Basics:
CPT is work authorization that allows F-1 students temporary off-campus employment
Must occur during the student’s program of study
Must be directly related to a student’s major field of study not minor
E.g. Actuarial intern/Risk Management Intern for Actuarial Science Major
Approved by ISSS
Required for both paid and unpaid internships
Eligibility:
Active F-1 student
Completed at least 1 full academic year of study in the current program (only Fall and Spring semesters count)
Graduate students whose program requires immediate internship are exempt from this requirement
Must register for CPT course in each semester that CPT employment is held
ASRM 398 for undergrad
ASRM 593 for grad
Must hold an official offer which is integral to the major
Part-time CPT:
Max 20 hours/week
Do not affect OPT eligibility
Full-time CPT:
20+ hours/week
If combined full-time CPT period exceeds 364 days in one educational level, OPT eligibility is eliminated
Your granted CPT period for each request is exactly the period of the associated employment
Before Application:
Offer: CPT must be applied with an official offer letter with
Employer name
Street address (physical place of employment)
Job title
Start and end date
Description of job duties
Contact department adviser to check
Whether the internship is an integral part of the major
Whether the employment dates are allowed by the department
Part-time or Full-time CPT
Which CPT class to take
For ASRM it’s the classes listed above
If your internship is related to other major, consult the advisor
Which academic advisor to specify in the application form
General Application Process:
Go to i-start website > F-1 Student Services > Curricular Practical Training e-form
Fill in the form and attach offer letter and other required documents
The form will ask you to specify your academic advisor
Once submitted, the form is first sent to the specified advisor, who would decide whether to approve the application
After departmental approval from the advisor, the form is routed to ISSS
Generally, it takes 5 business days for ISSS to process the application
Once approved, print and sign (in blue ink) the updated I-20 form, which should contain the CPT information
Update your employer about the CPT confirmation
Other Notes:
About Research Park
CPT is not required if work less than 20 hours and paid by UIUC through the Office of Corporate Relations employment
Otherwise, CPT is required
Students can only begin work after receiving the CPT I-20 and once the start date has arrived
CPT dates CANNOT be backdated
For multiple employers students must submit a separate CPT request for each employer
CPT can only be approved for a maximum of one year per request
For any changes related to CPT, contact ISSS immediately. This include:
Changing employer address
Changing starting date
Extension
Change from part-time to full-time CPT (ISSS will ask you to submit another application through iStart