Curricular Practical Training (CPT)

• 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: You cannot take an internship course as your only course in your final semester, including the summer term. During the academic year (fall/spring semesters), you must take a full course load, including the internship course.

CPT employment start and end dates typically must fall within the academic term as defined in the Bentley academic calendar. You may be permitted to  begin your internship 1-2 weeks prior to 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. 

Fall 2024 CPT Dates:  09/03/2024-12/18/2024*

Spring 2025 CPT Dates: 1/21/2025 -5/16/2025

*Deadline for adding an internship for Fall 2024 (undergraduate and graduate students): Monday, September 23, 2024

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.

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