Curricular Practical Training (CPT)

Purpose

Curricular Practical Training (CPT) is a temporary employment authorization benefit for F-1 students who have maintained their F-1 status in the U.S.

CPT applications are reviewed and approved by an F-1 international student advisor. There is no filing fee, and the average processing time is 5 business days (not including time required by the student's major department). Once approved, we will email an updated I-20 with CPT authorization, which serves as the student's official work authorization in the U.S.

F-1 students must request CPT for each internship during each semester they are requesting to work off-campus.

Types of CPT

The work a student will do must be an integral part of their study. Therefore, the employment/internship must meet ONE of the following conditions:

Once a student determines the type of CPT (Degree requirement or Course requirement), the student may be eligible to participate in CPT in two different ways:

• Part-time: Students are allowed to work less than 20 hours per week.
  • Part-time CPT has no impact on OPT eligibility.
• Full-time: Students are allowed to work more than 20 hours per week.
  • Students who have received more than 365 days of full-time CPT will not be eligible for OPT.

Eligibility for full-time or part-time CPT is dependent on academic department restrictions.

The information contained in the following chart is provided as a service to the international students, faculty, staff, employees, and administrators of San Francisco State University.

This chart does not constitute legal advice on any immigration matters. 

Here is an overview of the typical timeline from the day an F-1 student begins their CPT request to the approval date and beyond:

Phase 1: Before the Desired Internship Semester

• Student checks with the instructor of the internship course or the faculty advisor in their major for internship course availability and eligibility.
• Student reviews CPT resources.
• Student applies and receives a job offer with an offer letter.

Phase 2: Registration Begins for the Desired Internship Semester

• Student downloads the CPT Authorization Request Form and fills out the information.
• Student emails the CPT Authorization Request Form to the instructor of the internship course or the faculty advisor in their major for signature for internship course enrollment.
• Student receives the signed CPT Authorization Request Form from the instructor of the internship course or the faculty advisor in their major.
• Student enrolls in the internship course.
• Student emails the signed CPT Authorization Request Form and Job Offer letter to f1@sfsu.edu.
• F-1 advisors prepare the CPT Approved I-20 (5 business days).
• Student receives the CPT approved I-20.
• (if applicable) Student applies for an SSN through the Social Security Administration.

Phase 3: CPT Start Date

• Student begins work at the authorized job for the authorized timeline.

Phase 4: CPT End Date

• Student ends work by the specific authorized end date.

Student completes academic requirements and receives a grade.

Relation to Major

• Student jobs must be directly related to their current major(s), not minor. It is their responsibility to be able to connect their CPT job to their major. If the relationship between their job and their major(s) is called into question by SEVP in the future (such as during a CPT application), the burden of proof is on them to demonstrate the relationship.
• The F-1 international student advisors will not be able to advise students on specifically what jobs do/do not qualify as advisors are not experts in their field of study. They may use visit the Career Services & Leadership Development (CSLD) website. Click "Resources" on the top of the page and choose "What Can I Do With This Major" from the drop-down menu to gain access.
• It is recommended that students maintain evidence for each job: the position held, duration of that position, the job title, contact information of their supervisor or manager, and a description of the work.  Students can also have multiple CPT employment but all of them must be directly related to their major.

Types of Employment NOT Allowed

• Employment not directly related to a student's major.
• Full-time/long-term employment: Offer letters must provide an end date.
• Self-employed positions/entrepreneurs.

Types of Employment Allowed

• Paid employment: Students may work part-time or full-time.
• Unpaid employment: Compensation is not a consideration when determining whether an opportunity qualifies as CPT.  Any off-campus internship positions, whether paid or unpaid, require CPT authorization before you begin the employment. Under no conditions can you begin working – not even as a non-paid intern – before your CPT is approved. Volunteering for a position that normally provides compensation is considered “employment” and is therefore not permitted without appropriate authorization. See Volunteering and Unpaid Internships if you wish to pursue an unpaid internship or volunteer position.
• Multiple employers: Students may work for more than one employer, but all employment must be related to their major. Each employer must provide an offer letter and a separate CPT application must be submitted.

