F-1 CPT (Curricular Practical Training)

Curricular Practical Training (CPT) allows eligible F-1 international students to engage in professional, temporary employment, such as an internship, co-op program, practicum, or similar experience, prior to the completion of their degree program. The employment must be a required or integral part of an established curriculum and directly related to the student’s major field of study.  

CPT is not a back door to employment or a stop-gap for post-completion work authorization. If the job is related to your major but is not a required component of a course or degree requirement, you should consider Optional Practical Training (OPT) instead. 

Academic Credit Requirement 

CPT is not just employment that relates to your major. It must satisfy a curricular requirement through a specific credit-bearing course.

  • The employment must fulfill an academic requirement of the course for which the CPT is authorized. In other words, the work must be directly tied to a specific class, and that class must require the training or employment as part of the course’s learning outcomes.
  • The course for the proposed employment must be required for the degree, or at minimum, it must fulfill a required elective within the student’s major curriculum.
  • The student must enroll in the appropriate course for credit during the term the CPT is authorized. The period of employment should normally fall within the limits of a given academic term.

Enrollment Requirement

  • Students participating in CPT during a fall or spring semester must continue to pursue a full course of study.
  • Failure to enroll in the specific course for which the CPT is approved, or failure to complete the employment during the authorized period, will result in a violation of F-1 immigration status.

Authorization Requirement

CPT must be authorized by an International Support Services (ISS) advisor:

  • Employment may not begin until CPT is formally approved and page 2 of your Form I-20 is endorsed.
  • Employment must not extend beyond the authorized CPT end date.

Eligibility

  • Students are eligible for Curricular Practical Training (CPT) after completing two full semesters (fall and spring) in valid F-1 status. This includes full-time enrollment during each semester and maintaining a valid Form I-20 throughout.
  • Time spent in an approved, full-time study abroad program may count toward the two-semester requirement, provided the student completed at least one full semester in the U.S. before studying abroad.
  • Graduate Students who have completed all coursework except for thesis, dissertation, or equivalent may only be eligible for CPT if the employment is required in order to complete the thesis, dissertation, or equivalent. In such cases, the training must provide data or observations that will be published in, and make a significant contribution to, the thesis or dissertation.

Full-Time vs. Part-Time CPT

CPT authorization may either be part-time or full-time:

  • Part-Time CPT: 20 hours per week or less
  • Full-Time CPT: More than 20 hours per week

Students who complete 12 months or more of full-time CPT are ineligible for Optional Practical Training (OPT) at the same degree level. However, part-time CPT or less than 12 months of full-time CPT will not affect eligibility for OPT.

How to Apply

Please remember that employment may begin only after the ISS advisor has authorized the CPT by endorsing your I-20. The I-20 is the official document authorizing the Curricular Practical Training employment.

Obtain a letter from the employer specifying the dates of employment, expected hours worked per week, job title, and a job description.

Talk to your CPT course instructor and your academic advisor before submitting the CPT e-forms in iHawk. 

Log into iHawk using your KU online ID and password. Go to "F-1 Practical Training" --> "CPT Request".  You will need to submit two e-forms in the given order (see below). 

You may find it helpful to bring a portable device to submit e-forms in front of your course instructor/advisor. If you do, make sure you have a PDF of the employer's letter accessible to upload. 

  • Submit Part 1: Instructor Recommendation first. The instructor you listed will immediately receive an email requesting recommendation for your CPT.
  • When the instructor completes his/her verification, you will receive an email notification. At that point, you will need to log back into iHawk and submit Part 2: Advisor Recommendation. The academic advisor you listed will then immediately receive an email requesting input.
  • Once the academic advisor completes his/her verification, you will receive an email to come to ISS for CPT application review and processing.

Once Part 2 of your CPT e-form request is in "pending" status, meet with an ISS advisor during DROP-IN advising, to review and process your request. Please refer to our Advising webpage for more information on advising hours.

The ISS advisor will verify your F-1 status and confirm that the employment meets the curricular requirements.  If the ISS advisor approves the CPT, a new I-20 will be issued with the employment authorization.

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