The Trump administration has stepped up scrutiny of Curricular Practical Training (CPT) for international students, warning American colleges and universities that improper authorization of the programme could expose both institutions and individual officials to administrative or legal consequences.In a broadcast message issued on August 12 to designated school officials (DSOs), the US Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP) unit said it had observed a rise in CPT authorizations that do not meet regulatory requirements, particularly cases where the training is not an integral part of an established curriculum. The agency said it would increase its scrutiny of CPT approvals to ensure compliance with federal regulations.SEVP housed within the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) oversees schools and students participating in the international student programme system. It administers the Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS) and oversees practical-training programmes such as CPT and OPT.
What is CPT?
Curricular Practical Training (CPT) is a form of practical work experience available to eligible F-1 international students when the training is an integral part of their established academic curriculum and is directly related to their major.It can include arrangements such as internships or other forms of practical training that are part of the student’s academic programme – it must have a genuine curricular connection.The latest SEVP warning is specifically aimed at preventing CPT from being used simply as a route to employment. The agency says CPT cannot be authorized solely to provide a student with a job or work experience that is not required or otherwise formally recognized as part of the academic programme.
CPT v/s OPT: What’s the difference?
CPT and Optional Practical Training (OPT) are both forms of practical training available to F-1 students, but they serve different purposes, CPT is curriculum-linked. The work must be an integral part of the student’s established academic programme and directly related to the major. CPT is generally used while the student is pursuing the degree.OPT is a broader employment authorization related to the student’s field of study. It can be undertaken before completion of the degree (pre-completion OPT) or most commonly, after completion of the programme (post-completion OPT). USCIS describes OPT as employment in a position directly related to the student’s major area of study.There is also an important procedural difference. CPT is authorized by the student’s DSO through the student’s SEVIS record/Form I-20, whereas OPT requires an application to USCIS and employment authorization.
Emphasis on responsibilities of DSOs
The broadcast message puts considerable responsibility on DSOs. When a DSO signs or re-signs the student’s Form I-20 to authorize CPT, the official is certifying under penalty of perjury that the information is true and correct, including that the CPT is required or otherwise integral to the student’s curriculum.SEVP said it can ask schools for documentation and other evidence to determine whether CPT is genuinely a core and essential component of a student’s studies — including whether the student would be unable to complete the degree without the training.While the agency acknowledges that universities, rather than the US government, determine their own academic requirements, it said it would investigate schools that attempt to undermine or bypass federal regulations or oversight.The notification also reminds schools that F-1 students attest under penalty of perjury that they are in the US “solely for the purpose of pursuing a full program of study.” If SEVP suspects that a school is using CPT to create work opportunities rather than facilitate academic study, the institution could face additional scrutiny and action from SEVP and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), including potential withdrawal of its SEVP certification.SEVP has directed DSOs to carefully review CPT requests and their institutions’ academic requirements across fields of study. It says CPT should be authorized only when it is truly integral to the programme — specifically, when its absence would make attainment of the degree impossible and the associated work is required for all students pursuing that degree.Educational institutions have also been told to maintain thorough records supporting the curricular necessity of each CPT authorization and to consult their SEVP field representatives when they have questions about individual cases.Improper CPT authorization could have consequences not only for the institution but also for the individual DSO. SEVP warned of possible administrative or legal consequences, including withdrawal of SEVP certification and potential penalties for providing false information or misrepresenting the nature of the training.According to an international education counsellor, the message for international students is clear. “CPT is not simply another avenue for obtaining employment while studying in the US. Its authorization must be tied to the student’s academic curriculum and supported by the institution’s records.”
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