Curricular Practical Training (CPT) Certification Form Step-by-Step Checklist

You may be eligible for Curricular Practical Training (CPT) if you:

  • Are currently in valid F-1 student status;
  • Have been lawfully enrolled on a full-time basis for one academic year (i.e. two full consecutive fall/spring or spring/fall semesters) and have not had any gaps in required enrollment or status since your last date of enrollment.
    • Note: if you’ve had a gap in study or a status violation, the one academic year is recalculated from the date you have reestablished valid F-1 status, or resumed your full-time enrollment.
  • Have a job offer for a job directly related to your major field of study
    • The job offer must be an official job offer letter on the organization's letterhead, must be signed by the prospective employer and must include the following: company name; employer's official address; the physical address where you will be working; the exact start and exact end dates of employment; the number of hours per week; and a description of your job duties.
  • Are pursuing a major for which a degree may be awarded (undergraduate students who have not declared a major are not yet eligible for CPT)

Checklist

Assuming you can answer yes to all of the requirements above, follow the steps listed below to complete your CPT form when you have accepted an internship/co-op position:

  • Step 1: Learn about CPT - Review CPT information on ISS website: https://www.iss.purdue.edu/PracticalTraining/CPT.cfm
  • Step 2: Receive departmental approval for CPT from Academic Advisor
  • Step 3: Complete “CPT Statement of Understanding” and “Offer Letter Verification” e-forms - As your first step in the online application process, you will log in to myISS at https://connect.iss.purdue.edu and navigate to the “F-1 and J-1 Student Services” category. Find the “Curricular Practical Training (CPT)” e-form and click on it. 
  • Step 4: Register for CPT course (consult your ME academic advisor for appropriate course)
  • Step 5: Complete “Immigration Documents Upload” and “CPT Course and Academic Advisor Verification” e-forms - Once ISS has verified your job offer letter contains the required information, you will be granted access to the next step in your application. 
  • Step 6: Wait for processing -  ISS processing time will take approximately 5 business days from the date we receive all required e-forms and documents, and your academic advisor's recommendation. To be fair to all students, ISS processes requests in the order in which they are received and cannot accommodate expedite requests. Do not work in any capacity, paid or unpaid, until you receive authorization from ISS.
  • Step 7: Receive your I-20 from ISS - ISS will contact you via email after your I-20 has been created and is ready to be picked up.

Once all documents are submitted, the approval process may take up to 5 working days. Remember you cannot start your employment until the start date listed on your CPT Form.
  
CPT is employment authorization for an integral part of an established curriculum and must be directly related to a student's major area of study. It may be defined as: alternate work/study, internship, cooperative education (Co-Op) or other type of internship practicum (required or optional). Student’s must also register for a specific course in their department (contact your advisor for course details).

CPT can be full-time (>20 hours per week) or part-time (20 hours or less per week). Students registered for part-time CPT during a fall/spring semester must also be registered for a full course of study. Students engaged in part-time CPT during summer vacation do not need to be registered full-time for classes.