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Curricular Practical Training (CPT)

CPT is primarily an off-campus employment option, authorized by SUNY Plattsburgh’s Global Education Office (GEO). It is available to F-1 students for the purpose of gaining work experience that is both integral to, and directly related to, the student’s field of study (major). The CPT experience must be required for all students pursuing the major and the CPT experience must be required in order to graduate with the major.

CPT work opportunities can be:

  • Paid or unpaid
  • Internships
  • Practicums or clinical trainings
  • Field hours or other activities which may be considered “employment” by the Department of Homeland Security
  • During the semester, students may only work part-time (20 hours per week or less) unless full-time (21–40 hours per week) is required by their major. On-campus practicums, internships, field hours, and clinical trainings require CPT authorization if they are full-time (21–40 hours per week).
  • During the winter or summer terms, students may work part time (20 hours per week or less) or full-time (21–40 hours per week).

You must have prior authorization for CPT (this means that you have the new CPT I-20 in hand) before you begin working. The United States government takes illegal employment very seriously. If the ISA becomes aware of illegal employment, he or she is required by law to “terminate” a student’s SEVIS record and this places the student in unlawful visa status.

Student Eligibility

In order to be eligible to participate in CPT, you must have:

  • Maintained full-time enrollment for at least one academic year (two consecutive semesters).

  • A job offer directly related to your major area of study

  • Required for all students pursuing the major and that the CPT experience must be required (not optional) in order to graduate with the major

The CPT experience start and end dates must start no earlier than the first day of term and end no later than the last date of the term the CPT experience is approved for. You cannot participate in the CPT experience outside of these dates.

CPT Hours & Limitations

Please keep these additional rules in mind:

  • You are not permitted to work until you have received an I-20 authorizing specific CPT dates.
  • CPT is approved for a specific employer for a specific time period
  • You may not change employers or extend training without prior permission from the Global Education Office.
  • Participating in CPT does not affect your eligibility for Optional Practical Training (OPT), unless you have completed 12 months of full-time CPT (21–40 hours a week).
  • Be sure that you keep all records of your CPT, CPT I-20s, and the related academic work for your CPT.
  • Students may use CPT at any time during the year after completing two academic semesters and prior to graduation.

Application Process

To apply for CPT, you will need to submit these two documents to the Global Education Office (GEO) for processing of the CPT I-20 no later than one week before the requested start date of my CPT. You may need to change your CPT start date if you submit these forms less than one week before the requested start date.

  • Curricular Practical Training Form completed by you and your academic advisor or faculty sponsor (Please email [email protected] to request this form.)

  • If you have a major in the School of Business and Economics, you must also complete a third document, an internship contract, and submit it to GEO (contact the SBE Internship Coordinator for details).

  • Offer letter from your employer (IMPORTANT: This letter must contain specific details. Please read below for the requirements of this letter.)

Employer Offer Letter Requirements

Before you ask your employer to write your offer letter, please be sure you understand what it must contain. You may wish to share this with your employer ahead of time in order to avoid the unpleasant task of having to ask them to do it all over again. It may be helpful to review a sample letter as you consider the following requirements:

  • Letter must be on official company letterhead
  • Letter must include all of the following information:
    1. Student name
    2. Company address
    3. Company name
    4. Work site information (if different from company address)
    5. Title of the position
    6. Starting date of the position
    7. Ending date of the position
    8. Number of hours to be worked each week
    9. A brief description of job duties

If you or your employer have any questions or need assistance with CPT, please contact the ISS team in the Global Education Office at [email protected] or by phone at +1-518-564-3287.

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