麻豆传媒映画

• Currently in active F-1 SEVIS status and pursuing a degree at 麻豆传媒映画. 

• Have completed one uninterrupted academic year (Fall & Spring) in a full-time status.

• • - If you have completed a full academic year of uninterrupted, full-time study at another SEVIS-approved university or college, it will count toward the one academic year requirement for CPT eligibility at 麻豆传媒映画. A transcript will be required to validate this. 

• • Change of Status - If you completed one full academic year in a full-time status in any other non-immigrant visa status while studying at 麻豆传媒映画, it will count towards your CPT eligibility.

• • Study Abroad - The time spent studying abroad in one of the approved 麻豆传媒映画 study abroad programs as a full-time student can count towards the one full academic year eligibility.

• • Graduate Students - The one academic year in full-time status requirement applies to all degree levels. However, if your program requires immediate internship participation, this requirement is waived. The internship requirement must be published in the 麻豆传媒映画 catalog and/or on the program's webpage. No exceptions.

• The internship must constitute an integral part of the academic program.

• The internship must be directly related to the student鈥檚 major field of study.

• • All international students are required to enroll in a course that either mandates or offers the option to participate in practical training as part of the curriculum. 

• • • • Exception: Students do not need to enroll in an internship class if the program requires them to complete a specific number of internship hours as a graduation requirement. This requirement must be published in the 麻豆传媒映画 catalog or the 麻豆传媒映画 program website.

Limitations

• Students who have completed all substantive coursework are not eligible to enroll in a CPT-only course during their final semester, unless they are also enrolled in a Thesis, Project, Dissertation, or Comprehensive Exam course.

• Students are not eligible for CPT if they are only enrolled in a non-required thesis extension course and have completed all other program requirements. To qualify for CPT in this case, students must also be enrolled in a CPT-related course in addition to the thesis extension.

• Students awaiting results from their Comprehensive Exams are not eligible for CPT. To explore options for maintaining your F-1 status during this period, please meet with an advisor at the International Student Center (ISC).

Students will be approved for one semester at a time. CPT requests should not exceed the length of the class and/or one specific semester.

* Substantive Classes = classes required for the completion of the program.

Back to Top

With rare exceptions, all international students are required to enroll in a CPT class for off-campus internship/employment for one of the following reasons:

• The internship is required for the major via enrollment in a specific class.
  • Some programs require enrollment in a major class where an internship is a requirement to satisfy the requisites of the major. These classes should be listed as major requirements in the 麻豆传媒映画 program catalog or degree evaluation. A good example is , which is listed as an upper-division major requirement. For guidance, meet with your major advisor.

• The internship is not required and will be taken for unit credit via enrollment in a specific class.
  • Some programs offer internships as an option for students, and they typically list these courses under electives in the program catalog. These courses may be either lower- or upper-division. The internship requirement must be explicitly described as an option to receive unit credit for the course.

• • If your program does not offer an internship course, undergraduate students are eligible to enroll in for their internship. This is a general studies class that will not fulfill any major requirements, but students will earn units toward their degree. Please, check the requirements of this class on .

• The internship will be taken as part of enrollment in a thesis, dissertation, or research class.
  • These are very specific courses that are generally taken in the last semester of the program, mostly by graduate-level students. In this case, the internship is necessary as an integral part of the student鈥檚 thesis, research, project, or dissertation.

Back to Top

For immigration purposes, part-time and full-time employment hours are defined as:

• Part-time: Up to 20 hours per week
• Full-time: Over 20 hours per week

 

Undergraduate Students

• During official academic sessions, students may be authorized to engage in part-time CPT employment for up to 20 hours per week.
  • Students are permitted to work both on campus and through CPT simultaneously, provided that each type of employment does not exceed 20 hours per week. 

• Winter, Spring, Summer official breaks: students are allowed to engage in more than 20 hours per week of off-campus CPT employment/internship.
  • Students may work both on campus and through CPT at the same time. There is no maximum number of hours for CPT. However, on-campus employment is capped at 40 hours per week.

Graduate Students

• During official academic sessions, Students may be authorized to work for a maximum of 20 hours per week unless the department approves full-time CPT during academic sessions.. Full-time CPT must be authorized by the department.

• Winter, Spring, Summer official breaks: students are allowed to engage in more than 20 hours per week of off-campus CPT employment/internship.
  • Students may work both on campus and through CPT at the same time. There is no maximum number of hours for CPT. However, on-campus employment is capped at 40 hours per week.

CPT & On-campus Employment

Per CSU policy, the number of work hours allowed during the academic sessions is capped at 20 hours per week. During the official breaks, the work hours are capped at 40 hours per week. 

Students may combine CPT employment with on-campus employment during the same semester, provided each does not exceed 20 hours per week during academic sessions. During official academic breaks, students may work on-campus for up to 40 hours per week, in addition to CPT, which has no weekly hour limit.

