Curricular Practical Training (CPT)

OIE will continue to ensure CPT eligibility requirements are in accordance with the current government guidance on CPT and will post any changes to this website.  

On August 12, 2026, the Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP) issued a broadcast message regarding the current administration’s interpretation of regulations associated with CPT. On August 24, 2026, SEVP issued a second broadcast message. On October 5, 2026, there was a lawsuit filed challenging the broadcast messages. 

OIE is delaying the publishing of the CPT Application Request. The new CPT Request form will be available by November 16, 2026.  

As updates become available, OIE will continue to update this page.  

CPT Eligibility Requirements 

For OIE to consider a student’s eligibility for CPT, the student must: 

  • Complete at least one full academic year of full-time enrollment inside the U.S.  A full academic year is defined as fall and spring semesters or spring and fall semesters at Georgia Tech  
  • Be in good academic standing. 
    • Engage in a practical training opportunity required of the student's current degree program.  
      • Master’s programs which require practical training are currently limited to: 
        • Master of City & Regional Planning 
        • M.S. in Digital Media 
        • M.S. in Robotics 
      • At the Ph.D. level, practical training must be necessary to satisfy a required component of the student's doctoral dissertation (e.g., there is no other way to meet the data collection or access needs of the dissertation research).   Details about how this will be confirmed will be available by November 16. 
  • Have a signed cooperative agreement  
    • This form will be available once the CPT Application Request form is available by November 16. 
  • Have degree-required courses remaining in their program. 
  • An F-1 student visa holder cannot be hired as an independent contractor (i.e. with U.S. taxes reported on a 1099 form) as this does not align with the fact that CPT is authorization for supervised practical training from an external organization. Those hired as an independent contractor are often considered self-employed and are not acquiring supervised training from the organization. 

Students who do not currently meet the eligibility requirements for CPT can consider applying for Pre-Completion OPT. After reviewing our Pre-Completion OPT Guidance, consult with an OIE advisor if you have further questions.  

CPT Application Process 

  1. Collect your employment offer letter and signed co-operative agreement. Submit your internship or cooperative education experience request online via CareerBuzz. 
  2. Once the application in CareerBuzz is reviewed and approved by the Career Center, you will receive an approved placement email from the CareerBuzz (Symplicity) system. If you do not find the approval email in your inbox, please review your spam folder to see if this email was automatically sent to spam.  
  3. Once you receive the approved placement email, you will be eligible to log into iStart to complete the CPT Request e-form. 
  4. Once you submit the CPT Request e-form, it will be routed to the Career Center to verify that the information you entered is accurate and aligns with the information entered in CareerBuzz. Once the Career Center completes their review of your request, the CPT request will be submitted to OIE. 
    • To check the status of your CPT request, you can log into iStart and review the e-form. 
      • If the status indicates "Routed to Third Party," this means that the request is still under review by the Career Center. 
      • If the status indicates "Pending Office Approval," this means that the request has been completed by the Career Center and is awaiting review and processing from OIE. 
  5. Once OIE receives the completed CPT request from you and the Career Center, you will receive an update from OIE within the processing time outlined on our website. 
  6. If your CPT Request is approved, OIE will issue you a new I-20 form with your CPT authorization. It will include your employer's name, address, and the specific dates of employment you are authorized to work while on CPT. To view a sample of what the I-20 form should look like with CPT authorization, review our document guide website. Please review the I-20 form for accuracy. You can only work during the dates of employment authorized on the I-20 form and for the employer listed on the I-20 form. The I-20 form with the CPT authorization is proof of employment eligibility, which you must show to your new employer to complete the hiring process.  
  7. Once approved for CPT, you will be registered in the corresponding internship/Co-op credits. Remember, it is required that while participating in CPT, you be enrolled in internship/Co-op credits. It is your responsibility to ensure you have enough space in your schedule to allow for the addition of the Co-op or Internship credits in your schedule. If the additional credits will place you over the maximum hours permitted for the term, you will not be enrolled in the internship/co-op credits. Students who are not enrolled in internship/co-op credits are ineligible to participate in CPT. 

Maintaining Status and Enrollment During CPT 

F-1 visa holders are required to continuously maintain their status while participating in CPT. This includes meeting F-1 enrollment requirements and timely updating OIE with any changes in address, CPT employment, and program of study.  

