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Curricular Practical Training
Curricular Practical Training (CPT) is temporary employment authorization that allows F-1 students to pursue off-campus employment that aligns with the major listed on the students I-20. Students must obtain CPT authorization (for both paid and unpaid employment) prior to beginning employment.
Eligibility:
- Student must receive course credit for the employment or employment must be a required component of the degree program.
- Student must complete two consecutive long semesters in F-1 status before they may begin CPT. The only exceptions are as follows:
- Graduate students enrolled in a program that requires immediate participation in an internship are eligible to apply for CPT in their first semester.
- Students in active F-1 status at another institution who transfer their SEVIS record to UT Austin after having completed at least two long semesters of enrollment in full-time studies are eligible to apply for CPT in their first semester.
- Students who have been approved for a change of status to F-1 via application to USCIS may count semesters spent in their previous status towards the two-semester eligibility requirement for CPT.
- Student must be in good academic standing with the university.
- Student must have an employment offer.
- Employment must be related to the student's field of study listed on the I-20.
Special Considerations:
- Regular processing time for CPT is 2 weeks.
- Employment must be temporary, and may not be used as a bridge to full-time, regular employment.
- Part-time CPT is classified as 20 hours per week or less. Full-time CPT is more than 20 hours per week.
- If student accumulates more than 12 months of full-time CPT, they become ineligible for Optional Practical Training (OPT).
- It is recommended that student does not exceed 330 days of full-time CPT.
- Accumulating part-time CPT has no effect on OPT eligibility.
- CPT authorization is date-specific and employer-specific.
- Student may only work for the employer and authorization dates listed on the I-20 issued for CPT.
- Sponsored Students who utilize third-party billing services through Texas Global must first obtain written approval from their program sponsor prior to submitting a CPT request.
Steps to Apply
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Visit your Academic Advisor
Visit your academic advisor to find out if you can take a course for credit or if employment is a required component of your degree program.
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Ask Your Employer to Complete the Employment Verification Form
Once you obtain an employment offer, ask your employer to complete the Employment Verification Form. We strongly recommend that you use our Employment Verification Form to avoid delays in CPT approval. If for any reason your employer cannot complete our form, then request a letter from them - printed on company letterhead - with ALL the following information (missing information will lead to CPT delays or denials):
- Your full name
- Your UT EID (optional, but highly recommended)
- The employer/company name
- Whether you will be working on-site or remotely
- The physical work site address where you will conduct your job (if you will be working remotely, then provide the site address where your supervisor works)
- Your specific start date (mm/dd/yyyy)
- The start date must be a future date.
- Your specific end date (mm/dd/yyyy)
- Your job title
- A brief job description
- Maximum number of hours you will work per week
- Note: If you select 20 or fewer hours, you will be authorized for "part-time" CPT and will not be authorized to exceed 20 hours of work in any week
- Your supervisor's full name, job title, and signature
For unpaid internships/training, ask the organization providing the training opportunity to complete the Unpaid Training/Internship Verification Form.
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If You Have Any Questions, Schedule an Appointment with an International Student Advisor
If you have any questions about documents, employment dates, or if you have any other questions about CPT, schedule an appointment with an international student advisor prior to applying for CPT.
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Log into myIO
Once you have your Employment Verification Form or employment letter log into myIO to begin the CPT request process.
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Allow sufficient time for approval
Please allow a minimum of 3 weeks for approval. We will prioritize requests by start date. Requests starting within 3 weeks will be expedited.
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Begin Work
After your CPT has been approved by ISSS you will receive a new I-20. On page 2, the I-20 will list the dates and location of your CPT. You cannot begin working until you have received your CPT I-20.
Frequently Asked Questions
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When am I eligible to apply for CPT?
You may apply to use CPT once you've been enrolled for two long semesters and are in valid F-1 status. However, if your program requires immediate participation in an internship or you are transferring to UT-Austin at the same degree level, you may be eligible for CPT during your first semester at UT-Austin. Please reach out to us at hotline@austin.utexas.edu to inquire about your eligibility.
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There is no class available for me to use with CPT, and employment is not required for my degree
If you cannot receive credit for the work you do, then you are not eligible for CPT. You would need to consider applying for pre-completion Optional Practical Training in order to accept a paid internship opportunity. Schedule an appointment to meet with an international student advisor to discuss this option.
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Do I need to request CPT for an unpaid internship?
To protect your immigration record, ISSS strongly recommends that you obtain CPT authorization for unpaid internships. Engaging in an unpaid internship without CPT is risky. Even if the internship is truly unpaid, engaging in it could be seen as a violation of status that could jeopardize applications for future U.S. visas or immigration benefits.
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I was an F-1 student at another school before coming to UT. Am I eligible to apply for CPT immediately?
Some transfer students may be eligible for CPT during their first semester at UT-Austin. To determine this, please schedule an appointment with an International Student Advisor or reach out to us at hotline@austin.utexas.edu
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My employer gave me an employment contract. May I use this as my employment letter?
We prefer to have all the information in one, single-page letter. However, if the contract has all of the required information, we will accept it. See "Steps to Apply" above for a list of required information.
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What are the earliest and latest start dates I can use for CPT authorization?
Use the university's academic calendar as a resource when choosing your start date:
- If you are enrolling in the CPT course in the spring, then the earliest you may begin working is the day after the university's official graduation date in December and the latest date you may work is the day of the university’s official graduation in May.
- If you are enrolling in the CPT course in the summer, then the earliest you may begin work is the day after the spring graduation in May and the latest is the day of the university’s official graduation in August.
- If you are enrolling in the CPT course in the fall and using CPT in the summer, then the earliest you may begin work is the day after the university's official graduation date in May and the latest is the day before fall classes begin in August. If you are enrolling in the CPT course in the fall and using CPT in the fall, then the earliest you may begin work is the day after the university's official graduation date in August and the latest is the day of the University’s official graduation date in December.
- If you wish to begin your work experience after completing semester final requirements, but before the official graduation date, obtain a letter from your academic or graduate advisor indicating the date that you will complete your semester requirements (last final exam/term paper).
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I want to do CPT over the span of two semesters. May I enroll in just one CPT course?
No. You must enroll in a separate CPT course for each semester you engage in CPT.
- If you are authorized to receive credit for a summer internship and a fall internship in the fall semester, you will be expected to enroll in 2 separate CPT courses in the fall semester.
- If you enroll in an internship course as the CPT course, please note the internship course may require a minimum number of weeks and hours per semester; therefore, your internship may need to meet the requirement in each semester.
- If you are a Doctorate student in dissertation with summer and fall CPT authorizations, please reach out to hotline@austin.utexas.edu to inquire about your course enrollment requirements.
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I already received credit for an internship in my degree program. I'd like to do another internship, but my department won't allow me to get credit for it. What should I do?
If you cannot receive credit for the work you do, then you are not eligible for CPT. You would need to consider applying for pre-completion Optional Practical Training in order to do any additional internships. Schedule an appointment to meet with an international student advisor to discuss this option.