• Be in valid F-1 status.
• Have a valid passport.
• Be physically in the U.S. 
• Fulfilled one-year full-time requirement:
  • Must have been enrolled full-time for at least one full academic year (two consecutive academic semesters) in the U.S. before their proposed CPT start date (excluding Summer and Winter sessions)
  • One-year enrollment may be fulfilled at SF State, a previous university, or between multiple universities (not language schools).
• Enrolled full-time at the time of applying for CPT:
  • Spring and Fall: Students must enroll full-time or have approved RCL completion of study or FTE (no CPT in grace semester).
  • Summer: 
    • For undergraduate students, ​​​​​no minimum unit requirements other than internship course enrollment.
    • For graduate students:
      • Graduate students may be eligible for CPT up to the same semester they are enrolled in their culminating experience course (i.e. thesis, research, creative work, exam) if their academic department authorizes them to take an internship course during the same semester.
      • Graduate students are not eligible for CPT if they have enrolled in their culminating experiences in a prior semester and are on summer break, their grace semester (Second FTE), or RCL Completion of Study.
      • Graduate students interested in work authorization after their culminating experience enrollment must apply for "Thesis OPT" if they wish to do an internship while completing their culminating experiences requirement.
• Received a job offer with all the required information
  • The letter must be on the official company letterhead and include the supervisor or hiring manager’s signature
  • The letter should provide ALL of the following information:
    • Student's full name
    • Title of their internship position
    • Students internships start date (must be at least 5 days in the future)
    • Students' internship end date
    • Students' physical worksite location
    • The number of internship hours per week
    • A brief explanation of their tasks

• Enroll in an internship course: Students without major degree requirements to pursue internship hours must enroll in an internship, fieldwork, practicum, or a course specifically designed for experiential or practical learning. "Independent Studies" or "Graduate Studies" courses are not acceptable.

  Students should speak to their faculty advisors in the major department and find out if their major has either internship requirements or internship classes.

If no internship courses are available within the major

If your major does not offer internship courses, the College of Science and Engineering (CoSE) provides general internship courses (SCI 793 and SCI 693) that are available to all SF State students.

Instructions for Enrolling in SCI 793 or SCI 693

• Find a Faculty Advisor
  These internship courses do not have assigned instructors. You must find a faculty member in your major or concentration who can provide academic advising for the SCI 793 or SCI 693 internship course.
• Contact Dr. Teaster Baird
  To learn more about enrolling, email Dr. Teaster Baird, Associate Dean for the College of Science and Engineering, at tbaird@sfsu.edu. In your email to Dr. Baird, please include:
  • Your full name
  • Your SF State ID number
  • A copy of your internship offer letter
  • The statement: "Need information to add an internship course for Spring 20XX, Summer 20XX or Fall 20XX semester
• Complete the Forms
  Dr. Baird will send you the necessary forms, which include:
  • Course application form
  • Learning objectives form
  • Faculty agreement form

While waiting for these forms, continue looking for a faculty member to advise you during your internship. Follow the instructions to submit these forms to be added to the internship classes. Once you are enrolled in the internship course, you must complete all academic assignments to earn credit for the internship at the end of the semester.

When to Apply for CPT

• After the job offer is received.
• After a specific semester internship course enrollment.
• At least 5 business days before employment start date (to account for CPT I-20 process time)
  • Please note that academic departments may have additional requirements, such as ICCE Learning Plans and other requirements and restrictions before students will be allowed to enroll in the internship course. Students must talk to their department to check for their timeline. 

Students may utilize Career and Leadership Development (CLD) resources to help them find a job off-campus, as well as tips for job interviews, resumes, etc. The F-1 international student advisors cannot find students jobs. 

Several off-campus positions for students are listed on Handshake, SF State's online job listing service. Handshake provides part-time, full-time, temporary, and internship opportunities targeted to SF State students and alumni. Only SF State students and alumni are eligible to view job listings.

When applying for off-campus jobs, students may indicate "yes" to the question "Do you have U.S. work authorization" if they have been maintaining full-time study and are in valid F-1, as students will officially receive off-campus U.S. work authorization only after receiving a job offer.

Once a student receives an offer, they should request the employer to provide a letter with all the following information (see template under step 5):

• The letter must be on the official company letterhead and include the supervisor or hiring manager’s signature
• The letter should provide ALL of the following information:
  • Student's full name
  • Title of their internship position
  • Students' internship start date (must be at least 5 days in the future)
  • Students' internship end date
  • Students' physical worksite location
  • The number of internship hours per week
  • A brief explanation of their tasks

F-1 International Students are in the U.S. based on their F-1 Student Visa Status. Therefore, all employment opportunities students pursue must be tied to their academics in one of the two following ways:

Students without major degree requirements to pursue internship hours must enroll in an internship, fieldwork, practicum, or a course specifically designed for experiential or practical learning. "Independent Studies" or "Graduate Studies" courses are not acceptable.

Students should speak to the instructor of the internship course or the faculty advisor in their major and find out if their major has either internship requirements or internship classes.

If no internship courses are available within the major

• Contact Dr. Teaster Baird at tbaird@sfsu.edu for internship course information. Include the following information in the email:
  • Student full name
  • SF State ID number
  • Internship offer letter
  • The statement: "Need information to add an internship course" for the specific semester
• Students will receive the required forms to sign up for the internship course within 3-5 business days. While waiting for the forms, students should look for a faculty in their major to advise them academically during their internship course

Students who enroll in internship courses must complete all academic assignments to earn the internship unit at the end of the semester.

