CISS

Curricular Practical Training (CPT)

Curricular Practical Training (CPT) is an employment authorization benefit that allows F-1 students to work off-campus in their major field of study. 

  • CPT must be an integral part of the established curriculum
  • It is designed to provide work experience directly related to the internship course in which the student is enrolled.  
  • It can be authorized part-time (20 hours a week or less) or full-time (more than 20 hours a week.)
  • It is employer and date specific

Participation in CPT does not affect your ability to apply for Optional Practical Training (OPT) unless you use 12 months of full-time CPT.  If you use 12 months of full-time CPT you will not be eligible to apply for OPT. 

CPT Information Sessions

The CISS hosts multiple CPT Information Sessions during the year for you to learn more about the CPT process. A CISS International Student and Scholar Advisor will present an overview of the process, and answer questions.

Spring 2025 

Register for these CPT Information Sessions in Campus Groups Center for International Students and Scholars (CISS)

  • Tuesday, February 4th-2:00pm-3:00pm-In Person, Smith 116
  • Wednesday, February 26th-2:00pm-3:00pm- In Person, Smith 116
  • Tuesday, March 18th--2:00pm-3:00pm-Virtual

If you cannot attend one of the sessions, you can watch a recording of the CPT Information Session here:

CPT Eligibility
  • To be eligible for Curricular Practical Training (CPT) a student must have completed at least one full academic year (fall/spring semesters) of full time study in a valid status immediately prior to the CPT experience. 
  • Time spent at other U.S. schools may count towards CPT eligibility. (E.g., If you were a full-time student for the past two academic terms immediately prior to enrolling at Bentley.) It is recommended that you check with CISS to confirm your eligibility.
  • CPT eligibility is dependent upon enrollment in the appropriate internship course. Certain degree programs may have restrictions on how early students can enroll in an internship course. (Check with your academic department/internship coordinator before searching for an internship.)
  • CPT cannot be authorized as the only course of a final term

Important: 

For students enrolled in internships with Curricular Practical Training (CPT) authorization, the internship course can be counted as an “in-person” course provided that the place of employment is within 100 miles of Bentley University (otherwise, the course will count as a distance education course and will satisfy the one course per semester limit for F-1 students). 

A CPT internship course taken during a student’s last semester must be taken with at least one other in-peron course. In other words, an internship/CPT opportunity at Bentley can never be the only course taken in a final semester.

 

CPT Dates

CPT employment start and end dates typically fall within the academic term set by the Bentley academic calendar. You may be permitted to begin your internship 1-2 weeks before the semester start date with permission from your Internship Coordinator/Faculty Advisor.  Students starting a new degree program at Bentley may not begin their CPT internship before the term start date. 

CPT employment cannot begin before the CPT authorization start date and must end on or before the CPT authorized end date. 

Spring 2025 CPT Dates: 01/21/2025 -05/16/2025*

Summer 2025 CPT Dates: 

  • Continuing Students (you will enroll in Fall 2025 classes): 05/19/2025-08/29/2025*
  • Final Semester Students (you are completing your degree in August 2025)
    • Graduate Students: 05/20/2025-08/04/2025
    • Undergraduate Students: 05/20/2025-08/18/2025

*Internship Course Registration Deadlines (undergraduate and graduate students):

Spring 2025: Monday, February 10, 2025

Summer 2025: Friday, May 20, 2025

How to Apply for CPT

To apply for CPT:

Step 1:  Contact your Internship Coordinator/Faculty Advisor to determine if you are eligible to enroll in an internship course and which internship course is most appropriate.

Note: The Internship Coordinator may be the Faculty member responsible for your course.  Contact your academic department to identify your Internship Coordinator.

Step 2:  Obtain an Employment Offer Letter from your employer which includes all of the following information:

  • Official Company Name (no acronyms or abbreviations)
  • Address of Employer-This should be the address where you will be reporting to work; the address must include city, state, and zip code
  • For remote/hybrid work: please list your employer’s office address. On your CPT application, you will also need to list the address from where you will be working if the internship is remote/hybrid
  • Exact start and end dates of Employment (These dates must be within the academic calendar semester start and end dates during which the internship will take place.  These dates must also be the same as the dates noted on your CPT application
  • Position, title, and description of responsibilities
  • Number of hours per week:  20 hours or less=part-time, 21 hours or more=full-time

Find a sample offer/employer letter here.  

Your letter of employment can come from a contracting/talent acquisition agency but must include all of the above information in addition to the official name of the agency.  The place of employment listed on your Form I-20 will be the contacting agency/company of employment.

Step 3:  Complete the F-1 Curricular Practical Training (CPT) Application with your Internship Coordinator/Faculty Advisor. (Remember that the application MUST be signed by both you and your Internship Coordinator/Faculty Advisor.

Step 4:  Register for your internship course in Workday.  Undergraduate students must be registered for an internship by the Registrar's office. Departmental documents approving an undergraduate student for an internship for credit must be submitted no later than the last day of the third week of classes in the fall or spring semester. A late addition of an internship for credit is not permitted. See the Academic Calendar for exact dates.

Step 5:  Complete the "Curricular Practical Training (CPT) Acknowledgement and Request Form" and upload the completed and signed  "F-1 CPT Application" and the official signed "Employment/Internship Offer Letter"

It will take the CISS 5-7 business days to process your CPT Request if it is complete.  You may not begin working until you receive your new Form I-20 with your CPT work authorization and you reach your CPT start date.

 

After Your CPT is Approved

When your CPT is approved, you will receive an email with your new CPT Form I-20.  

  • Print out your new Form I-20 
  • Review the information on the Form I-20 carefully to ensure that the dates and company name are correct
  • Sign and date the form at the bottom of page 1
  • Keep copies of all previous Form I-20s but use your most recent one for travel
  • If there is any change in your CPT employment you must contact your CISS Advisor immediately by emailing GA_CISS@Bentley.edu

Stopping employment after CPT has begun has implications for both the academic course and your SEVIS record. If you must stop CPT-related work before the end of your internship you must contact CISS and: 

  • Accept a failing grade 
  • Receive a “W” on your transcript. 
  • Accept an incomplete grade (if academically possible) 
  • Find a new internship/ experience that meets requirements to meet deliverables, hourly requirements, etc. of the internship course (in the case of termination or otherwise unforeseen circumstances that would require employer change)
  • Withdraw from the internship course. Do not drop the course until you have stopped reporting to work. You should keep documentation that shows:
    • The date the course was dropped 
    • The date the employment stopped
    • The reason for early end of employment