U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) defines Curricular Practical Training (CPT) as employment which is an integral part of an established curriculum, including: alternate work/study, internship, cooperative education or any other type of required internship or practicum which is offered by sponsoring employers through cooperative agreements with the school [8 CFR 214.2(f)(10)(i)]. CPT is available only prior to the completion of your degree program and you must have a job offer at the time of application.
There are two types of CPT
Required part of program: Your program of study required employment or internship in the field in order for you to graduate and complete the degree.
Non-required part of program: Your practical experience is for credit and directly related for your field of study. You must be enrolled in a corresponding course while engaging in this type of CTP.
STUDENT ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS
To apply for CPT, USCIS requirements state that you must:
Have been lawfully enrolled on a full time basis for at least one academic year.
Be in lawful F-1 Status at the time you apply for CPT.
Have a job offer.
PART-TIME CPT VS. FULL-TIME CPT
Part-time CPT: Employment for 20 hours or less per week is considered part-time CPT. Though there is no limitation upon the length of time you may participate in part-time CPT, you must simultaneously be enrolled full time in order to maintain lawful F-1 status.
Full-time CPT: Employment for more than 20 hours per week is considered full-time CPT. Please be aware that 12 months or more of full-time CPT will cancel you eligibility for Optional Practical Training (OPT).
PROCEDURES FOR APPLICATION
Contact the international student adviser to set up an appointment in advance.
At your scheduled appointment, you must bring the following:
A copy of the course description as it appears in the St Joseph’s College course catalog or departmental bulletin.
The completed Supervising Department Chair Recommendation for CPT
For non-required CPT, the international student adviser will be checking the database to determine whether you are signed up for the appropriate course. If you are not registered for the course, your application for CPT will not be approved. You are required to be registered for the course during the entire term and complete it at the end of the term.
A copy of the job offer you obtained from the employer. The job offer letter must contain the following information:
Your name
The company’s name
A statement of the job offer
The number of hours to be worked per week (full or part time specified)
The beginning and end dates of employment
Letter must be on company letterhead
Your current Form I-20 and all previously issued I-20’s. If your application is approved, USCIS will be informed and you will be issued a new Form I-20 with your CPT authorization. Please be aware that if you wish to pursue CPT for more than one semester, you will need to complete the above procedures for each semester of CPT and register for the appropriate course for each term.
Kevyn Piascik
Assistant Director of International Admissions
Primary Designated School Official
245 Clinton Avenue
Brooklyn, NY 11205
Phone: 718.940.5830
Fax: 718.636.8303
khill2@sjcny.edu
