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Curricular Practical Training (CPT) Protocol Effective May 6, 2021

Curricular Practical Training (CPT) is a temporary training authorization for an “alternative 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.” 

ISSS is updating our Curricular Practical Training (CPT) protocol to ensure that CU Boulder maintains compliance with the Department of Homeland Security F-1 visa regulations and is more closely aligned with the CPT policies of our peer institutions.

CPT must be an integral part of your major curriculum, supported by either a credit bearing internship class or required for your major for any CPT authorized for May 6, 2021 or later. 

You must meet one of the following requirements for CPT, which your major department must sign off on:   

  •  Be enrolled in an internship course for credit that counts towards your degree. (Enrollment in the course must be concurrent with the training. For example, if the internship is in the summer, you must be enrolled in the internship course during the summer) or 
  • Your degree must require an internship and that requirement is clearly documented in the University Catalog.  

If you do not meet the requirements for the CPT protocol effective May 6, 2021, then you have the option to apply for pre-completion OPT for off-campus work authorization. Please review ISSS’s Pre-completion OPT webpage and ISSS Pre-Completion OPT Guide for information on pre-completion OPT.  

ISSS understands the impact this change in CPT protocol may have on our international students in F-1 status who would like to take advantage of off-campus training opportunities. However, this change is necessary in order to ensure both CU Boulder and our international students in F-1 status are in compliance with federal rules.

ISSS encourages you to attend a CPT Workshop via zoom to learn more about the CPT Protocol Effective May 6th. All sessions take place online via Zoom.

  • February 23, 2021 at 3:30 p.m.
  • March 18, 2021 at 3:30 p.m.
  • April 6, 2021 at 5 p.m.
  • April 29, 2021 at 11 a.m.

Further information regarding CPT, including frequently asked questions and answers, is available on the ISSS Curricular Practical Training (CPT) Protocol Effective May 6, 2021 webpage.