Curricular Practical Training

Curricular Practical Training (CPT) is a type of employment authorization for experiential learning integral to your degree program, such as an internship. The F-1 visa was issued to you to be a full-time student, hence U.S. Immigration (USCIS) is very strict about employment on the F-1 visa. Unauthorized or inappropriate employment, even for one day, is considered a serious violation of visa status and thus cause for deportation. It is the students’ responsibility to understand the regulations regarding employment and to obtain the necessary employment authorization before you beginning work. 

For any and all kinds of curricular practical training, paid or unpaid, you must have CPT authorization added to your I-20 prior to beginning work. Your employer will need this document before you can begin working.

Eligibility:

• To be eligible to apply for CPT, an undergraduate student must have been at the University for 1 full academic year (3 trimesters or 2 semesters). Graduate students may be eligible as soon as their second semester. Students must not be in their first semester. 
• Students must not be on probation.
• Students must be enrolled in a full course load (including the internship course) (9 credits = graduate students, 12 credits = undergraduate students). The only exception for less than full-time enrollment is if you are in your final semester and have fewer credits remaining to complete your degree.
• You must be registered in Banner for the appropriate internship course within your major before your I-20 will be created.

Restrictions:

• CPT must be part-time (20 hours or less per week) during the fall and spring terms. CPT can be full-time (more than 20 hours per week) during the summer session. However, please note that full-time CPT will be scrutinized by USCIS and may affect OPT, STEM OPT, and any future H1-B application.
• CPT is only allowed within the dates of the term that a student is enrolled in the internship course.
• CPT employment is employer and location-specific. If the student decides to change their employer, the student must obtain a new job offer letter and a new authorization in SEVIS. CPT is not transferable from one job to the next.
• CPT is also required for internships that involve on-campus positions or research.  

Application Process: 

1.   Speak with your academic advisor. You must have permission from your academic department to enroll in the internship course. If you are eligible to enroll in the internship course, register for the internship course in Banner during the term you plan to complete the internship, because the credits must show on your transcript. 

2.  Obtain a job offer letter from the employer for whom you will be working. The employer must be willing to employ an F-1 student on CPT. The offer letter must be printed on company letterhead and include the following information:

• Name of Company 
• Mailing Address of Company
• Start and End Dates (within the dates of the term)
• Number of hours per week 
• Job title and description of role

3.    Submit the New Internship Request Form within the ChargerLink system on the Career Development Center page. Include all information about your internship and how it is related to your program of study. You must upload your offer letter. The Internship Form will be sent to your academic advisor for approval. 

4.    After your academic advisor approves your internship, the Internship Form PDF will appear under the Internships tab in ChargerLink. Download the Internship Form from ChargerLink. 

5.   You must submit the CPT I-20 Request Form, the downloaded Internship Form, and your offer letter to the ISO to request a new I-20 with CPT Authorization to complete the CPT process. You should submit the 3 required documents together by email to iso@newhaven.edu or drop them off at the ISO for processing. Please submit your request at least 2 weeks in advance of the start of your internship to assure a timely response. 

6.  The ISO will process your request and issue you a new I-20 with CPT authorization based on the employer information and specific dates of employment indicated in the job offer letter. You must have this I-20 before you begin working or apply for a Social Security Number.  

7.  If the internship position is paid, you will need to apply for a Social Security Number once you’ve been issued your CPT I-20 if you do not already have an SSN. 

ISO reserves the right to make the final decision on CPT authorization because regulations and the way they are interpreted by federal agencies are constantly changing.