1. Review the CPT resources above carefully.
   • Understand the CPT responsibilities.
2. Complete the mandatory CPT quiz.
   • The purpose of the quiz is to test students' knowledge of CPT and remind students of their responsibilities.
   • There is no minimum score requirement.     
3. Keep a note of the date of completion to fill CPT Authorization Request Form.

1. Download the CPT Authorization Request Form (PDF, 138KB).
2. Fill out:
   • Page 1: "Student Information" & "CPT Request Information"
   • Page 2: "Applicant Requirements and Responsibilities" & "Acknowledgement and Student Signature"
3. Obtain a signature from the instructor of the internship course or the faculty advisor in their major. 
4. Enroll in the required internship course 
   • See "Eligibility Requirements" above for course information.

Email the following documents to f1@sfsu.edu:

• A signed CPT Authorization Request form. Please ensure that the requested CPT and internship start date is in the future, not in the past.
• An internship offer letter with all required information. See template (Microsoft Word, 16KB). The letter must be on the official company letterhead and include the signature of the supervisor or hiring manager. Ensure that the letter provides the following details:
  • Students' full name
  • Title of their internship position
  • Students' internship start date (must be at least 5 days in the future)
  • Students' internship end date
  • Students' physical worksite location
  • The number of internship hours per week
  • A brief explanation of their tasks

Additionally, please note the following requirements for different student categories:

• Part-time students must justify part-time enrollment before CPT can be approved.
• Undergraduate students must submit a Reduced Course Load (RCL) due to Completion of Study request with their CPT request.
• Graduate students must submit a Full Time Equivalency (FTE) request with their CPT request.

Once received, an F-1 international student advisor will review the student's request. If eligible, they will be issued a CPT Requested I-20 within 5 business days.

CPT Approved I-20

• The typical process time for an approved CPT I-20 is 5 business days.
• The CPT authorization will be printed on the 2nd page of newly issued I-20. The I-20 with CPT authorization printed on the 2nd page is their official work authorization. Students will NOT receive any other documents or employment authorization card (EAD) from U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). 
• It is ILLEGAL for students to start their internship BEFORE receiving CPT authorization and the specific start date has begun. Students can only begin to work AFTER they received the I-20 with CPT authorization from us.  No exceptions.
• There are specific dates students may be granted authorization to work during each semester for specific jobs. Any changes in dates and job offers will require a new CPT application (offer letter, internship enrollment if different semesters) and CPT I-20.

Social Security Number

• Students who need a Social Security Number (SSN) will need to make an appointment with any Social Security Administration (SSA) office. Check with SSA website for up to date documents required to receive a SSN. See the SSN resources. 
• SSA will not process an application if it is more than 30 days before the CPT start date.

CPT is a F-1 Benefit.

• Students must maintain both their academic status and immigration status during the semester they are on CPT.

To maintain F-1 status, students must:

• Fall/Spring Requests:
  • Students must maintain their full time enrollment (falling below full time enrollment would jeopardize their F-1 and CPT status).
  • Students enrolled in an internship course must complete the course (withdrawals from the internship course would jeopardize their F-1 and CPT status).
• Summer Requests:
  • No minimum unit requirements other than internship course enrollment (withdrawals from the internship course would jeopardize their F-1 and CPT status).
• If students decide to change employers or end their CPT early, they must email f1@sfsu.edu to communicate any changes as soon as possible. No new employment is allowed before a new CPT authorization is approved.

Compensation is not a consideration when determining whether an opportunity qualifies as CPT.  Any off-campus internship positions, whether paid or unpaid, requires CPT authorization before students begin the employment. Under no conditions can students begin working – not even as a non-paid intern – before their CPT is approved.

Volunteering for a position which normally provides compensation is considered “employment” and is therefore not permitted without appropriate authorization. See Volunteering and Unpaid Internships if students wish to pursue an unpaid internship or volunteer positions.

CPT is semester and employer-specific. This means if students wish to change employers, they must notify the F-1 international student advisors before the last day of their current internship position, and submit a signed CPT Authorization Form and internship offer letter again. They will receive a new I-20 with their new internship information. If they wish to continue the same internship class next semester, they must apply for another CPT for next semester. 

No, unless an internship course is required for degree completion.

It is possible.  Students who have received more than 365 days of full-time (NOT part-time) CPT will not be eligible for OPT (Optional Practical Training).

Yes.  U.S. Immigration regulations allow students to have multiple internship positions at the same time.  Since CPT authorization is employer-based, students will need to apply for CPT for each internship.  If the academic department is ok with them working for multiple internship positions, they will need to submit CPT Authorization Form and internship offer letter for each internship position.