Cornell International Services announced stricter criteria for F-1 Curricular Practical Training eligibility on Aug. 31 following two broadcast messages from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement clarifying program regulations on Aug. 12 and Aug. 24. Now, international students with F-1 visas may only be eligible for CPT if their intended internship or employment is directly required for their degree.
“Going forward, CPT will only be approved for internships and other employment that are: embedded in the curriculum, required of all students for degree completion, and supported by a formal agreement with the employer,” according to Cornell International Services’ advisory.
CPT is a temporary work authorization for international students with F-1 visas, allowing them to hold jobs required for the completion of their academic program while completing their degree — including internships, cooperative education and alternate work or study. A CPT is granted to a student by the designated school officials at the institution they are enrolled in.
ICE directed its broadcast messages to any academic institution that is certified by its Student and Exchange Visitor Program, which allows institutions to host international students with F-1 or M-1 visas.
F-1 visas allow international students to enter the U.S. to study at an SEVP-certified academic institution.
While studying abroad in the U.S., international students with F-1 visas are allowed to work on-campus jobs up to 20 hours a week. If they meet the requirements to obtain a CPT, they are also permitted to work off-campus jobs.
Cornell International Services stated in its advisory that the SEVP guidances “significantly narrow the past interpretation of CPT eligibility criteria.”
This means international students with the F-1 visa will be restricted to two options: applying for a CPT if they are certain their academic program requires it for the completion of their degree, or applying for an Optional Practical Training.
OPT is temporary employment that allows international students with F-1 visas to work in their degree field after their degree requirements are already met, either before or after graduation. Most students use post-completion OPT, which is used after graduation, according to the OPT site.
Eligible students may receive up to 12 months of OPT employment total. However, all durations of pre-completion OPT, which is used before graduation, will be deducted from the post-completion OPT.
With the narrowing of CPT eligibility criteria, more F-1 international students will need to apply for OPTs for alternate work and study opportunities. Thus, by using more of their pre-completion OPT, the available duration for post-completion OPT shrinks.
“We are working hard across Cornell and with national colleagues to understand the implications of the new interpretation,” wrote Cornell International Services in an email sent to the international student community at Cornell and obtained by The Sun. “We all need to get this right because we do not want to prejudice your status in the country or the university’s ability to host international students.”
In an Aug. 12 broadcast message issued to remind DSOs of the liability regarding CPT authorisation, the SEVP stated that it “observed a rise in CPT authorizations that do not meet regulatory requirements, specifically those not constituting an integral part of an established curriculum.”
The SEVP further reiterated its dedication to investigate institutions that “attempt to undermine or purposely bypass federal regulations or oversight,” in the Aug. 12 message, adding that improper CPT authorizations “may subject both the institution and the individual to administrative or legal consequences.”
This message also included a warning, stating that if an institution fails to comply with SEVP regulations it could risk being stripped of its certification to enroll foreign students.
The second SEVP broadcast message, sent on Aug. 24, specifies “how CPT operates as an integral and required part of an educational experience.”
These broadcast messages follow the Trump administration’s increased restrictions and regulations on immigration and international issues.
Maya Johansen is a member of the Class of 2029 in the College of Arts and Sciences. She is a contributor for the news department and can be reached at mhj49@cornell.edu.
