Curricular Practical Training
Curricular Practical Training (CPT) is a temporary work authorization for international students who hold an F-1 visa and who have been enrolled full-time in a college-level degree program for at least one academic year.
You can use CPT for an internship or co-op experience that is directly related to your major or field of study. See the Penn State Global website for more information about CPT.
If you have an offer for an internship or co-op and you are eligible for CPT, our office can help with the process of obtaining it. Please note:
- If you are planning to work part-time on campus, you do not need to apply for CPT. See the Penn State Global website for more information about rules and requirements for on-campus jobs.
- If you are graduating before your work experience is scheduled to begin, you are not eligible for CPT and must seek Optional Practical Training (OPT) instead. Please contact International Student and Scholar Advising (ISSA) with any questions about OPT; our office is not involved in this process.
Important Co-op Update: Fall 2025
In cooperation with International Student and Scholar Advising (ISSA), and in order to ensure that engineering students remain in compliance with current U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) guidance about CPT, we have updated the rules for international student co-ops going forward as follows:
- Because co-op experiences are not required for engineering undergraduate students to complete their degree requirements, ISSA will no longer authorize CPT for co-op rotations during the fall or spring semesters, when regular full-time enrollment in degree requirements is expected.
- Undergraduate students may complete co-ops only during summer semesters, so an offer for a co-op must include two or more summers.
**Students who have completed their first co-op rotation (ENGR 295) and who are currently enrolled in ENGR 395 for fall 2025—and already have CPT approved—will be able to complete their co-op.** However, we will not be able to complete any further international student enrollments in ENGR 295, 395, or 495 until summer 2026.
Please note that rules for internships have not changed. International undergraduate engineering students may still be enrolled in full-time internship credit (ENGR 195) during summer semesters and part-time internship credit (ENGR 185) during summer semester or during fall and spring semesters if they are concurrently enrolled in a full load of resident instruction courses. Graduate students who wish to be enrolled in ENGR 595 during any semester should make this request in conjunction with their departmental and ISSA advisers.
Undergraduate Students
Step 1: Obtain an Offer Letter
Obtain an offer letter from your prospective employer (on letterhead) that meets ISSA requirements for CPT, including all the following:
- Job title (e.g., Electrical Engineering Intern)
- Name of the company or organization and physical address, including street/number, city, state, and ZIP code
- If you are working on-site, this address should be the specific physical location where you will be working (if the employer has multiple sites)
- If you are working remotely or in a hybrid arrangement, the address where you will be physically working must also be included (home, apartment, friend's apartment, etc.)—you must provide this information to the employer to be included in the letter
- Exact start and end dates of employment
- Work experiences for ENGR 185 may be any length in duration but may not exceed 20 hours per week
- Work experiences for ENGR 195 must be 10–12 weeks long for a summer semester
- Work experiences for ENGR 295, 395, or 495 must be 10–12 weeks long for two or more summer semesters*
- Work experiences should not start before the first day or end after the last day of the Penn State semester in which you plan to work
- Number of hours of work you will work per week
- A detailed description of the specific tasks you will be doing on the job; the description must provide enough specifics to show clearly that the job relates to your major and will provide experience directly related to your field of study
Please highlight or circle all these items within your offer letter to make the review and approval quicker and easier.
*If you plan to do a co-op, your offer letter must include both intended work semesters so we can verify that the offer is for a rotational experience. For example, an offer letter should state that the offer is "for a summer 20xx and summer 20yy co-op." Employers may include a clause stating that they intend to bring you back for at least two co-op rotations "if business conditions and student performance permit."
Step 2: Complete the Employment Survey
Complete the Employment Survey to notify us of your upcoming work assignment and to give us important information about your employer and the internship or co-op course you intend to take. The Survey will also require you to upload your offer letter, job description, and a statement from your academic adviser to confirm the number of credits you have remaining in your degree program as of the end of the current semester. This statement can be sent to you by email to upload; please do not submit a degree audit instead.
If you have an offer to work for a single semester at a company or organization, you are doing an internship. If your internship is for fewer than 20 hours per week or fewer than 10 weeks, your course number will be ENGR 185; otherwise, your course number will be ENGR 195. Full-time internships must be completed during summer semesters.
