Immigration Alert!
United States law requires you to obtain written authorization before starting any type of compensated employment. Beginning work without authorization from the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Service (USCIS) or AU's International Student & Scholar Services is a serious violation of your F-1 status.


CPT OVERVIEW:

Curricular Practical Training (CPT) is an employment option for F-1 students engaged in an academic program for whom work is considered an integral part of their studies.


Paid internship:
* CPT authorization allows you to accept a one semester paid internship in your field of study. You can be authorized for more than one semester of CPT, but each semester's internship must be substantially different from previous internships.

Unpaid or volunteer internship:
* Please note that for unpaid (uncompensated) internships the USCIS does not require you to have work authorization, so you do not need to apply for CPT. "Compensation" includes any form of payment (cash, check, stipend, etc.), or money for food, transportation (such as metro tickets), or other expenses. If you are going to receive any type of compensation you must have work authorization to avoid engaging in illegal employment.
* In the case of an internship employer who does require work authorization for an unpaid internship (this is unusual but is the case with some financial institutions and some other organizations), you must meet all the eligibility criteria listed below and complete the application process for CPT listed below before you begin working.

Eligibility for CPT:
To be eligible for CPT, you must fit all of the following criteria:
* be in F-1 status
* have completed one academic year of full time study (2 semesters, not including summer)
* be in a degree or certificate program
* find an internship in your field of study
* register for internship credit

Where you can work:
* Employers offering internship opportunities in your field of study.

Academic requirements:
* You must receive internship credit which counts toward your required credits for graduation.

Who approves your work authorization:
* AU's International Student & Scholar Services office (reported to the USCIS)

What document will show your work authorization:
* You will be issued a new I-20 with the CPT work authorization on page 3.

How long the approval takes:
* Allow 10 business days. Note that you are not authorized to begin working until the CPT start date on page 3 of your I-20.

Full-time or part-time:
* Either: in your application you will need to specify "part-time" (20 hours per week or less) or "full-time" (over 20 hours per week), and this will be indicated in the authorization on your new CPT I-20.

Limitations:
* The immigration regulations do not limit the number of semesters you can be authorized for CPT, however the internship credits must count toward completion of your degree, so your department may limit the number of internships for which you are eligible (please contact your academic advisor for more information about your department's policy).
* If you are authorized for a total of 12 or more cumulative months of full-time CPT you will lose your eligibility for OPT. (Note that this does not apply to part-time CPT).
* Each CPT authorization should be for an internship that is substantially different from previous CPT internships (not a continuation of the same internship with the same employer).