Curricular Practical Training (CPT)

You must meet ALL the following criteria to request CPT.  

• You are a degree-seeking student currently in valid F-1 status;
• You completed one full academic year (Fall & Spring semester) of continuous full-time enrollment in active nonimmigrant status.
  • Summer enrollment does not count towards the one-year full-time enrollment requirement.
• You meet one of the following requirements, which your Academic Advisor or Graduate Program Administrator must sign off on:  
  • Be enrolled in an internship course for credit that could count 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 requires an internship, and that requirement is clearly documented in the University Catalog.
• You meet the full-time enrollment requirements or have an approved Reduced Course Load (RCL) during the semester you will be using CPT;
  • For CPT in the summer, you do not need to be enrolled full-time. If your  summer CPT is based on enrollment in an internship course, then you must be enrolled in the internship course during the summer.
  • You must maintain on-campus presence during the Fall and Spring semesters.  Only 3 credits of online/remote/distance education courses may be counted towards the full-time enrollment requirement.
    • If summer is your final semester, you must be registered for credits that require on-campus presence. Enrolling in only distance credits is not sufficient in your final semester.
• You have a job offer including a position description for training in your current major field of study, not minor or previous major;
• The training is not related to the marijuana industry which includes working with CBD; AND
• You must complete the Curricular Practical Training (CPT) Request e-form.
  • It is available in the Training/Employment-Related Forms section of your MyISSS portal.
  • It consists of three required e-forms:
    • CPT: Academic Program Information
    • CPT: Training Information and
    • CPT: Attestation & Academic Advisor/Graduate Program Administrator Review. Your Academic Advisor or Graduate Program Administrator must complete a section.  

You will need to speak with your department, graduate program administrator or academic advisor to confirm if your degree program:

• Allows you to be enrolled in a concurrent internship course for credit that could count towards your degree or
• Requires an internship and that requirement is clearly documented in the University Catalog.

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.

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.

Yes, if the credits earned in the internship course can be used towards your degree requirements.

Students need to confirm with their academic department if the course can be taken as pass/fail or satisfactory/unsatisfactory and still count towards their degree. If not, then the course must be taken for a letter grade.

You and the academic department offering the internship credit need to make sure a grade is assigned in a timely manner. If the academic department determines an incomplete grade is warranted, then the university’s incomplete grade policy is followed.

In the case of an incomplete grade, a second CPT agreement will not be authorized for a student to fulfill their internship course requirements and resolve the incomplete. This means a student will not be able to work off campus. The student and academic department will need to determine how to resolve the incomplete grade. Regardless, the off-campus training must end even if this impacts the final grade of the internship course or results in the department and the student determining an alternative means – other than the internship – to complete the course requirements.

Your CPT start and end dates cannot overlap with another semester. CPT authorization may begin after the previous semester ends. The CPT authorization must end before the first day of the next semester unless you are using CPT in your final semester. If it is your final semester, CPT authorization cannot go beyond the last date of the semester.

Your CPT authorization dates must align with your department’s degree requirements.

CPT can be authorized as part-time, 20 hours of employment or less per week, or full-time, more than 20 hours each week. Part-time or full-time CPT authorization depends on your CPT offer letter, which must list the number of hours you will work per week.

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 have an internship or job, and the training must:

•  Be directly related to your current major field of study
  • CPT cannot be authorized based on a minor field of study.
• Not be related to the marijuana industry which includes working with CBD

Yes.

If the unpaid training opportunity is closely related to your major field of study, 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.”

See 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 only 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.

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 reside 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.

Yes, CPT will not impact your 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. The number of CPT hours you can work per week depends on whether you are authorized for part-time CPT, 20 hours of employment or less per week, or full-time CPT, more than 20 hours each 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.

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 under the internship course or 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.  

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.  

The Curricular Practical Training (CPT) Request should be submitted at least 2 weeks before your training opportunity start date to allow time for your academic advisor or graduate program administrator and ISSS to process it.

If enrolling in an internship course to meet the CPT eligibility requirement, the earliest you may apply is after you are registered for the internship course. ISSS must be able to verify enrollment in the internship course on your academic schedule.

Once ISSS receives your Curricular Practical Training (CPT) Request, it will be processed within 2 to 5 business days and ISSS will issue a new Form I-20 authorizing CPT.

