F-1 Graduate Students Curricular Practical Training (Cpt) Application Form
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2nd
TSU ■ Office of International Student Affairs ■ 3100 Cleburne ■ Bell Hall 2
Floor ■ Houston, TX 77004 ■ (713) 313-4229
F-1 Graduate Students
Curricular Practical Training (CPT) Application
Curricular Practical Training (CPT) allows eligible and authorized F-1 students to participate in
practical training that is an “integral part of an established curriculum.” The Coop program has
Description
been an integral part of the TSU curriculum for many years. The employment must be directly
related to your major field of study.
Option 1: CPT COOP (i.e. Cooperative Education Program). This program requires a student
to find a job that is directly related to their major. It is not a required course.
2 Types of CPT for
Option 2: Required practicum or internship course taken for course credit. If you are taking
Graduate Students
a required course or will be receiving course credit, you should choose this option.
Otherwise, choose Option 1.
Students must have been lawfully enrolled on a full-time basis at a DHS approved school for
one full academic year before being eligible for CPT (i.e. fall and spring semesters).
Students entering the United States under a new SEVIS ID# must wait to complete one full
Eligibility
academic year as a full-time student before they are eligible to apply for OPT. It is only
available for F-1 students who are in status and before completion of all degree requirements.
Once your degree is completed, all CPT must cease.
Students may only engage in CPT for the specific employer and location that will be recorded
Location
on p. 3 of the I-20.
You may only work for the specific time period noted on p. 3 of your I-20. Time frames are
Duration
granted for one semester at a time.
Part-time CPT (i.e. less than 20 per week) can be approved only if enrolled in full-time hours
except during final semester or summer. Full-time CPT (i.e. more than 20 hours a week) can
be approved only if enrolled in at least 3 hours. Full-time CPT must span the entire semester
Hours per week
to be eligible for a reduced course load. Different colleges have different policies
on who can be engaged in CPT. Therefore, you also need the approval of your academic
advisor and college to participate.
You must obtain a job offer letter that specifies the job title and responsibilities on company
Offer of employment
letterhead. The letter should state the start date and ending date if it is known.
Although there is no limit to the amount of full-time CPT, if you do CPT for 12 months or longer
you will no longer be eligible for Optional Practical Training (OPT). We normally advise
Effect on other work
students to stop their participation in full-time CPT after completing 11 months. There is no
limit to the amount of part-time CPT a student can participate in (no impact on future OPT).
FOLLOW ALL THE STEPS ON THE APPLICATION SHEET AND BEFORE OBTAINING
Approval process
FINAL AUTHORIZATION, YOU MUST BE REGISTERED IN CLASSES FOR THE NEXT
SEMESTER, INCLUDING SUMMER, AS APPLICABLE.
Authorization by OISA is the final step in the process. You will receive a new I-20 with a
notation on p. 3 authorizing your employment. The beginning and ending dates and the name
Authorization
and address of the employer, whether you are approved for full-time or part-time employment
will all be found on p.3 of the I-20. Do not work until you are authorized!
Use the following table to identify all previous CPT: (Note: If this is your first time, write “None”)
PREVIOUS CPT
Dates
Part-time
Full-time
Dates
Part-time
Full-time
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