Curricular Practical Training (CPT)

When you are an international student in active F-1 status, you may be eligible to participate in Curricular Practical Training (CPT). CPT is defined as “alternate work/study, internship, cooperative education, or any other type of required internship or practicum which is offered by sponsoring employers through cooperative agreements with the school.” Any training experience must be directly related to your active degree program, which is displayed in the Program of Study Major 1 field on your I-20.

To be eligible to participate in CPT at Franklin University, you must apply for and be enrolled in Experiential Learning for Graduate Students, which is available to students in F-1 eligible graduate programs. Details about requirements are available at the Experiential Learning page.

A Designated School Official (DSO) in the Office of International Students and Programs (OISP) will be notified if your application to enroll in Experiential Learning for Graduate Students has been approved. Your DSO will, then, grant authorization by updating SEVIS with the employer and location, the employment start and end dates, and whether the CPT is full-time or part-time. You may begin CPT only after receiving your Form I-20 with the DSO endorsement and not before the CPT start date indicated on the form. Students receiving monetary compensation for their CPT experience are required to have a Social Security Number (SSN) for employment and taxation purposes. Details about applying for an SSN are available on OISP's Taxes page.

Part-time CPT (20 hours or less per week) does not impact eligibility for post-completion Optional Practical Training (OPT), but F-1 students who have received an aggregate of one year or more of full-time CPT (over 20 hours per week) become ineligible for OPT at the same educational level. In addition, any employment activity that deviates from what has been authorized, including employment before or after the dates listed on the CPT I-20, may result in termination for unauthorized employment and/or denial of future immigration benefits, including OPT.