Curricular Practical Training (CPT)

You must meet ALL criteria to request CPT. 

1. F-1 Status & Enrollment History

• You are a degree-seeking student currently maintaining valid F-1 status.
• You have completed one full academic year (fall & spring semesters) of continuous full-time enrollment in active nonimmigrant status.
  • Full-time enrollment can include ISSS-approved medical or academic reduced course loads.
  • Summer enrollment does not count toward this requirement.

2. Academic Requirement

You must obtain verification from your Academic Advisor or Graduate Program Administrator that:

• Your academic major curriculum requires an internship for all students in the degree program and the internship requirement is clearly documented in the  University Catalog.
• There is a cooperative agreement between the training provider/employer and CU Boulder and your department can provide a copy to ISSS. The agreement must clearly state that the training provider/employer will sponsor CU Boulder students for specific training such as an alternative work/study, internship, cooperative education, or any other type of required internship or practicum that is specific to the student’s major area or study.

3. Enrollment Status

• You must meet full-time enrollment requirements or have an approved Medical or Academic Reduced Course Load (RCL) during the semester in which you will be using CPT.

For summer CPT, full-time enrollment is not required, but you must be enrolled full-time in the following Fall semester if summer is not your final term.

4. On-Campus Presence

• During Fall and Spring semesters, you must maintain on-campus presence.
  • Only 3 credits of online, remote, or distance education can count toward your full-time enrollment.
• If summer is your final semester, you must register for credits that require on-campus presence. Enrolling only online or distance credits is not sufficient.

5. Job Offer

• You must have a job offer with a position description related to your current major field of study (not a minor, certificate, or previous major).
• The training cannot involve the marijuana industry, including work with CBD.

6. CPT Request Form

You must submit the Curricular Practical Training (CPT) Request through your MyISSS portal under the "Training/Employment-Related Forms" section.

The Curricular Practical Training (CPT) Request consists of three required e-forms:

1. CPT: Academic Program Information
2. CPT: Training Information
3. CPT: Attestation & Academic Advisor/Graduate Program Administrator Review
   • A section of this e-form must be completed by your Academic Advisor or Graduate Program Administrator.

Speak with your department, graduate program administrator or academic advisor to confirm if your degree program requires an internship. 

• The internship requirement must be clearly documented in the University Catalog.
• The federal government, through the Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP), must have on record that a specific degree program requires practical training as part of the curriculum. In other words, the practical training experience must be a required component for completing the degree, not simply an optional internship or an opportunity available for academic credit.
• Currently, only a limited number of CU Boulder degree programs are documented in SEVP’s records as having a required practical training component. These programs are listed on  the ISSS Change in CPT Authorization Policy website.
• For additional degree programs to be recognized in SEVP’s records, changes or additions must go through the SEVP review and approval process. According to the current information, the SEVP unit responsible for reviewing these updates has a significant backlog and limited staffing. As a result, the review and approval process for additions can currently take several years. Therefore, even if a practical training requirement is added to a degree program, it may not be recognized by SEVP for CPT purposes until that review and approval process is completed.

No, CPT authorization is for off-campus training or employment opportunities only. If CU Boulder is the employer and paymaster, the opportunity is classified as on-campus employment and is subject to on-campus employment restrictions.

No. CPT will only be authorized for a training experience that is required for degree completion in your academic major and the internship requirement is clearly documented in the University Catalog and approved by SEVP.

If you do not meet the requirements for CPT, then you have the option to apply for Pre-Completion OPT for off-campus work authorization. Review ISSS’s Pre-Completion OPT webpage for information.

• CPT and Pre-Completion OPT Comparison Chart

Your CPT authorization dates must align with your department’s degree requirements. In other words, if the degree requirements specify that the practical experience must occur in a student’s last semester, then ISSS can only authorize CPT for that semester.

CPT can be authorized as either part-time (20 hours of employment or less per week,) or full-time (more than 20 hours each week) during any semester.

ISSS authorizes part-time or full-time CPT authorization based on the details in your CPT offer letter, which must list the number of hours you will work per week. 

• Curricular Practical Training (CPT) Offer Letter Requirements

Yes, CPT is employer specific. When you apply for CPT, you are requesting CPT authorization for your specific:

• training opportunity
• number of hours per week
• dates of training
• work location
  • Remote work is allowed. You must have on-campus presence each Fall and Spring semester and summer if it is your final semester.
• educational goal and objective associated with the particular training (internship) opportunity.

Please review the Curricular Practical Training (CPT) Offer Letter Requirements handout.

You may participate in an internship or job through CPT, provided the training meets all of the following requirements:

• Required as part of your academic curriculum: The training must be an integral part of your academic major curriculum and required for all students in your degree program, regardless of immigration status.
• Recognized by SEVP: Your specific degree program must be on file with SEVP as having a required practical training experience for degree completion.
• Covered by a cooperative agreement: The training must be part of a cooperative agreement between CU Boulder and the training provider.