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 working without authorization will result in the termination of your F-1 SEVIS status.

CPT authorization based on an internship can only be authorized for one semester at a time. An extension only applies to extending a current/ongoing internship with no changes to complete the internship in the current term.

ISSS will consider a request to extend only if the following parameters are met:

• The request to extend CPT is received prior to the end of the current term in which the CPT is authorized (i.e. prior to the last day of finals)
• The request to extend CPT includes a new Curricular Practical Training (CPT) Request e-form with an explanation of why the extension is required to meet the requirements of the internship course. The explanation must be provided by the academic department.
• The extension dates requested do not overlap with the next semester start date.
• ISSS receives the request to extend the CPT before the current authorized CPT ends. Requests submitted after the last day of enrollment for the current term in which the original CPT was authorized will be denied.
• A grade has not been posted for the internship course.

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. 

Can I cancel my current CPT authorization?

• Yes, you may cancel your CPT authorization before the authorized start date. You must email ISSS@colorado.edu to confirm you wish to cancel the request.
• If the CPT authorized start date has passed, you must email ISSS@Colorado.edu to explain your situation.

What if I want to drop the internship class after I shortened or cancelled my CPT authorization?

Important Considerations Before Dropping/Withdrawing from an Internship Course:

• If you decide to withdraw from your internship course, it is crucial to keep documentation that verifies your enrollment status during the period you were actively engaged in the work.
• Keep documentation that reflects the period you worked during the internship. Documentation can include offer letters, pay vouchers, projects worked on, etc.
• Consider whether withdrawing from the internship course will result in falling below the full-time enrollment requirements.
• Graduate students who receive tuition assistance who drop a class after the add/drop deadline may be required to pay for the course. Check with the Graduate School if you are unsure if your tuition remission will be affected.

CPT authorization for an internship is granted on a semester-by-semester basis. An extension is only applicable to extend a currently approved and ongoing internship with no changes to complete the internship within the current term.  Extending CPT authorization beyond the start date of an upcoming term requires a new CPT request, not an extension of a currently approved CPT authorization.

ISSS will consider a request to extend only if the following requirements are met:

• The request to extend CPT is received prior to the end of the current term in which the CPT is authorized (i.e. prior to the last day of finals)
• The request to extend CPT includes a new Curricular Practical Training (CPT) Request e-form specifically requesting an extension of the current CPT authorization with an explanation of why the extension is needed to meet the requirements of the internship course.  The academic department must provide this explanation.
• The extension dates do not go beyond the start date of the next semester.
• ISSS receives the request to extend the CPT before the current authorized CPT ends. Requests submitted after the last day of enrollment for the current term in which the original CPT was authorized will be denied.
• A grade has not been posted for the internship course.

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 eform.

• 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 the 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 current 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. You must let ISSS know so that we can update your authorization 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: Updating Your Address in Buff Portal

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:

• Documentation that the work/internship is in your major field of study
• Offer letters and agreements/contracts with all CPT employers including start/ end dates, pay rate, and number of weekly work hours
• Training descriptions including job title, duties, location, and supervisor’s contact information
• If you worked for an agency or consultancy, evidence of the projects you worked on.
• Pay vouchers/pay stubs for all periods of training, copies of your bank statements that show direct or corresponding deposits from your employer(s), and associated W-2 tax forms
• Academic documentation of the internship course requirements.
  • If you are fulfilling this course through internship credit, you must make sure this internship credit is clearly reflected on your transcript.
  • If the internship is required for your degree, you must be prepared to provide official documentation of this requirement from the university catalog. 

If you engage in training that is not paid while on CPT:

• Documentation that the work/internship is in your major field of study
• Training agreement with the employer including: start/end dates, trainings (on location, online, etc.), responsibilities and training objectives, location of the internship/unpaid training, and supervisor’s contact information
• All diplomas, completion certificates and/or certifications that you received related to the training program; If you worked/trained as an unpaid employee for a third party, keep evidence of the projects you worked on.
• Organizational time and attendance records that document your daily tasks in detail
• Academic documentation of the internship course requirements.
  • If you are fulfilling this course through internship credit, you must make sure this internship credit is clearly reflected on your transcript.
  • If the internship is required for your degree, you must be prepared to provide official documentation of this requirement from the university catalog.