If a cooperative agreement is not in place, the employer must write a letter supporting the student. The letter must stipulate the specifics of the internship or training and how it relates to the curricular goals of the student.

 

Applying for Curricular Practical Training

1. Review CPT Eligibility and Requirements Checklists below (must be done prior to registration period).
2. Schedule a meeting with the Center for Global Education to discuss CPT eligibility.
3. Schedule a meeting with your academic advisor and discuss CPT opportunity.
4. Complete the CPT Request Form with academic advisor signature.
5. Obtain an Employer Sponsor Letter that stipulates the following:
   a. Your name (must match Passport Name), the type of responsibilities, the work/training you will be completing (in detail), how this work and training will relate to your coursework and major, the amount of hours per week (including days, etc), whether or not you will be compensated for your work, and, if so, what the hourly rate will be, start date, and end date of training/internship.
6. Once steps 1-5 have been completed, please sign up for a time to review CPT requirements and regulations, as well as receiving your new Form I-20 with printed CPT authorization.

Eligibility | Eligibility Flow Chart

• The student is currently in valid F-1 active status at an SEVP-approved "college, university, conservatory, or seminary." LVC is SEVP-approved.
• The student has been enrolled on a full-time basis for one academic year. MBA students have an exception to this rule and must schedule an appointment with the Center for Global Education for additional details.
• The student has declared a major.
• The student is registering for CPT during course registration period, prior to the start of the given semester or vacation period.
• The student has been given a job offer for an upcoming semester or vacation period.

Requirements

• The training is "an integral part of an established curriculum" or, the student must receive credits for their work. MBA students can fulfill the Professional Experience Requirement or log an internship under their elective course options. Please note that CPT can have an effect on tuition and fees.
• The training is "directly related to the student's major area of study" (minors not included).
• The student will continue to be enrolled for a full course of study (at least 12 credits for undergrad and 9 credits for MBA) during CPT authorization during academic semesters.
• The student must have the CPT Request Form completed with academic advisor signature.
• A letter from the prospective employer or sponsoring organization must be obtained prior to start of CPT indicating the necessary information about the training or internship.
• The student will only perform training or internship tasks, as well as the amount of hours, at the designated location specified on the CPT Request Form and Employer Sponsor Letter.
• CPT cannot occur after the duration of study for the student.
• The student must receive a new Form I-20 designating CPT authorization.

Types of CPT

CPT can be authorized as either part-time or full-time:

• Part–time: 20 hours a week or less
• Full–time: More than 20 hours a week

Regardless of the amount of hours worked, students will need to remain full-time during academic semesters (Fall & Spring semesters) while pursuing CPT. Students will also need to be making “normal progress” in their academics to continue with CPT.

*IMPORTANT: Working 12 months of full-time CPT will forfeit a student’s eligibility for Optional Practical Training (OPT). Part-time CPT will not forfeit a student from participating in CPT. CPT can be renewed, as long as the opportunity fits all stipulated eligibility and requirements. There is no limit of time that a student can participate in part-time CPT. Each CPT opportunity must receive individual authorization and students must go through the entire process each time.

CPT can be either compensated or not. There is not any stipulation to the amount of compensation a student can receive. Compensation does not influence whether CPT is authorized.

 

CPT + On-Campus Employment

If authorized for part-time CPT, a student who wants to work on campus, may only render CPT with on-campus employment for a total of 20 hours or less a week. If a student has been authorized for full-time CPT, then the student should not work on campus during this time.

Authorization

CPT does not require authorization from the Department of Homeland Security and instead a Designated School Official (DSO) can authorize this training opportunity. However, the DSO will exercise extreme discretion and caution in authorizing CPT opportunities for students. It is very important that students find opportunities that truly follow the requirements for CPT and receive Academic Advisor support.

Timeline

Students should plan for CPT opportunities in advance of course registration for the desired semester or vacation period. The student is responsible for setting up three meetings prior to authorization to learn about eligibility, requirements, and authorization. The student will also need to secure the Employer Sponsor Letter from a prospective employer/ supervisor of the CPT opportunity. Once the CPT Request Form and Sponsor Letter have been delivered to the Center for Global Education, the student can then register the necessary CPT course for the CPT experience. Students should expect to wait one week before the new Form I-20 is printed stipulating the location of training, as well as start and end dates. The student is then able to begin working when the start date of CPT has occurred. Students must remember not to work past their stipulated end date on their Form I-20, nor work at another employer.