CPT FAQs
Eligibility
- What is Curricular Practical Training?
- Who is eligible for CPT?
- Do I need a job offer to apply?
- Do I need to be enrolled while on CPT?
- Do I need to apply to U.S. Citizenship & Immigration Services (USCIS) for CPT?
- Do I need to pay an application fee for CPT?
- Does CPT affect my available Optional Practical Training (OPT) in the future?
- Is there an hour limit for CPT?
- I have part-time CPT authorization. Can I work full-time during Spring Break?
Application
- When should I submit the CPT request?
- What is the timeline for processing this request?
- How do I submit the CPT request?
- Can I submit just one request if I need CPT for more than one semester?
- How do I know that I’m authorized for CPT? And when may I begin the CPT experience?
While on CPT
- Do I need to update my address if I will be living at a new address during my CPT?
- Am I still in F-1 status during CPT?
- Do I have to pay taxes on my CPT income?
- What happens if I am authorized for CPT and then I change my mind or lose my position or something about the position changes (location, hours, job description, etc.)?
Specific CPT Scenarios
- Can I request more than one period of CPT?
- Do I have to register for anything if my CPT is related to a degree or dissertation requirement?
- I work at the library for five hours per week and have been offered an internship off campus. How many hours can I request on my CPT Request Form?
- My program/school does not have a specific internship course. Can I still participate in CPT?
- I have been enrolled as a full-time student for the past two years but in H4 status and just recently changed to F-1 student status. Am I eligible to apply for CPT?
- My employer has asked me to work remotely. Is this permitted during CPT?
- I am doing two CPT experiences during the same term and enrolling in an internship course. Can I complete one CPT application for the two opportunities?
- I want to intern at an embassy; do I need authorization? I’ve heard embassies are considered foreign territory.
Eligibility
What is Curricular Practical Training?
Curricular Practical Training (CPT) is an F-1 off-campus authorization for paid and unpaid positions directly related to the major field of study listed on page 1 of the Form I-20. CPT can be used to authorize a variety of positions, including employment, internships, fellowships, practicums, etc.
Who is eligible for CPT?
F-1 students are eligible for CPT who:
- Have been in lawful, full-time status for one full academic year,
- Will not complete their degree requirements until after the position has ended,
- Are in good academic standing,
- Have been offered a position that is directly related to their major field of study,
- Are in a degree program in which off-campus experience is an integral part of the curriculum, and
- Meet one of the following requirements:
- are enrolled in an internship course or tutorial for credit,
- are required to participate in an internship (not for credit), or
- are required to participate in a specific internship to complete the dissertation.
Do I need a job offer to apply?
Yes. CPT can only be authorized for a specific position at a U.S. organization, at a specific location, during specific dates. The offer letter or email from the employer must include the position title and description of activities for the role; the supervisor’s name, title, and email address; the organization’s street address; hours per week; and start and end dates.
Do I need to be enrolled while on CPT?
Yes. If the CPT is granted in conjunction with an internship class, you must remain enrolled in the class throughout the semester and work only during the dates printed on your CPT authorization. Once CPT is approved by OGS, you are not permitted to withdraw from the CPT course even if you end your CPT prematurely. If the CPT is granted as a degree requirement or dissertation necessity, you must be enrolled full-time for the semester (unless approved for a reduced course load by OGS in advance of beginning the CPT).
Do I need to apply to U.S. Citizenship & Immigration Services (USCIS) for CPT?
No. OGS authorizes CPT after you submit a completed CPT Request Form (PDF), 100% CPT Final Quiz results, and the offer letter. Please review our processing times for CPT requests.
Do I need to pay an application fee for CPT?
No, there is no cost to the student for the CPT application. However, if you are enrolled in an internship class, Georgetown University may charge tuition for the course credit.
Does CPT affect my available Optional Practical Training (OPT) in the future?
If you have been authorized for full-time CPT for a total of 12 full months (365 days), you will not be eligible for OPT. Otherwise, OPT should not be affected.
Is there an hour limit for CPT?
During required academic terms, your total employment/internship activities (on-campus and off-campus, paid and unpaid) may not exceed 20 hours per week. Note this is a weekly maximum, not an average.
Exception: A few programs require full-time CPT during required academic terms; consult the program list.
I have part-time CPT authorization. Can I work full-time during Spring Break?
A part-time authorization is limited to 20 hours per week even during a university break. You may work additional hours in an on-campus role during university breaks of one week or longer.
Application
When should I submit the CPT request?
The CPT application should be submitted with sufficient time for OGS’s posted processing time to occur before the requested CPT start date.
For CPT in a future term (e.g., in February you are offered an internship for summer), please check the CPT homepage to confirm the date OGS will begin processing applications for the next term.
