Curricular Practical Training

What is CPT | Eligibility | Course Credit Requirement | Department Adviser Role | How to Apply| After CPT Approval| CPT Updates| Frequently Asked Questions

CPT Orientation

To help you prepare for off-campus training/employment, take the CPT Orientation Course. The course will take about 20-30 minutes to complete. It is meant to provide you with the information necessary to apply for CPT authorization.

CPT Orientation Course

What is CPT?

Curricular Practical Training (CPT) is temporary authorization for practical training directly related to your major field of study—paid or unpaid. CPT is authorized by the ISS office.

“Practical training” can include:

• Employment
• Internship experience (paid or unpaid)
• Cooperative (co-op) education experience
• Practicum participation

Hours

CPT authorization can be:

• Part-time (20 hours per week or less)
• Full-time (more than 20 hours per week)
• During the regular academic year (you must also register for full-time credits)
• During your annual vacation quarter

Students who accumulate 12 months (365 or more days) of full-time CPT authorization, lose their eligibility for Optional Practical Training (OPT). Part-time CPT authorization, or fewer than 12 months of full-time CPT authorization, does not affect OPT eligibility. Multiple overlapping, part-time CPTs may count as full-time CPT days for OPT eligibility.

Eligibility

Students may be eligible to apply for CPT when they:

• Are currently in valid F-1 status
• Have been enrolled full-time at a college or university in the U.S. for at least one academic year
  • “One academic year” at UW is defined as three full-time quarters per the academic calendar, including final exams week.
  • An exception to the academic year rule is provided for graduate students whose programs require immediate participation in CPT. The program requirement must be for all students in the program and listed in the program’s online curriculum description.
  • Students who transferred their SEVIS records directly to UW from a previous college in the U.S. may count study time at the previous school.
• Are in a major
  • Premajor students are not eligible for CPT
  • CPT cannot be authorized based on a minor or certificate program
• Will earn internship course credits in your academic department for the CPT experience
  • Revew the details in the “Credit Requirement” section below
  • Consult your academic department adviser about internship credits
  • You must also be “making normal progress” toward completing your course of study.
  • If your degree *requires* internship experience of all students for graduation, ISS does not require you to earn internship course credit.
• Have a job or internship offer (Don’t start the job before getting CPT approval; CPT authorization is specific to the training position)

Course Credit Requirement

ISS advisers can authorize CPT for an activity that is “integral to your established curriculum,” as allowed by the immigration rules. How do we assess this?

A training activity must be either:

• Required for all students in your degree program for graduation (the requirement must be clearly outlined in the curriculum description online) OR
• Optional and credit-bearing; this means you have checked with your academic department and confirmed you can earn internship credits in your academic department according to the rules below.

Credit requirement for optional CPT:

• This is an ISS requirement: even if your academic department does not require you to earn credit for optional training/work experience, ISS requires the credit.
• The credit could be an internship, cooperative education program, practicum, independent study, or similar course through your academic department—your department adviser can help identify the appropriate course. Internship courses outside of your academic department usually do not qualify for CPT (such as General Studies 350).
• The credit must be earned in the same quarter for which CPT is authorized, though exceptions may be granted for students pursuing CPT during their vacation quarter.
• You must earn at least one CPT-related credit for each quarter of authorization granted.
• Graduate students may not use thesis or dissertation credit to fulfill the CPT credit requirement.
• If you apply for CPT authorization in your final quarter, you must register for at least one additional course in addition to your CPT-credit. CPT-credit cannot be the only credit on your final quarter schedule unless it is fulfilling a degree requirement.
• Multiple CPT positions in one quarter: if you apply for CPT authorization for two different overlapping positions, you must register for a separate CPT-credit for each position. Multiple overlapping, part-time CPTs may count as full-time CPT days for OPT eligibility. It is your responsibility to keep track of your hours and provide this information to USCIS when applying for OPT, if needed. If the two positions do not overlap, no additional credit is required–the sequential positions can be linked to one CPT credit.

Department Adviser Role with CPT

Department advisers must assist with the CPT application in order to identify internship course credit. Every department and college on campus handles internship credits differently.
Students are responsible for determining how their academic department manages internship credit.

