Work and Study Curricular Practical Training

CPT, or Curricular Practical Training, gives international students authorization to gain employment training and to work in paid internships positions. Students have a chance to work full-time (more than 20 hours per week) or part-time (20 hours or less per week) earning money in US dollars and gain work experience in their area of interest.
Many colleges and universities offer Work Study programs only to their domestic students since it is largely paid for with federal funding. Since schools cannot provide federal financial aid to international students, payment must be made out of the budget from the office on campus or by a private organization. Because of this, the number of work study options may be far and few between.
To confront this, these CPT Work Study programs provide students with the support to acquire a paid position on campus or off campus. Not only that, but many of them have been designed to allow students to begin working as early as the first year.

On Campus Employment

International students are legally able to work on campus part-time, which is considered 20 hours a week or less. These programs allow students to begin working during their first semester enrolled in classes.

Off Campus Employment

The majority of Work Study CPT programs offer employment or paid internships off campus. Students are able to work a minimum of 40 hours a week. As long as students meet the above requirements, students can arrive and begin working during their first semester. All other students will need to wait until after their first year to begin working. Keep in mind that your CPT must be work training that is necessary to complete a degree program.

Benefits of CPT

CPT is an opportunity for international students to earn extra money in US dollars, and to simultaneously get work experience in their field of study. Having international work experience immediately after graduation is immeasurably valuable when searching for a job and will allow you to establish global connections and references with professionals in your industry.

Earn Money

Many Work Study CPT allow students to start working right away because the curriculum requires an internship in their first or second semester of study. That means that international students can begin working and earning money in US dollars. The wages paid are also equal to those paid to a US citizen doing the same role. After taxes, students can use their income to pay for their education needs, or for miscellaneous expenses as well.

Specialized Curriculum

Work Study CPT programs are specifically designed so that paid internships are required and are part of the entire degree program. Because of this, students have the unique opportunity to begin working in their first semester at school – unlike other programs which only offer CPT after a minimum of one year.

Work Experience

Working in the US can be invaluable no matter if you return to your home country or get sponsored on an H1B – or beyond. Working in the US helps improve your English fluency, business etiquette, and gain practical work experience in your field.

Improve Your Odds Of Employment

Post-Graduation

Getting a job is no easy task, especially in today’s economy. Having a US degree can certainly help – and gaining valuable work experience will set you apart from your peers and show that you’ve got the knowledge and hands-on experience required for the job.

Improve Your Professional English

While you might be getting good exposure to the English language through your studies and social life, CPT offers an opportunity to improve your English on a professional level. While this might not seem like a big asset, many employers in the US and abroad value experience where you are able to learn and speak business English. You can gain work experience directly related to your area of study, enhancing your knowledge and understanding of your field, including industry jargon, in the English language.

Networking

While you will probably make friend in your classes and residence halls, working will help you meet new people and explore a new environment. Additionally, work study provides a great opportunity to start networking and establish business connections from the get go. Meeting people already established in your field can help you enhance your resume, find related jobs in the future, and establish a solid list of references.

What is OPT?

Although there are several visa categories for international students in the United States (including J and M categories), the majority of international students enrolled in US colleges or graduate schools are under the F1 visa program. Under the F1 Visa, students are allowed to work under OPT.

OPT Defined

Optional Practical Training (OPT) is a period during which undergraduate and graduate students with F-1 status who have completed or have been pursuing their degrees for more than nine months are permitted by the USCIS to work towards getting practical training to complement their field of studies.
The F1 visa is very flexible and largely administered by the school, in conjunction with the United States Citizenship and Immigration Service (USCIS).

What Work Privileges are Available on OPT?

Under an F1 visa, students can complete their entire degree, and they have certain rights to work while they are on a valid F1 status.
While there is some right to work under OPT while still in school (“pre-completion OPT”), the main use for OPT is the right to work for 12 months after completion of a degree (“post-completion OPT”). So as you near graduation, you can apply for OPT, which will permit you to work for any employer in the US (subject to all of the rules of OPT). You can apply for a new OPT period for each new degree level you complete - for instance, if you receive a Bachelor’s degree, you can apply for OPT and work for a year, go back to graduate school, then when you complete your Masters or PHD, you can apply for OPT again and work for another year (many students actually do this).

OPT Twist with STEM Fields

One twist to OPT is that students who have graduated from a US college or university with a specific degree in the STEM fields - science, technology, engineering and mathematics - can apply to extend their OPT for an additional 24 months, bringing their total post-graduation OPT available time up to 36 months.

The specific degrees that qualify for the extension are:

How to Apply for OPT

Applying for OPT is a technical process, one in which you will need to be aware of all deadlines, solicit the help of your international student center and otherwise be on top of the requirements. It's easy to mess it up! And if you do, your chances of finding a job in the US will certainly be reduced.

Timing

You must have been enrolled in school in the US for at least 9 months before you can apply for any OPT (pre or post-completion). You can apply for post-completion OPT as early as 90 days before graduation, and up to 60 days after graduation. On the application itself, you will indicate a desired start date for your employment. You cannot start to work before you have received your Employment Authorization Document (EAD) from USCIS, and not until you have been in the US for at least 12 months. Since USCIS can take some time to act on your request and get your EAD to you, you should apply for OPT as early as possible. You do not need to have a job lined up yet to apply.

Application Steps

Typically, your international student advisor or someone within the international student center will help you through the process of applying for OPT. Here are the basic requirements:

01 I-765 Form

This is the main application for employment authorization to be submitted to USCIS, once your school has approved. Download the instructions from the USCIS site as well to double-check all of the information and processing tips you receive from your school.

02 OPT Recommendation Form

Typically your school will have a required OPT recommendation form, signing off on start and end date and other specifics of your proposed OPT

03 $410 Filing Fee

You may be exempt from paying the filing fee. See the form instructions for more information. You must pay an $85 biometric services fee if you are filing with one of the following eligibility categories:

04 Two passport-style photos

Identical color photographs of you taken within 30 days of filing your application. There are specifics in the I-765, but any place that does “passport photos” should get it right. Write your name and SEVIS ID number on back of each photo.

05 Document Copies

If you have them, you will need copies of your Form I-94 Arrival/Departure Record Card (Both Front and Back), EAD Card, most recent I-20 (pages 1 & 3) and a copy of your current passport ID page.