USCIS (the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services) offers employment authorization to international students to work in internship positions during their studies or after they graduate from academic programs.
The internship positions offer students valuable real-life work experience and strengthen their skills in their areas of study.
CPT allows students to work during their studies and it only needs to be authorized by the school while OPT needs to be authorized by USCIS.
Degree Based CPT
Course-Based CPT
Cooperative CPT
Refers to CPT that allows students to work on the first day of the program. Most schools do not allow students to participate in CPT in the first semester or the first academic year. However, if the school curriculum requires students to start the internship immediately at the beginning of the semester, the student can apply to start the internship on the first day of enrollment (Day 1 CPT).
F-2 dependents
Foreign full-time employees
International students (International students who hold OPT or STEM OPT because their employers do not sponsor H1b visas, or have not been selected for H1b visas, and employee who lost their job but need to maintain their visa, etc.)
The job must be related to the course content;
Start your work ONLY after the school approved
No matter how busy or tiring a full-time job is, as a student, you must strictly abide by the school’s rules, regulations and maintain a 3.0 GPA;
Prepare reasonable study plan
Learn more about Day 1 CPT: https://day1cptuniversities.com/day-1-cpt
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