A Department Adviser may be:

• Major academic adviser
• Graduate program coordinator
• Department career center adviser (examples):
  –Career Center @ Engineering (CC@E)
  –Evans School Career Development Team

The department adviser is responsible for completing the “Adviser Section” of the CPT application on your behalf; this person should be familiar with the student’s degree program and job/internship offer.

Provide your department adviser with this information before you apply for CPT through ISS:

• Expected graduation quarter/year
• Course number of credit you will earn for CPT (unless the work is required for all students in your degree program)
• Number of credits you will earn per quarter of CPT authorization
• Which quarters you will register for CPT-related credit
  (Example: if your proposed employment is from January 20 to April 15, you must earn CPT-related credit in winter and spring quarters.)
  (Vacation quarters: if you will apply for CPT during your annual vacation quarter, it may be possible to defer your CPT credit to the immediate following quarter; consult your department adviser)
• Brief description of proposed work experience and how it relates to your major/field of study
• Name of your employer (Caution! If you are working for a staffing or recruiting agency, such as PRO Unlimited, confirm with them if they must be listed as your employer).
• Employer’s (work site) address: street address, city, state, and zip code
• Notify adviser to expect an email invitation to complete the “Adviser Section” of your CPT application.

How to Apply

Do not start a job or internship until you receive CPT authorization from ISS (new I-20).

Allow three weeks for processing.

Application Overview:

1. Confirm eligibility for CPT
2. Contact your department adviser to learn about the internship course credit policy in your academic department.
3. Find a job/internship offer
4. Coordinate with department adviser to ensure they have all the necessary info to complete the “Adviser” section of the CPT application
5. Submit “Student Section” of CPT application (check “Apply for CPT” button below)
   Use the correct email for your department adviser; an incorrect email will delay processing!
   Your application will route to department adviser email for “Adviser Section” completion
   Apply for CPT
6. Wait for notification email that confirms when your department adviser submits final application to ISS
7. Allow three weeks for processing:
   –Time for your department adviser to complete “Adviser Section”
   –Plus 15 business days for ISS processing. Do not start job/internship before approval! Expedited processing is rarely possible.

After you submit the student section:

• The application will route to your department adviser, who will complete the department adviser section
• The department adviser submits the final application to ISS on your behalf.
• You will receive a confirmation email when your department adviser completes their section and submits the application to ISS. If you do not receive this email, contact your department/academic advisor! They should check their spam/junk email folder if they do not receive the link to complete.
• ISS requires 15 business days for processing from date we receive the completed CPT application from your department adviser, not the date you submit the student section.
• Do not begin working until (a) you have received your I-20 endorsed for CPT and (b) the date listed on page 2 of your new I-20.
• You might need to contact your employer/CPT supervisor to defer your start date if you don’t allow enough time for ISS processing.
• You will receive an email notification from ISS when your CPT approval (new I-20) is ready.

After CPT Approval

1. Review your CPT authorization (printed on page 2 of your new I-20).
2. Think of your CPT application and authorization as a contract. Follow the rules of the authorization; don’t work outside of the start and end dates.
3. Register for the required CPT-credits indicated in your CPT application. If you forget, you will not be eligible for future CPT or OPT.
4. Notify ISS of any changes, such as ending the training position early, not doing the job, etc.
5. If your CPT position is paid, apply for a Social Security Number if you don’t already have an SSN.
6. If your CPT position is paid, use your new I-20 with CPT approval, together with your passport and I-94 record, as proof of your eligibility to work. These documents may be used to complete the Employment Eligibility Verification Form I-9 that all U.S. employers are required to complete.

CPT Updates (Extensions, Shortens, Etc.):

Extension vs. new application

Extension = If the new requested end date is before the start of the next academic quarter. For extensions, complete the “CPT Update Request” below.

New Application = If the new requested end date overlaps with the next academic quarter, this is not an extension. You must submit a new online CPT application.

CPT shortened end dates:

If you stop your position early, notify ISS immediately through the “CPT Update Request” below. You will still be required to register for and earn CPT-related credit according to the application.
CPT Update Request

Frequently Asked Questions