Curricular Practical Training (CPT) is a temporary employment authorization for F-1 international students who are currently pursuing a program of study at SJSU and want to gain practical training in their major fields of study. CPT may be authorized for a paid or unpaid position.

CPT may be granted for internships, service practicums, cooperative education, externships, and service learning activities. CPT employment is considered an academic experience and needs to be integral to the student's field of study.

Although gaining practical training is a valuable complement to a student's education, the primary purpose of F-1 status is full-time study. As a result, F-1 students are encouraged to focus on their academic success and ensure that CPT employment activities do not interfere with the primary purpose of their stay in the U.S.

PLEASE NOTE: If you are in your final semester, you must register for at least one course required to complete your degree program in addition to the CPT course. Unless it is a requirement of your degree program to complete an internship in order to graduate, you may not enroll in only a CPT course during your final semester. This also applies to students graduating during the summer when enrollment is not required.

CPT Eligibility

• Currently in F-1 status and pursuing a degree program at SJSU.
• Currently in good academic standing (minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0 for graduate, 2.0 for undergraduate), and making normal progress toward degree completion.
• Not enrolled in 1290R.
• Transfer students and students changing their education level **(e.g. bachelors to masters at SJSU) are not eligible for CPT in their first semester at SJSU or in the first semester of their new degree level at SJSU. 
• Have completed at least one academic year as a full-time student at another SEVIS approved college, university, conservatory, or seminary. English language programs and Open University will not count towards this requirement.  
• Students who attended SJSU full-time in another nonimmigrant status (e.g. H-1B, H-4, L-2) may count one semester or up to one academic year of continuous full-time study prior to changing to F-1 status. To count your first semester in F-1 status, you must have been in F-1 status within 30 days of the semester start date. 

** SAGE students are the only exception and can begin their CPT in their first semester, as long as they have completed their immigration document check-in and submitted their CPT request forms and documents in a timely manner. Even for these students, summer CPT cannot be authorized sooner than a week after the term start date and within two weeks for fall and spring start dates.

• In order for a student to become eligible for CPT, they must be enrolled full-time in F-1 status for one academic year. 
  • For undergraduate students, 12 units or more is considered full-time during the fall and spring semesters.
  • For graduate students, 9 units or more is considered full-time during the fall and spring semesters.
  • For both undergraduate and graduate students, 6 units or more is considered full-time during the summer semester.
  • One academic year in F-1 status, can be defined in the following various scenarios*:
    • Fall (9+ units GRAD/12+ units UGRD) + Spring (9+ units GRAD/12+ units UGRD)  = Summer  CPT eligibility.
    • Spring (9+ units GRAD/12+ units UGRD) + Summer (6+ units GRAD/UGRD at SJSU)  = Fall  CPT eligibility.
    • * Please note, a student would need to be physically in the U.S. and in F-1 status to meet these eligibility requirements.

CPT Application Process

1. Review CPT tutorial and Frequently Asked Questions.
2. Confirm that your major department offers an internship course, individualized studies course or requires you to complete an internship in order to graduate, and that you are eligible to do an internship.
3. Secure a job offer. *We recommend that you wait to submit the CPT request until you have decided that you want to work for the employer. We do not allow for changes in employers, once we have approved CPT, even if this is before your authorized start date. 
4. Enroll in your internship course and register for a full courseload. If you are eligible for a Reduced Course Load, then submit a Reduced Course Load Request (RCL) e-form in iSpartan at the same time as your CPT application.
5. Complete the Curricular Practical Training Request Form in iSpartan. *We recommend that you wait to submit this request until you know that you want to work for the employer you file for CPT. We do not allow for changes in employers, once we have approved CPT, even if this is before your authorized start date. 
6. When you submit the e-form, it will be sent to your academic department in order for them to sign off on your CPT request. It is at the discretion of your academic department, to approve (or not) your request. If your academic department approves the form, it will then be sent to the ISSS office for processing. Once your Academic Department has signed off on your CPT request, you will receive an email that your request has been routed to ISSS for processing.
7. Once received by ISSS, processing time is 5-7 business days for the I-20. If there are any issues with your application, we will email you for additional information. Once processed, we will email you the I-20 with CPT authorization. This new I-20 will serve as proof of your eligibility to work in the United States for a specific employer and during a specific period of time.
8. If you need a Social Security Number (SSN), our office will email you additional information on how to apply for the SSN once your CPT has been authorized. 

