CPT Resources

Yes, but you will have to complete two separate CPT applications. During spring and fall semesters, you are still limited to part-time CPT (a total of 20 hours or less per week).  During the summer term, you can work full-time (21 hours or more per week).

Yes, it’s possible to be approved for CPT while also working on campus.  In the fall and spring terms, a student may work up to 20 hours per week on campus and up to 20 hours per week on CPT.

Immigration regulations state that F-1 students are eligible for CPT after completing one academic year of study in the U.S. The only exception allowing students to participate sooner is for graduate programs that mandate immediate participation in an activity requiring CPT authorization.

Inquiries about “Day-1 CPT” are usually received from students searching for a way to extend their full-time employment authorization as they approach the end of their OPT.  This cannot normally be achieved because WSU policy limits CPT to 20 hours per week while classes are in session and because the student must engage in a full course of study while approved for CPT.  A good general principle of CPT is to approach it primarily from the curriculum perspective and secondarily from the employment perspective.  The school curriculum and not the desire for employment should be the primary focus during CPT.

USCIS has general CPT rules, but every school has different CPT policies. At WSU, CPT during fall and spring semesters is generally limited to 20 hours per week.

Yes, USCIS has said that even unpaid internships require CPT authorization.

Part-time CPT and fewer than 12 months of full-time CPT should not affect OPT eligibility.  Only if a student participates in a full year (365 days) of full-time CPT would OPT eligibility be affected.

Immigration regulations require CPT to be related to your major field of study. CPT cannot be authorized for a position related to your minor.

CPT approval from start to finish will depend on how long it takes you to get the required signatures on the CPT form, enroll in appropriate CPT course, and OIE processing times.

At WSU, full-time CPT is typically only authorized during summer terms and over the winter break, though some exceptions may exist for academic reasons.  Guaranteeing a certain amount of full-time CPT may be the policy at some schools, but not at WSU.

The number of hours you are allowed to work is not based on your course load. At WSU, CPT during fall and spring semesters is generally limited to 20 hours per week.

While students cannot begin participating in CPT until they meet the one academic year eligibility requirement, they can start the process of obtaining a CPT application in advance.