CPT cannot be authorized for a training experience that:

• Is related to a minor field of study, previous major, or field of study that is not your major or
• Is related to the marijuana industry (which includes working with CBD)

If the unpaid training opportunity is required for your academic major curriculum, you should request off-campus work authorization through CPT or Pre-Completion Optional Practical Training (OPT).

The Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) rules regarding unpaid training opportunities are complex. It is in a student's best interest to receive work authorization before undertaking any off-campus training opportunity. The only exception is volunteer work for a non-profit/humanitarian entity. Formal volunteer activities for non-profit entities that are not related to a course of study do not require work authorization. Some examples where authorization may not be required include volunteering for the American Red Cross, Humane Society, Habitat for Humanity, Boys and Girls Club of America, etc.”

Access the ISSS Volunteering in F-1 Status website for further information.

There is no minimum salary you must receive while authorized for CPT.

International students in F-1 status are required to maintain on-campus presence every fall and spring semester as well as in a student’s first or final semester. An international student in F-1 status can have an internship that is outside of Colorado during the fall or spring semester if the student will be working remotely from Colorado and maintaining their on-campus presence.

A student in F-1 status can have an internship opportunity that is outside of Colorado during the summer if the summer semester is not the student’s first or final semester.

In limited instances, Ph.D. students in dissertation stage, master's students working on a thesis, or students with full-time practicums required for their degree that have completed all their required coursework may be eligible for CPT for internships outside of Colorado during the Fall or Spring semester.

To ensure CU Boulder’s compliance with F-1 visa regulations requiring on-campus presence, ISSS will not authorize CPT if the training takes place outside of Colorado during the fall and spring semester, or summer if it is the student’s final required semester to complete their degree requirements. ISSS will authorize CPT for an out-of-state employer during the academic year, or summer if it is their final semester, if the student will be working remotely from their local Colorado address for the entire training.  

ISSS requires a letter from the employer for any CPT authorization with an out-of-state employer during the fall and spring semesters and for summer session when it is the student’s final term. The letter must explicitly state that the student will be fully working remotely from Colorado. Alternatively, the employer may include language that the student is working remotely fully from Colorado on the official job offer letter. ISSS will also require an attestation from the student confirming that they will be residing continually in Boulder to attend their in-person classes during the internship.

In limited instances, Ph.D. students in dissertation stage, master's students working on a thesis, or students with full-time practicums required for their degree that have completed all their required coursework may be eligible for CPT for internships outside of Colorado during the Fall or Spring semester.

Yes, you may engage in both CPT and on-campus employment at the same time. CPT authorization—whether part-time or full-time—does not affect your eligibility for on-campus employment.

Be sure you are aware of student-related on-campus employment restrictions that determine how many on-campus hours you may work per week.

For Student Employment hour (sum) calculation purposes: Student Employment considers work at other University of Colorado campuses (e.g., University of Colorado Colorado Springs, University of Colorado Denver, University of Colorado Anschutz, System Administration offices) as on-campus employment. Note: ISSS considers this off-campus employment for immigration/work authorization purposes.

Your CPT hours will depend on your authorization:

• Part-time CPT: 20 hours or fewer per week
• Full-time CPT: More than 20 hours per week

If you are authorized for a cumulative total of 12 months or more of full-time CPT at your current degree level, you are ineligible for Optional Practical Training at that degree level.

Yes. However, on pre-completion OPT, you may have multiple internships if they each relate to your major field of study, so it is not necessary to have CPT in addition to a pre-completion OPT authorization.

Please review the Career Services’ policy addressing reneging on a job or internship offer letter. Keep this policy in mind prior to accepting an internship offer.

Yes, you may request CPT authorization for two internships during the same semester, provided that:

• Your academic department allows for two concurrent internships to meet the degree requirement.
• Each internship individually meets all CPT eligibility requirements.
• You submit a separate CPT Request for each position.

Important: If you are requesting CPT authorization for two part-time internships, keep in mind that USCIS may interpret this as full-time CPT. Students in F-1 status authorized for 12 months or more of full-time CPT are ineligible for post-completion OPT.  

Yes.  If the company does not have a U.S. branch or office with a verifiable U.S. address for ISSS to authorize the CPT, then you will need to list the address where you will be working from inside the U.S.

If you are physically inside the U.S., you must have proper work authorization—regardless of whether the employer is U.S.-based or not.

Working from inside the U.S. without approved work authorization will result in the termination of your F-1 status. 

No. If you are outside the U.S., you do not need CPT or other U.S. work authorization to work for a U.S. or non-U.S. company.

However, if you are inside the U.S., you may not work—even remotely—for any employer (U.S. or foreign) without appropriate authorization.

