Immigration

F-1 Curricular Practical Training

After students (pursuing an MIT degree) have been in legal F-1 immigration status for one full academic year, immigration regulations allow them to apply for employment in areas related to their field of study through “Practical Training”. There are two types of Practical Training: Curricular Practical Training (CPT) and Optional Practical Training (OPT). This handout only refers to Curricular Practical Training (CPT).

Under Curricular Practical Training, all activity pursued must be "directly related to the student's major area of study" and an integral part of the student's established curriculum [8 CFR 214.2(f)(10)(i)].

Only students pursuing an MIT degree may receive CPT.
Special non-degree students do not qualify for any CPT.
Students in NON-RESIDENT status are not allowed to apply for CPT (since enrollment in courses is not allowed during a Non-Resident term at MIT). However, these students are usually eligible to apply for PRE-Completion OPT.

Students have the option of using CPT only BEFORE completion of their studies. CPT can be authorized full-time during the annual vacation (summer and during IAP) and part-time (20 hours a week or less) during the academic year in the following cases in which working off campus with a company must be either:

a required component of the curriculum, which all students (including domestic students) in the program must complete
OR
an internship that is evaluated by an MIT Professor, meets the criteria specified below and granted academic credit under a specific course number in the student’s major degree requirement AND the course and academic credit must count towards completion of the degree (must fulfill an elective or mandatory credit that counts towards degree requirements)
AND
be enrolled in the specific internship/experiential learning course during the academic term in which the experience is conducted and CPT is authorized (note: some exeptions apply)

Please note that the ISO advises that eligible courses for CPT within a program's curriculum should, in its description in the MIT Bulletin, include an internship or an experience component be completed for a required component for a grade within the course. Academic programs should feel free to contact their ISO Advisor Point-of-Contact with any questions about eligible courses or as you consider creation of new courses with internship/experiential learning components as it relates to CPT eligibility.

For questions regarding Master's/Ph.D. Thesis and CPT eligibility, please see the section later on this webpage.

CPT Authorization Dates by Term

CPT is granted on a term-by-term basis. The start and end dates of the CPT authorization period allowed are limited by the preceding term and exam period and the official end date of the academic term in which the experience is conducted. Please see guidelines below for the earliest and latest dates allowed for internships authorized by CPT in the 2016-2017 and 2017-2018 academic years.

Spring 2017 - February 4, 2017 to May 26, 2017 (Part-time)
Summer 2017 - May 27, 2017 to August 22, 2017 (Part-time or Full-time)
Fall 2017 - August 23, 2017 to December 22, 2017 (Part-time)
IAP 2018 - December 23, 2017 to February 2, 2018 (Part-Time or Full-Time)
Spring 2018 - February 3, 2018 to May 25, 2018 (Part-Time)
Summer 2018 - May 26, 2018 to August 21, 2018 (Part-Time or Full-Time)

Notes:
*Part-time = maximum 20 hours / week, Full-time = 20+ hours / week
*For internship employers that have established intern programs with set/non-flexible dates for all interns (international and domestic) that must be completed, please have the employer confirm in writing this requirement and students must consult with their ISO Advisor on this issue.

How to Apply:

In order to apply for CPT, at least 3 weeks prior to the beginning date of employment, you must bring the following:

1. a completed CPT worksheet
2. a copy of the job offer letter from organization or company (see sample letter)
Fields of information required from the employer in order to authorize CPT include (see also link to "sample letter") -- Position title; Start and End Date of the internship; number of hours per week; salary/stipend amount (if applicable); name and contact information (phone and email) of intern's supervisor; overview of day-to-day responsiblities/duties of the intern; office address/work location address where intern will work; contact information for individual responsible for intern program/hiring at the company/organization (if different from supervisor).
3. confirmation of (pre) registration for the internship/experiential learning course for the academic term in which the experience is conducted
4. a copy of the I-94 admission record and passport identity page with expiration information
5. a copy of current passport, including pages with full name, date of birth, passport number, and issue/expiration date of the passport
6. a letter on departmental letterhead, signed by an MIT faculty advisor, program director, or program administrator, recommending the CPT

