» Curricular Practical Training (CPT)

To obtain CPT, a student must:

• Have valid F-1 status at the time of requesting CPT.
• Have been in valid F-1 status for a full academic year (fall and spring) nine months at Chapman University, unless stated otherwise by student's academic program requirements.
  • Exceptions to 1 Academic Year Requirement (Rare): Graduate students who have an internship as a degree requirement for all students, which must occur before completion of 1 academic year.
• Receive academic credit for the internship or practicum experience.
• Must be enrolled for a full course load or approved for a reduced course load before applying for CPT.
• Internship or practicum must be an integral part of the student's academic program.
• Be in good academic standing.
• Obtain CPT authorization BEFORE beginning internship/practicum; authorization cannot be retroactively backdated.

Degree Requirements CPT

CPT may be authorized when an internship/practicum is a requirement of a degree program (i.e., all students in the program must complete an internship to obtain the degree). Authorization can be for full-time or part-time training, depending on the academic department's requirement. Students should consult with their academic advisor or graduate advisor about specific internship courses available in their major.

Degree requirement CPT can only be used to fulfill the requirement and should occur during the program’s normal internship period. 

*Graduate Students: If a student's academic program requires them to start off-campus training before they have been in F-1 status for one academic year, International Student Services can authorize them to engage in off-campus training.  Students whose academic programs do not require an internship or practicum within the first year will need to wait at least one academic year before they are eligible for CPT authorization.

Authorization for degree requirement CPT requires that students contact ISS to gather application material. Email iss@chapman.edu for assistance.

Fowler School of Law Students

Students in the Fowler School of Law apply to the Externship Program which allows you to gain work experience in the field.

Internship Course Credit CPT

CPT may be authorized for students who enroll in an internship course through the Career and Professional Development office at Chapman University.

1. Find an internship related to your field of study. Must have an internship offer before applying for a course.
2. Register and apply for an internship course and CPT authorization through the Career and Professional Development office.
   1. Enrollment in the internship course must be concurrent with the CPT training and during semester dates. Internships may take place in the fall, interterm spring, or summer terms.
   2. CPT Start Date and End Date: CPT training can begin as early as the first day of the semester and must end no later than the last day of the semester. It is your responsibility to inform the internship host organization that your training dates must fall within the academic term dates.
   3. Internship start date must be only for the term applying for the internship course. CPT start date cannot be the same date you submit your internship application if the term has started.
   4. Your application can take up to 7 business days to process and you cannot begin an internship without authorization on your form I-20.  
   5. The student's academic advisor determines the appropriate number of internship units.
3. Once internship enrollment is approved, ISS will authorize participation in CPT and generate a new CPT Form I-20 with internship details.
   
   1. Students who are offered a paid internship and need a Social Security Number (SSN) will receive a letter of support from ISS to apply at the SSN Administration Office. Review SSN webpage.
4. New CPT Form I-20 is emailed to you for approval.

Authorization will be granted on a semester-only basis. A student who wants to continue with an internship must re-apply for an internship course and receive a new CPT authorization.

While working on CPT, it is important for students to keep the following in mind:

• CPT is employer-specific: students can only intern for the employer listed on their CPT Form I-20.
• Students can only train for their authorized employer for the duration of time listed on their CPT Form I-20.
• Students must report any changes in training to the Office of International Student Services.

CPT can be authorized for:

• Part-time (20 hours per week or less).
• Part-time CPT authorization or less than one year of full-time CPT authorization will not impact a student's eligibility for OPT.
• Full-time (21 hours per week or more).
• One year of full-time CPT eliminates your eligibility for Optional Practical Training (OPT).

Students who accumulate one year (365 days/12 months) or more of full-time CPT authorization are ineligible for Optional Practical Training (OPT) upon graduation. 

Options

• Internships (paid or unpaid)
• Practicums (paid or unpaid)

Even if students are not paid for their time and work, they will still need approval for CPT for any off-campus engagement. Working for an organization without receiving pay can be considered an unpaid internship, which still requires the student to secure work authorization before engaging in the opportunity.

• Keep a copy of the completed CPT Request Form
• Students must maintain full-time enrollment during their CPT authorization period.
• CPT is authorized for one term at a time.
• Keep a copy of all job-related materials as proof of employment and proper authorization.