If you have an offer to work full time for at least two summer semesters at the same company or organization, you are doing a co-op. Your courses will be:
- ENGR 295 for a first co-op rotation
- ENGR 395 for a second co-op rotation
- ENGR 495 for a third or subsequent co-op rotation
You must complete a new Employment Survey for each semester in which you plan to work.
Once you have completed the Employment Survey, we will review your documents and—if they meet ISSA requirements for CPT—we will enroll you in your requested course and notify you when you have been enrolled.
Step 3: Complete the Curricular Practical Training eForm in iStart
Complete the CPT eForm in iStart, which is a requirement of the U.S. government. As part of this process, you will need to have an academic recommendation completed by a Penn State faculty or staff member.
If you are a student in the College of Engineering:
- Please designate Carmen Bilén, Associate Director, Engineering Career Resources & Employer Relations (cpb10@psu.edu) (rather than your academic adviser) to complete your academic recommendation.
- After your recommendation has been completed and submitted, you will receive an automated confirmation email message.
If you are an engineering student in the College of Earth and Mineral Sciences:
- You must work with your academic adviser and/or department head on this process; please review the EMS information for international students.
- After your recommendation has been completed and submitted, you will receive an automated email message.
Step 4: Pay for the Course
Once you see the course on your schedule for the appropriate semester, submit payment for the course.
Step 5: Wait for ISSA Approval
You should expect ISSA's review and approval of your CPT to take place within 12–15 business days of receipt of the academic recommendation. Note that delays may occur during peak times, especially at the end of the spring semester.
If your CPT request is approved, an ISSA adviser will contact you directly when your new I-20 is ready.
If your CPT request is not approved, please notify us as soon as possible so we can cancel your enrollment in the internship or co-op course and help you avoid a financial penalty.
Graduate Students
The specific steps that you must take as a graduate student seeking CPT depend on a number of factors, including when and where you plan to work, what type of degree you are pursuing, what type of funding you have, and where you are in your degree program.
Fall or Spring Work Experiences
Graduate students may only be able to obtain CPT for a fall or spring internship under certain circumstances.
You may be eligible if:
- The internship is required for graduation for all students in your program.
- The internship is part-time (20 hours per week) and allows you to work either locally or remotely while taking a full load of resident instruction courses.
- You are using the internship to collect data for your thesis (if you are completing a thesis as a degree requirement).
If your internship meets one or more of these criteria, please follow the instructions below to obtain CPT.
Step 1: Obtain an Offer Letter
Obtain an offer letter from your prospective employer (on letterhead) that meets ISSA requirements for CPT, including all the following:
- Job title (e.g., Electrical Engineering Intern)
- Name of the company or organization and physical address, including street/number, city, state, and ZIP code
- If you are working on-site, this address should be the specific location where you will be physically working (if the employer has multiple sites)
- If you are working remotely or in a hybrid arrangement, the address where you will be physically working must also be included (home, apartment, friend's apartment, etc.)—you must provide this information to the employer to be included in the letter
- Exact start and end dates of employment (must be 12–15 weeks in either the fall or spring semesters)
- Work experiences should not start before the first day or end after the last day of the Penn State semester in which you plan to work
- Number of hours of work you will work per week
- A detailed description of the specific tasks you will be doing on the job; the description must provide enough specifics to show clearly that the job will provide experience directly related to your field of study
Please highlight or circle all these items within your offer letter to make the review and approval quicker and easier.
Step 2: Complete the Employment Survey
Complete the Employment Survey to notify our office of your upcoming internship and to give us important information about your employer and the course you plan to take (ENGR 595 or another graduate-level course). NOTE: If you are being funded by an assistantship, you must take ENGR 595; otherwise you may take a departmental research course (e.g., 601 level). The Survey will also require you to upload your offer letter, job description, and a statement from your academic adviser to confirm the number of credits you have remaining in your degree program as of the end of the current semester. This statement can be sent to you by email to upload; please do not submit a degree audit instead.