Back to Top

CPT can only be authorized for one semester at a time. Submission of the appropriate documentation is required every semester for all international students and education levels. CPT should be requested and, authorized for the following terms and dates below:

Fall

• If F25 is NOT your final semester: 08/25/2025 - 01/19/2026
• If F25 IS your final semester: 08/25/2025 - 12/31/2025

Summer

• If SU25 is NOT your final semester: 05/23/2025 - 08/24/2025
• If SU25 IS your final semester: 05/23/2025 - 08/14/2025

Spring

• If SP25 is NOT your final semester: 01/21/2025 - 05/26/2025
• If SP25 IS your final semester: 01/21/2025 - 05/22/2025

 

Students will be approved for one semester at a time. CPT requests should not exceed the length of the class and/or one specific semester.

Back to Top

Students must be authorized to work off-campus, whether the internship is paid or unpaid. 

Volunteer work does not require CPT authorization. It is common for students to confuse unpaid internships with volunteering and, therefore, conclude that work authorization is NOT necessary. However, there is a difference between volunteering and engaging in an unpaid internship.

Unpaid internships

Internships are designed to provide practical work experience to students in their major field of study. If the position is unpaid, students should ensure that the position was created with the intent of supporting student growth and development, and it should never replace the services of an existing paid employee. (.

The Wage and Hour Division of the U.S. Department of Labor uses the "primary beneficiary test" created by the courts to determine the primary beneficiary of the intern-employer relationship. Refer to Act to see if your unpaid internship aligns with the seven-factor test.

 

Volunteer Work

According to the , a is an 鈥渋ndividual who performs services for civic, charitable, or humanitarian reasons, without promise, expectation or receipt of compensation for services rendered.鈥� In addition, a volunteer cannot displace a genuine employee or take the place of someone whom the employer might otherwise have hired.

Volunteer work is typically offered by non-profit organizations, and they would not provide training in a major field of study.

Examples of volunteering are:

• Volunteer at the , distributing food
• Volunteer at
• Help with coordination
• Support the

Back to Top

1 . Find an off-campus internship

Looking and applying for jobs can be quite stressful and time-consuming. To ensure you have what you need, connect with for the following:

• Create a resume that fits the American job market
• Learn about cover letters and interview etiquette
• Practice with mock interviews
• Participate in career fairs
• Get tips on best practices and places to apply based on your major
   

Check Handshake, LinkedIn, Indeed, and other employment listing websites. Target specific companies and check their website job listings.

 

2. Get an Offer Letter

 The job offer letter should contain the following:

• Company鈥檚 Letterhead
• Company name
• The company鈥檚 complete address
• Your name
• Your job title
• Brief description of the duties
• Anticipated start and end dates of employment
• Number of hours per week
• If the position is paid or unpaid
• Employer鈥檚 signature and date

 

3. Enroll in a CPT class

• Check with your and/or program鈥檚 for class information.

• If the add & drop date has passed, discuss with the professor your ability to petition for a Late Schedule Adjustment and join the class late.

• If your undergraduate program does not provide internship classes, you might be eligible to enroll in classes.

 

4. Complete the CPT Application form 

• Fill out the top part of the
• Email  the offer letter and CPT Application Form to your major advisor or graduate department for review.
  • If they recommend your job/internship, they will complete and sign the "Academic Department Recommendation" section of the form.

 

5. Complete the CPT Authorization Request Form

Complete the online and upload the following:

• Fully signed and completed CPT Application Form
• Job offer letter
  • If you have a defined number of internship requirement for graduation, and that's is not connect with a course, please copy and paste the link to the specific 麻豆传媒映画 catalog or 麻豆传媒映画 program webpage that outlines this requirement.

 

6. Receive the Approved CPT I-20

• It takes up to 7 business days for the CPT application to be reviewed and processed. 
• You cannot work until you receive your CPT I-20.
• You are allowed to work within the approved dates specified in your CPT I-20 only.

 

7. Apply for a Social Security Number (SSN)

If you don鈥檛 have an SSN, you will need to apply for one if you engage in a paid internship.

Review our SSN webpage to learn more.

Back to Top

CPT Extension

Students who need to extend their current employment authorization within the same semester must submit a new CPT Request Form for the additional days. The extension dates should not exceed the approved CPT days for each semester. Refer to the CPT Dates of Authorization above for more details.

 

Shorten the Current CPT authorization days

If the employment ends before the authorized dates in the CPT I-20, students should request an update to their current CPT authorization dates. Complete the .

 

Adding vacation/break days within your current CPT authorization

Students engaged in CPT full-time for over 364 days will lose their OPT eligibility. For this reason, you can request vacation days to be added within your current approved CPT days. Only vacation/break periods of more than 5 working days will be amended to your full-time CPT authorization. Complete the .

Back to Top

International students are targets of employment scams due to their lack of knowledge of the American job business culture and American immigration processes. Learn how to identify common threats and scams before starting your job search on our Scams Webpage.

Back to Top