What is CPT, and what do I do with this request?

Curricular Practical Training (CPT) is a form of work authorization specific to international students in F-1 status.  CPT is intended for off-campus practical experience that is integral to the curriculum and directly related to a student’s major. .

Students enrolling in Learning by Doing: Internship and Fieldwork Reflection (COLQ-390H) are in a position to request summer CPT work authorization through the Office of Immigration Services (OIS).  Students enrolling in other CPT-eligible courses, generally independently structured learning opportunities, may be in a position to request CPT work authorization through the OIS any time of year.

The CPT request process will involve the student’s submission of an online form, outlining their internship and its relationship to the student’s major(s).  CPT requests will be sent to the student’s academic advisor and the professor of the CPT-eligible course for approval before being processed by the OIS.  COLQ-390H students generally apply for CPT throughout the spring semester and into the early summer.

As an academic advisor and/or professor of a CPT-eligible course, this page is intended to help you prepare for and respond to a CPT request.


Help for Academic Advisors

Help for Professors of CPT-eligible Courses


For Academic Advisors

You will receive a CPT request via email if a student provides your contact information as their academic advisor.

To process the student's CPT request, the OIS will need your approval. In the CPT request email, you will be asked to review the information provided by the student, with a reminder that approving the student's submission is a confirmation from you that the following are true:

  • You are the student's academic advisor.
  • The student has declared the major/s listed in their submission.
  • The employment/practical experience outlined by the student in their submission is directly related to the student's declared major/s.
  • The student is in good academic standing.

If the above criteria are met, please select "Approve."  The form will then be sent to the professor of the student's CPT-eligible course for secondary approval.

If the above criteria are not met and you cannot approve the request, please select "Decline," with a brief message of explanation for the student.

If you would like the student to edit their original submission, you may enter your feedback into the text field and select "Request More Info."  Your message will be sent to the student, who can then make changes and resubmit the form. (If you are not the student's academic advisor, you can let them know this via the "request more info" method, as well, and they can resubmit the form with the correct academic advisor's contact information.)

If you have any questions or concerns about the CPT request process, please email us.  General information about Curricular Practical Training can be found at the OIS's CPT Info Page.

 

For Professors of CPT-eligible courses

You will receive a CPT request via email if a student provides your contact information as the professor of their CPT-eligible course.

To process a student's CPT request, the OIS will need your approval.  In the CPT request email, you will be asked to review the information provided by the student, with a reminder that approving the student's submission is a confirmation from you that the following are true:

  • You are teaching the CPT-eligible course noted by the student in their submission.
  • The student is either pre-registered for your CPT-eligible course or appears eligible to pre-register for your CPT-eligible course as soon as pre-registration is permitted.
  • The employment/practical experience outlined by the student in their submission will be suitable for inclusion in your course.

If the above criteria are met, please select "Approve."  The form will then be sent to the OIS to issue the CPT work authorization.

If the above criteria are not met and you cannot approve the request, please select "Decline," with a brief message of explanation for the student.

If you would like the student to edit their original submission, you may enter your feedback into the text field and select "Request More Info."  Your message will be sent to the student, who can then make changes and resubmit the form.

If you have any questions or concerns about the CPT request process, please email us.  General information about Curricular Practical Training can be found at the OIS's CPT Info Page.