Authorized Period

CPT is authorized on a semester-by-semester basis for a specific time frame and a specific employer. Each semester requires a new CPT authorization, even if it is with the same employer. You may not begin working before the start date or continue working after the end date listed on your I-20. The CPT dates on your I-20 will match the dates listed on your offer letter. You may begin your CPT employment after you have obtained your I-20 with CPT authorization from ISSS. CPT authorization cannot be backdated.

Semester	Duration	Application Period
Spring 2024	December 16, 2023 - May 22, 2024	November 15, 2023 - March 15, 2024*
Summer 2024	May 20, 2024 - August 20, 2024	April 1, 2024 - July 1, 2024*
Fall 2024	August 21, 2024 - December 18, 2024	July 15, 2024 - October 10, 2024*

*Check with your Academic Department (AD) to see if they will allow for a late add of the internship course after the University add period ends. Some ADs have internal CPT deadlines that preceeds ISSS deadline.   

*Final deadline for students to submit the CPT I-20 Request in iSpartan is 11:59pm on the applicaiton period deadline date. No exceptions. 

Offer or Employment Letter

Your CPT request will be either Delayed or Denied if your offer or employment letter does not contain all of the following items:

• Must be printed on the company's letterhead, that has their address on it.
• Must be dated within the last 3 months.
• Include job title.
• Include job description.
• Include employment start and end date.
• Include physical address where you will work (street number and name, city, state postal code, and suite/building number).
• Include number of hours per week, OR indicate part-time or full-time based on this definition:
  
  • Part-Time CPT
    • During Fall and Spring semesters, students can work up to 20 hours per week.
  • Full-Time CPT
    • During Summer semester, students can work full-time (more than 20 hours per week).
• Include employer’s signature; We accept handwritten, digital or DocuSign signatures.
• If you are working remotely, then this should be indicated on your offer letter, including the address where you will be working. In most cases, the offer will indicate the student's home address.  

Part-Time Vs. Full-Time CPT

• Part-Time CPT
  During Fall and Spring semesters, students can work up to 20 hours per week.
• Full-Time CPT
  During Summer semester, students can work full-time (more than 20 hours per week). If you are graduating in the summer, you must be enrolled in at least one course that is required for your degree program in addition to the required internship course for the CPT.

Frequently Asked Questions (CPT)

Am I required to enroll in a course for CPT?

Yes. Federal immigration regulations require CPT to be an integral part of your academic program. At SJSU, this means you must enroll in a course (independent study courses are not advisable, but still permitted) that requires work experience to complete the course requirements. The only time you are not required to enroll in a course for CPT is when your department requires work experience to complete your degree program, but does not require course enrollment. This must be true for all students in the same degree program.

Please note:

• The course/independent study must be offered through your major department.
• The course/independent study may count toward your full-time enrollment requirement for either fall or spring semesters.
• If you are in your final semester, you must register for at least one course required to complete your degree program in addition to the CPT course. Unless it is a requirement of your degree program to complete an internship in order to graduate, you may not enroll in only a CPT course during your final semester. This also applies to students graduating during the summer when enrollment is not required.  

What if I begin working before I receive my CPT I-20?

You should not work before you receive your CPT I-20. It is a status violation if you engage in unauthorized employment.

Is there a limit on the number of CPT authorizations?

There is no limit on part-time CPT, however, one year of full-time will eliminate a student’s eligibility for OPT.

Some academic departments may limit the number of times you may enroll in the internship course. Some departments may only allow you to enroll once, twice or not at all. Check with your department academic advisor for more information.

Can I change employers?

No. You may only work for the employer listed on your I-20. If you wish to change employers, you must wait until the next semester to obtain a new CPT authorization.

Can I extend my CPT?

Yes, to extend or continue an internship with the same employer, beyond the current semester, complete Steps 1 to 7 of the application process. We cannot grant an extension without proof of enrollment. Do not continue to work until the new CPT has been approved.

What happens if my internship is cancelled or terminated?

Please email our office at international-office@sjsu.edu and provide proof of your recent termination. We will shorten the CPT authorization based on the reported termination or end date and  issue you an updated I-20 for your records.

How will CPT impact my OPT period?

Time used on CPT will not be deducted from your OPT. However, students that use 12 months or more of full-time CPT will not be eligible for OPT. Part-time CPT does not count towards this.

What is the difference between volunteering and an unpaid internship?

The U.S. Department of Labor has guidelines governing unpaid internships. To learn more about the differences between volunteering and an unpaid internship, please view our chart.

What are my tax-filing responsibilities for paid internships?

Please go here for helpful resources developed by Sprintax to assist students in filing their taxes who have participated in a paid CPT experience.