Curricular Practical Training for F-1 Students

What is Curricular Practical Training?

Curricular Practical Training (CPT) is a type of work authorization for students in F-1 status where the work serves as an integral part of a student's academic program and an established curriculum. CPT provides students with an opportunity to further their academic experience with hands-on training that is directly related to their major.

Requirements for Curricular Practical Training at Penn

With few exceptions, F-1 students must be enrolled full time for at least one academic year to be eligible for CPT. The training may only be part-time if it takes place during the school year, although full time is allowed during official University breaks and the summer semester.

After one year of full-time enrollment, there are two possible ways to be eligible for CPT at Penn:

1. The training employment is required of all degree candidates in the program and is necessary for the awarding of the degree. This requirement must be formally documented in school publications. There are only a few programs at Penn that require a period of off-campus training for all degree candidates.
2. The training employment will result in the awarding of academic credit. Students must register and complete the CPT-related course during the semester that they are working with CPT authorization.

Most Penn students will use option (2) for their CPT experience. If a student is engaging in CPT during their last semester, they must have at least one other remaining degree-required course for which to register, in addition to the CPT course unless the CPT course is the degree-required course. It is also important to remember that a student who engages in full-time CPT for 12 months or more is ineligible for optional practical training.

How to Obtain Curricular Practical Training at Penn

A request for authorization for curricular practical training must be made to ISSS using iPenn. The student must upload a copy of their offer letter for CPT training that is directly related to their major. If the student is eligible, an ISSS advisor will authorize CPT by issuing an updated I-20 with a CPT endorsement on page two, and the student will receive an email from ISSS when it is ready for pickup. Once the I-20 is received and the CPT start date is reached, the individual can begin the practical training.

Consequences of engaging in employment without CPT

A student may begin curricular practical training only after receiving his or her Form I-20 with the CPT endorsement: ISSS will not backdate any requests for CPT made after beginning employment without proper authorization. Engaging in employment without authorization is a violation of F-1 status and may have serious consequences. From the day that a student engages in unauthorized employment, he or she begins to accumulate unlawful presence, which may lead to bars from reentry to the United States in the future. Students will also lose future F-1 status benefits, such as optional practical training eligibility and the ability to transfer to other universities or programs. Any questions related to potential employment should be directed to an ISSS advisor before a student begins working. More information on CPT can be found on the ISSS website.