F-1 Student Curricular Practical Training (CPT)

What is CPT?

Curricular Practical Training (CPT) is an internship, practicum or other type of temporary employment that is directly related to your field of study and that is an integral part of an established curriculum still in progress. CPT is a benefit of the F-1 visa that allows you to obtain valuable practical experience to bridge your coursework with real world application.

Examples of opportunities requiring CPT: paid or unpaid internship, co-operative education experience, practicum, or employment directly tied to your program through research or enrollment in a credit-bearing course

All off-campus work opportunities require CPT authorization. If you are not sure if you need CPT authorization or not, speak to an ISSS advisor. 

Part-Time & Full-Time CPT

Part-time CPT: 20 hours per week or less

Full-time CPT: 21 hours per week or more

Eligibility

To be eligible for CPT you must:

• Be in active F-1 status
• Have completed one year (two semesters) of full-time study in the US
• Have obtained an offer for job/internship
  • Must be related to your major (cannot be based on minor); for research students (MS thesis/Phd) the opportunity must be integral to your research and included in your thesis.
  • Dates of the internship must fall within the semester dates.
  • You cannot accept “contractor” positions on CPT
• Have a job/internship offer letter on company letterhead containing the following:
  • Company/organization name
  • Start and end date (must be within semester dates)
  • Number of hours per week
  • Position title and description
  • Site address
  • Supervisor name and contact (phone/email)
  • Employer signature
• Enroll in the appropriate credits EACH term you wish to be authorized for CPT. See below for course/credit information and limits.

Applying for CPT

International students applying for CPT must enroll in appropriate credits to qualify. The credits you must register for and the CPT process depends on your academic level and department:

Bachelor’s (BS)

• Course: Varies by academic department (listed below).
• Speak with your academic advisor to ensure you can enroll in the course, then complete the registration requirements. When you are registered in the course, complete the CPT request in the International Student Portal.
• ISSS CPT Form Approver: For Independent Study and Special Topics: the professor teaching the course. For all others: academic advisor.

Graduate Level Regstration (MS, MSNT, PhD)

Non-Thesis Students:

• Obtain advisor approval to enroll in the 3-credit course 598I. This course may be taken once per degree program. It is your responsibility to identify a faculty member to serve as your Mines course instructor who will oversee the curricular aspects of this CPT opportunity. This faculty member may be your academic advisor or a different individual. To view more details, access the 598I enrollment form here.

Thesis Students:

• Obtain advisor approval to enroll in the appropriate number of 707 research credits.Your advisor must attest that this CPT opportunity is integral to the research and is included/acknowledged in the written thesis. The number of credits depend on several factors and interested students should consult with ISSS and advisor/department.

Credit costs for Fall and spring:

• Undergraduate students are responsible for any tuition and fees associated with enrollment in the required CPT course.
• Graduate students are responsible for costs associated with their credits; however, students on RA/TA contracts must discuss with their advisors whether/how CPT credits will be incorporated into the tuition coverage in their contracts.
• Graduate students counting CPT as the 598I elective course are responsible for the costs. If a student is in a thesis program and their advisor/department covers the resident tuition costs for 598I, the student may ask the Office of Graduate Studies (OGS) about the availability of a differential tuition fellowship for the non-resident costs.

Summer credit(s) cost notes:

• Undergraduate and Masters non-thesis students are responsible for any tuition and fees associated with enrollment in the required CPT course.
• Graduate students in thesis programs, whose summer internship is external to Mines but is integral to their research, may be eligible for a research tuition fellowship from OGS to cover the cost of the required 707 research credit(s).
• Graduate students whose summer internship may be integrated into their Mines RA contract should consult with their advisor and OGS regarding their CPT/contract plans.
• Students may request waivers of on-campus student fees via the Bursar’s Office if they will be at an internship away from campus all summer.

Submitting the CPT Request

All students must submit a CPT request in their international student portal. Students are not permitted to start any employment until they have an updated I-20 form in hand with the CPT authorization included. 

• upload their internship offer letter
• confirm that they are registered in the appropriate credited course that ties the CPT to their degree.
• Discuss the learning goals of the internship opportunity with the appropriate Mines faculty members.
  • (Grad only) For 598I – complete the enrollment form here with your advisor/department.
  • (Grad only) For 707, the student and advisor/department will need to discuss how the outcomes of the internship will contribute directly to their research and be included/acknowledged in the written thesis.
  • (Grad only) For 707, the advisor (or department staff) should contact OGS to confirm eligibility of the student for a research credit fellowship. If approved, a fellowship contract can be prepared by the department.
• indicate the academic advisor as the “approver” in the request; the advisor will review the proposed internship and confirm they are enrolled in the correct credits.

When can I start working on CPT?

You may only begin working when your application is approved by ISSS and you receive a new I-20 with CPT authorization on page 2. You may only work for the specific employer and for the specific dates listed on the form. If there is an error in the employer name or dates, let ISSS know right away.

CONTACT US

Office Hours
Monday through Friday, 9:00am - 12:00pm and 1:30pm - 4:00pm

Main Office Phone and Email
(303) 273-3210 / isss@mines.edu