You should coordinate with your employer to ensure:

• Your work is performed entirely outside the U.S., and
• You are not listed as an active employee during any period you are physically present in the U.S.

Working from inside the U.S. without approved work authorization will result in the termination of your F-1 status.

Once you have an internship offer, and you are registered for an internship course, if applicable, you must complete the Curricular Practical Training (CPT) Request e-form group available in the Training/Employment-Related Forms section of your MyISSS portal. 

The Curricular Practical Training (CPT) Request e-form group consists of three required e-forms: 

• CPT: Academic Program Information
• CPT: Training Information, and
• CPT: Attestation & Academic Advisor/Graduate Program Administrator Review)

You will need to upload an offer letter that meets the Curricular Practical Training (CPT) Offer Letter Requirements to the Curricular Practical Training (CPT) Request:.

Once ISSS receives your completed request, it will be processed within 2 to 5 business days. If you meet the CPT eligibility requirements, ISSS will provide you with a new CPT-authorized Form I-20 via email.  

Once you have an internship offer, are registered for an internship course, if applicable, and your academic department confirms that this internship is required by your degree program you must complete the Curricular Practical Training (CPT) Request e-form group available in the Training/Employment-Related Forms section of your MyISSS portal. 

The Curricular Practical Training (CPT) Request e-form group consists of three required e-forms: 

• CPT: Academic Program Information
• CPT: Training Information, and
• CPT: Attestation & Academic Advisor/Graduate Program Administrator Review

You will need to upload an offer letter that meets the Curricular Practical Training (CPT) Offer Letter Requirements to the Curricular Practical Training (CPT) Request.

Once ISSS receives your completed request, ISSS will review it. If you meet the CPT eligibility requirements, ISSS will provide you with a new CPT-authorized Form I-20 via email. 

• ISSS Processing Times

To process your request, ISSS confirms you meet the eligibility requirements and are maintaining F-1 status. If you are eligible for CPT, ISSS submits the CPT authorization to SEVIS, generates a new Form I-20 with the CPT authorization on page 2, signs the I-20, and emails it to you.

You may start working on the day that your CPT authorization begins as listed on page 2 of your Form I-20. Please remember that working without authorization will result in the termination of your F-1 SEVIS status.

Yes, ISSS will require confirmation from the employer regarding the final day of employment. The employer can submit the confirmation email to ISSS@Colorado.edu. 

Yes, you may cancel your CPT authorization before the authorized start date. You must email ISSS@colorado.edu to confirm that you wish to cancel the request.

• If the CPT authorized start date has passed, you must email ISSS@colorado.edu to explain your situation.

Making a change to the hours from part-time to full-time (or vice versa) requires consent from the instructor/academic program.

You must login to the MyISSS Portal and submit a new Curricular Practical Training (CPT) Request e-form.

• A new offer letter must be submitted, clearly stating the date the full-time hours or the drop to part-time hours will begin.

A new I-20 will be issued with the new start date for full-time/part-time employment. If you are requesting a change from part-time to full-time CPT authorization, it is imperative that you do not work full-time until you receive the new I-20, and the start date for full-time employment has begun.

CPT is:

• date specific
• employer specific
• hours worked specific
• location specific, and
• educational goal and objective specific.

If anything about your CPT authorization changes, you must report the change to ISSS. This includes updating your training location if you indicated that you are working remotely from your home address and your home address changes. ISSS will update your CPT authorization in SEVIS to reflect the correct work location.

In addition, if your home address changes, update your local address in the Buff Portal within 10 days of your move.

ISSS suggests that you keep the following documents during and after your CPT authorization. This list is not exhaustive.

If you engage in training that is paid while on CPT, keep the following documentation:

• Documentation from the University Catalog showing that the work or internship is required for your major field of study
• A cooperative agreement between CU Boulder and the training provider or employer
• Offer letters and agreements or contracts with all CPT employers, including start and end dates, pay rate, and number of weekly work hours
• Training descriptions that include your job title, duties, work location, and supervisor's contact information
• If you worked for an agency or consultancy, evidence of the projects on which you worked
• Pay vouchers or pay stubs for all periods of training, copies of bank statements showing direct or corresponding deposits from your employer(s), and associated W-2 tax forms

If you engage in training that is not paid while on CPT, keep the following documentation:

• Documentation from the University Catalog showing that the work or internship is required for your major field of study
• A training agreement with the employer that includes:
• Start and end dates
• Training format (for example, on-site, online, or other arrangements)
• Responsibilities and training objectives
• Location of the internship or unpaid training
• Supervisor's contact information
• A cooperative agreement between CU Boulder and the training provider or employer
• All diplomas, completion certificates, and/or certifications you received related to the training program
• If you worked or trained as an unpaid employee for a third party, evidence of the projects on which you worked
• Organizational time and attendance records that document your daily tasks in detail