Below are some key points for understanding F-1 enrollment requirements while on CPT:  

  • F-1 students are required to enroll full-time at the GT-Atlanta campus while engaged in their CPT authorization. (This includes those participating in CPT during the summer term.) Full-time enrollment at Georgia Tech is 12 credits. Please review our Enrollment Guidance page for additional information about meeting full-time enrollment requirements. Students are not eligible to switch their campus designation from "GT Atlanta" to “Video” or “Online” in order to take online program courses while participating in CPT.  
  • Not only must the student be registered full-time, but they also must be registered in corresponding internship or co-op credits during the term in which they are participating in the internship. To learn how many credits of internship you will receive from the Career Center, please review their website where they breakdown the number of credits based on the number of hours worked each week. 
  • Once the CPT has been authorized by the OIE, Career Center will register the student in the internship course for the appropriate term. The student must participate and fulfill the internship course requirements. 
  • All CPT requests must be submitted via iStart by Career Center by the deadline dates outlined on the Career Center website, please see graduate information here and undergraduate information here. 
  • Students not enrolled in a minimum of 12 credits by the end of phase 2 registration, are in violation of their F-1 status which can result in the termination of their SEVIS records. 
  • Full-time enrollment while authorized for CPT includes internship hours and continuous full-time participation in the CPT experience is required by US federal regulations. Students who lose their employment must consult with OIE within ten days of the change per federal guidelines.  

Practical Training Fee 

  • The Office of International Education will collect a $35 fee each time an international student holding an F or J student visa receives practical training benefits in the form of Curricular Practical Training (CPT), Optional Practical Training (OPT) or Academic Training (AT). Student e-forms submitted to the OIE for review will be required to show evidence of PTF payment. Specific instructions for paying the fee will be included in the iStart instructions on the CPT e-form. 
  • For more specific information about the PTF, please visit OIE's website. 

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) 

  • Am I eligible for CPT if an internship can be used to complete my capstone or practicum? 
    • If the capstone or practicum can be completed through means other than an internship, then you are not eligible for CPT. 
  • I was authorized for a reduced course load within my one academic year at Georgia Tech. Am I still eligible to apply for CPT after completing one academic year? 
    • Receiving authorization for a medical or academic reduced course load may not impact your eligibility for practical training (CPT/OPT). You may be eligible to apply for CPT after completing one academic year, even if authorized for a reduced course load. Final eligibility for practical training is determined after the review of your completed CPT request. 
  • Am I eligible to participate in CPT after I’ve met all degree requirements? 
    • No. By regulatory standard, CPT must be an integral part of your degree program. F-1 student visa holders who have already met all degree requirements are no longer eligible for CPT. Students who have met all degree course requirements may be eligible to apply for post-completion Optional Practical Training (OPT) to continue practical training. 
  • Am I eligible to participate in CPT after my defense date? 
    • No, because CPT must be an integral part of your degree program. Students who have successfully defended are considered to have met degree requirements and are no longer eligible for CPT. Students in this scenario should consider applying for post-completion OPT to engage in practical training. 
  • How many hours am I eligible to work while on CPT?  
    • You can engage in one of two types of CPT; either part-time CPT or full-time CPT. Please see the points below for the number of hours you are eligible to work each week while authorized for CPT: 
      • Part-time CPT Authorization: up to 20 hours or less per week 
      • Full-time CPT Authorization: more than 20 total hours per week 
        • If authorized for full-time CPT, there is no cap or maximum number of hours that you are limited to working. The authorization permits you to work unlimited hours over 20. 
  • I changed status from H-4 to F-1, when do I become eligible for CPT? 
    • You will be eligible for Curricular Practical training after your F-1 change of status is approved and you’ve completed at least one full year of full-time enrollment inside the U.S. in any status so long as your application for change of status to F-1 was done via USCIS. Those who change their status by departing the U.S. and re-entering in F-1 status are not eligible to count time in another status towards their one academic year requirement.  
    • Note, in order to be eligible to utilize CPT, you must hold F-1 status. 
  • Can I participate in CPT if my employer wants me to work remotely? 
    • Yes, students can participate in internships that allow them to participate in the experiential learning opportunity remotely as long as the employer can assess student engagement and attainment of learning objectives electronically. 
  • As a BS/MS student, can I use CPT to work in between the degree programs? 
  • Can I begin working before OIE approves my CPT? 
    • No, it is very important that you understand the serious consequences of engaging in unauthorized work while waiting on your CPT approval. The U.S. government regulations specifically state that students must wait until they receive an I-20 form with the CPT authorization and CPT authorized start date before they are eligible to begin their experiential learning opportunity. If you begin your experiential learning prior to receiving your I-20 form for CPT, prior to the date authorized for you to begin CPT, or beyond the authorized CPT end date, then you are considered to be engaging in unauthorized work within the U.S. which will result in the immediate termination of your SEVIS record. Unauthorized work within the U.S. is a serious infraction and can result in loss of future benefits or the ability to remain legally inside the U.S. 

Additional Considerations 

  • F-1 students authorized to work more than 364 days of full-time CPT are no longer eligible for OPT. Part time CPT has no impact on eligibility for OPT.