The faculty letter must specify the following:

a) that the student is in good academic standing
b) that the work is integrally related to the student’s major field of study
c) how the work is integrally related to major field of study
d) the name of the faculty member who will evaluate the work (that name will appear on the new Form I-20)
e) how the work will be evaluated and how many units of credit will be given and when the credit will be granted. The credit must be given under a specific course number in the student’s major program of study in the term in which the CPT is conducted.
f) Name and address of company/organization, including zip code where the CPT will be conducted.
g) Specific start date and end date of the CPT
h) for Master's/Ph.D. students requesting CPT based on Thesis course, this letter must be completed/signed by your academic (thesis) advisor and also include the additional four (4) pieces of information highlighted below.

Please be aware that these are federal regulations and the CPT cannot be granted if the faculty letter does not include all of the points specified above.

Students who are authorized to use 12 or more months of Full-time Curricular Practical Training are ineligible to apply for Optional Practical Training based on that degree.

IMPORTANT: During the duration of both your studies and your CPT, you are required to inform both the ISO and DHS of any address change within 10 days. You may inform the ISO by updating your address on WEBSIS (websis.mit.edu) under the “SEVIS US Address” field. Failure to report an address change could result in the loss of your legal status in the US.

As an international student at MIT, you are responsible for maintaining your own legal status. This means you must ensure that you are registered full-time each semester, and that the validity of your immigration documents does not expire. Be certain to report any changes in your academic level, funding, and/or completion of studies date within a timely manner to the ISO. If you allow the date on your I-20 to expire, you will fall out of legal status in the US and may suffer serious consequences.

Master's/Ph.D. Students, Thesis, and F-1 Curricular Practical Training (CPT)

At MIT, some students who pursue a thesis requirement in their program may require employment authorization at a non-MIT employer in order to successfully complete the thesis. Thus, the ISO will consider eligibility for CPT authorization under Masters/Ph.D. thesis credit under the following conditions only (all must apply):

1. Student has an approved Master's/Ph.D. thesis proposal by the academic department; and
2. Location of activity is the only company/organization where the piece of machinery, or access to unique secured data, that is a vital component for the student’s approved thesis is available; and
3. The company/organization requires the student to be considered an employee, or other category, that requires employment authorization to be on premises to have access to the essential piece of machinery or secured data; and
4. The student’s thesis advisor must confirm that if the student is unable to pursue this experience at this specified location, the student will not be able to complete the planned approved thesis topic.

Note that each academic department may have their own conditions that must be met for approval. For review of eligibility, a student’s thesis advisor in their Master's/Ph.D. program should provide the required CPT letter (refer to #5, points a-h), on department letterhead, with detailed summary of the proposed experience and include reference to the four areas above. Requests will be considered on a term-by-term basis, and eligible authorizations would generally be for no longer than two terms.

PhD students approved for Non-Resident Status may qualify for CPT authorization.

Students who have received the letter from their thesis advisor should contact the ISO and schedule an in-person appointment with your ISO Advisor to review their request for CPT eligibility under thesis credit.

F-1 CPT Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Can I pursue both a Teaching/Research Assistantship and an off-campus internship under CPT at the same time?

If during an academic term (Fall/Spring) you are pursuing a 20 hour per week research or teaching assistantship, or other on-campus position at MIT, and want to pursue an off-campus internship at the same time, students will require approval of their academic department to do so. Generally at MIT, an on-campus position for the maximum 20 hours per week during academic term plus an off-campus internship is not granted, given concerns of the availability of time to pursue both activities and impact on being able to affectively pursue studies and make proper progress towards completion of degree. Please see current MIT policy on the ODGE website.

If the student's academic department feel the additional off-campus internship is beneficial for the student's academic program, support such activity, and the student meets all other eligibility requirements for CPT authorization, the visa regulations may allow such authorization. Please consult with your ISO Advisor for eligibility details.