Once you have completed the Employment Survey, we will review your documents to ensure that they meet ISSA requirements for CPT. If you have requested ENGR 595, we will enroll you in the course and notify you when you have been enrolled. If you plan to enroll in departmental credit, you should do so independently or seek departmental assistance in doing so.
Step 3: Complete the Curricular Practical Training eForm in iStart
Complete the CPT eForm in iStart, which is a requirement of the U.S. government. As part of this process, your departmental or thesis adviser will need to complete an academic recommendation form that is required for CPT. Guidelines for advisers can be found here.
After your recommendation has been completed and submitted, you will receive an automated confirmation email message. Forward this confirmation email to our office so we can update your Employment Survey.
Step 4: Pay for the Course
Once you see the course on your schedule for the appropriate semester, submit payment for the course.
Step 5: Wait for ISSA Approval
You should expect ISSA's review and approval of your CPT to take place within 12–15 business days of receipt of the academic recommendation. Note that delays may occur during peak times, especially at the end of the spring semester.
If your CPT request is approved, an ISSA adviser will contact you directly when your new I-20 is ready.
If your CPT request is not approved, please notify us as soon as possible so we can cancel your registration in the internship course and help you avoid a financial penalty.
Summer-Only Work Experiences
Step 1: Obtain an Offer Letter
Obtain an offer letter from your prospective employer (on letterhead) that meets ISSA requirements for CPT, including all the following:
- Job title (e.g., Electrical Engineering Intern)
- Name of the company or organization and physical address, including street/number, city, state, and ZIP code
- If you are working on-site, this address should be the specific physical location where you will be working (if the employer has multiple sites)
- If you are working remotely or in a hybrid arrangement, the address where you will be physically working must also be included (home, apartment, friend's apartment, etc.)—you must provide this information to the employer to be included in the letter
- Exact start and end dates of employment (must be 10–12 weeks)
- Work experiences should not start before the first day or end after the last day of the Penn State semester in which you plan to work
- Number of hours of work you will work per week
- A detailed description of the specific tasks you will be doing on the job; the description must provide enough specifics to show clearly that the job will provide experience directly related to your field of study
Please highlight or circle all these items within your offer letter to make the review and approval quicker and easier.
Step 2: Complete the Employment Survey
Complete the Employment Survey to notify our office of your upcoming internship and to give us important information about your employer and the course you plan to take (ENGR 595 or another graduate-level course). NOTE: If you are being funded by an assistantship, you must take ENGR 595; otherwise you may take a departmental research course (e.g., 601 level). The Survey will also require you to upload your offer letter, job description, and a statement from your academic adviser to confirm the number of credits you have remaining in your degree program as of the end of the current semester. This statement can be sent to you by email to upload; please do not submit a degree audit instead.
Once you have completed the Employment Survey, we will review your documents to ensure that they meet ISSA requirements for CPT. If you have requested ENGR 595, we will enroll you in the course and notify you when you have been enrolled. If you plan to enroll in departmental credit, you should do so independently or seek departmental assistance in doing so.
Step 3: Complete the Curricular Practical Training eForm in iStart
Complete the CPT eForm in iStart, which is a requirement of the U.S. government. As part of this process, your departmental or thesis adviser will need to complete an academic recommendation form that is required for CPT. Guidelines for advisers can be found here.
After your recommendation has been completed and submitted, you will receive an automated confirmation email message. Forward this confirmation email to our office so we can update your Employment Survey.
Step 4: Pay for the Course
Once you see the course on your schedule for the appropriate semester, submit payment for the course.
Step 5: Wait for ISSA Approval
You should expect ISSA's review and approval of your CPT to take place within 12–15 days of receipt of the academic recommendation. Note that delays may occur during peak times, especially at the end of the spring semester.
If your CPT request is approved, an ISSA adviser will contact you directly when your new I-20 is ready.
If your CPT request is not approved, please notify us as soon as possible so we can cancel your registration in the internship course and help you avoid a financial penalty.
Sample Offer Letter/Job Description
See an example of an offer letter (including job description) that meets ISSA requirements for CPT. Feel free to share this sample with your employer if you are having difficulty obtaining offer materials that meet the requirements.
