if the work site is not located on the campus (such as a research lab affiliated with your school).

Integral: Necessary to make a whole complete, essential or fundamental.

Internship: The position of a student or trainee who works in an organization, sometimes without pay, in order to gain work experience or satisfy requirements for a qualification.

Optional Practical Training: Optional practical training is one type of work permission available for eligible F-1 students. It allows students to get real-world work experience related to their field of study.

Practical Training: Purposeful activity which relates directly to the student’s major area of study, is an integral part of the school’s established curriculum, organized to achieve learning outcomes, and aimed at applying acquired knowledge and skills in a working environment using the format of practical work and/or independent work under dual supervision (a supervisor from the facility of practical training and one from the College).

Practicum: A course of study designed especially for the preparation of teachers and clinicians that involves the supervised practical application of previously studied theory.

SEVIS: The Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS) is the Web-based system that the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) uses to maintain information on Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP)-certified schools, F-1 and M-1 students who come to the United States to attend those schools, U.S. Department of State-designated Exchange Visitor Program sponsors and J-1 visa Exchange Visitor Program participants.

Procedures

The student must request the CPT authorization from the Designated School Official, located in International Services by submitting a request through the International Services Portal and including the following:

• Participation in CPT Workshop
• Confirmation of academic credit registration
• Academic/Faculty Advisor Recommendation for CPT
• Official letter from the employer that includes the employer name, employer address, supervisor name, supervisor contact information, employment start and end date, number of hours per week, type of training and duties included.
• Explanation of how employment is an integral part of the academic program.

Forms

This policy does not have forms associated with it at this time. Upon periodic policy review, this area will be evaluated to determine if additional information is needed to supplement the policy.

Related Information

Federal resources regarding Curricular Practical Training

• SEVP’s governing regulations for students and schools
• Training Opportunities in the U.S. – Study in the States
• F-1 Curricular Practical Training, Study in the States
• CPT Reminders, SEVIS Broadcast Message
• Curricular Practical Training FAQs
• Designated School Official Requirements and Responsibilities

Document History

• Last Reviewed Date: May 9, 2024
• Last Revised Date: May 9, 2024
• Policy Origination Date: August 2007
• Last Approval Date: September 25, 2024

Who Approved This Policy

Executive Leadership Committee