Please note: It is impossible to obtain CPT authorization with a past start date.
What is the timeline for processing this request?
OGS processing times may vary; please review our Processing Times webpage. When your CPT authorization is ready, you will receive an email from internationalservices@georgetown.edu containing an updated Form I-20 with your CPT on page 2.
How do I submit the CPT request?
CPT applications must be submitted by email to internationalservices@georgetown.edu as PDF attachments.
Can I submit just one request if I need CPT for more than one semester?
No, students must submit separate CPT applications for each semester or summer. Each CPT experience must demonstrate new skills and responsibilities the student will gain from the new position.
How do I know that I am authorized for CPT? And when may I begin the CPT experience?
The CPT authorization is on page 2 of the new Form I-20. You may begin working after OGS emails you the new I-20 and the authorized CPT start date occurs. You may not begin your CPT experience if the authorized CPT start date has not yet been reached, even if you already have the I-20 with CPT authorization.
While on CPT
Do I need to update my address if I will be living at a new address during my CPT?
Yes, F-1 students are required to update their local, U.S. address within 10 days of moving to the new address. Update your local off-campus address in GU Experience to fulfill this requirement.
Am I still in F-1 status during CPT?
Yes, CPT is not a separate immigration status or visa type but rather a benefit of F-1 status.
Do I have to pay taxes on my CPT income?
Maybe. If you are an F-1 student and have not been in the United States for five years, you should not be paying Social Security or Medicare taxes (FICA). However, you may be subject to income tax depending on the amount of money you earn and your tax rate. Please review the Tax webpage, which is updated each February for the current tax season.
What happens if I am authorized for CPT and then I change my mind or lose my position or something about the position changes (location, hours, job description, etc.)?
You must notify your dedicated IS Advisor immediately in order to cancel or amend your CPT so your SEVIS record remains accurate.
Specific CPT Scenarios
Can I request more than one period of CPT?
OGS does not limit the number of CPT authorizations that F-1 students can get. Some academic departments may have academic limits on the number of internship courses students may take. Each term of CPT requires a new authorization. CPT must remain integral to your curriculum and cannot be used to simply facilitate employment.
Do I have to register for anything if my CPT is related to a degree or dissertation requirement?
There may not be a specific class for CPT related to a degree or dissertation requirement. However, during required semesters, you must be registered full-time or with an OGS-approved course load reduction to be eligible.
I work at the library for five hours a week and have been offered an internship off campus. How many hours can I request on my CPT Request Form?
While school is in session a student may only engage in a maximum of 20 hours of employment per week, on campus and off campus, paid and unpaid. A student who meets the eligibility requirements for CPT and works on campus 5 hours per week may be authorized for part-time CPT for an additional 15 hours. However, the total employment while school is in session may not exceed 20 hours per week. (Please note: Students with an assistantship, e.g., teaching, research, etc., should confirm with their department the number of hours per week. Resident Hall Assistantships count as 20 hours per week.)
My program/school does not have a specific internship course. Can I still participate in CPT?
To participate in CPT, the program/school must either have:
- An approved internship course that carries credit, semester dates, a faculty supervisor and is listed in the University bulletin; or
- The academic dean or advisor must attest that the internship is a graduation degree requirement; or
- The DGS or dissertation advisor must attest to the fact that the student needs the internship experience to complete the dissertation requirement.
If the program/school cannot attest to one of the above requirements, then CPT is not an option and Pre-Completion Optional Practical Training (OPT) or work with an International Organization may be alternatives.
I have been enrolled as a full-time student for the past two years but in H4 status and just recently changed to F-1 student status. Am I eligible to apply for CPT?
Yes, this meets the eligibility requirement for one academic year of study in lawful, full-time status. In addition to the regular application materials, please also submit documentation of your previous semesters of full-time enrollment.
My employer has asked me to work remotely. Is this permitted during CPT?
Yes. Please be mindful that CPT authorization is intended to facilitate off-campus opportunities that resemble classroom instruction, albeit in a more practical context. A key characteristic of such an experience is a supervisory relationship, consisting of regular assignment and evaluation of deliverables. Practical Training also implies meaningful immersion in a professional environment.
Students who request CPT for remote positions should keep detailed documentation establishing:
- the existence of a supervisory relationship throughout their period of authorization, and
- how they achieved professional immersion despite working remotely.
I am doing two CPT experiences during the same term and enrolling in an internship course. Can I complete one CPT application for the two opportunities?
No. With each new position at each new location, you must apply for a new CPT authorization.
I want to intern at an embassy and have heard embassies are considered foreign territory. Do I need authorization?
Yes. For the purposes of your F-1 status, an embassy is no different than any other U.S. employer. Off-campus authorization is required for both paid and unpaid positions.