Curricular Practical Training
Links to CPT forms: coming soon.
During your studies, you may be interested in working off-campus. For example, maybe you have an offer for a summer internship. Since the job takes place outside the UTEP campus, you will need a special work authorization called Curricular Practical Training, or CPT, before you can begin working. Participating in a CPT allows you to gain practical experience in your field and to build your résumé so that you will have more chances to find a job after you graduate.
CPT Eligibility
To be eligible for CPT, you must:
1) Have at least one academic year (2 consecutive semesters) of F-1/F-3 status
2) Have a declared major
3) Have a job offer for a position related to your major
4) Meet the requirements for the Cooperative Education program (Co-Op) — see below for more information
If you are enrolled in the ATCP (“Alternative Teacher Certification Program”), you do NOT need to have the one year of academic status to participate in CPT. This is because your program requires you to work.
If you are enrolled in the English Language Institute or are studying at the non-degree level, you are not eligible for CPT.
If you are a part-time border commuter student (student with a part-time I-20), you must renew your I-20 on time each semester to have the minimum one academic year of status to qualify for CPT.
Types of CPT
Part-time CPT: Up to 20 hours per week
Full-time CPT: 21 hours per week and up
Maintaining Your Status During CPT
If you participate in a part-time CPT, you still have to take the required full-time credit hours per semester for your program.
If you participate in a full-time CPT, and if the employment begins before Census Day for that semester, you have the option not to take any classes for one semester. The full-time CPT will allow you to maintain F-1/F-3 status for one semester. You may not skip more than one term of classes in this manner.
However, if you have a full-time CPT and do take classes, then a second semester of full-time CPT may be authorized, as long as you enroll for the equivalent of full time for one semester between the two. Example: an undergraduate student has FT CPT for Fall and takes 6 hours. That student may then take FT CPT again, provided he enrolls in at least another 6 hours for Spring.
Other CPT Information
You may participate in CPT multiple times during your studies at UTEP.
In some cases, you may have more than one CPT at one time.
However, when considering CPT, you should be comfortable with the number of hours you will be working. You need to be doing well in your classes so that you can make progress toward your degree, since that is the reason you are in the United States.
CPT is authorized by semester. This is because OIP needs to make sure you are still in status before you continue to work.
However, you may request one CPT authorization for the summer and fall terms together. This is because in most cases, you are not required to attend summer classes and cannot lose your F-1 status.
In your final semester of studies, you must be enrolled in at least one (1) required course other than a Co-Op class in order to be eligible for CPT.
Also, if you have CPT during your final semester at UTEP, your CPT must end by the last day of final exams for that term.
You are not permitted to begin CPT employment prior to your authorized start date or work beyond the employment end date specified on your I-20.
CPT for Graduate Students
The CPT policy for graduate students is different than that for undergraduate students. As a graduate student, you must obtain approval from your academic advisor, department chair, dean and the Graduate School before the OIP can consider the CPT request.
In addition, you are limited to two (2) long semesters of full-time CPT per degree excluding summer semesters. However, there is no semester limit to part-time CPT.
If you have an assistantship, you are not permitted to participate in a full-time CPT in addition to on-campus employment as a TA/RA/GA/IA. If you have questions about this, please contact the Graduate School.
If you have recevied an I-20 extension for your current program, you will not be authorized for further CPT without the support of your Academic Advisor, Department Chair, College Dean and the Graduate School.
CPT Workshops
If you are interested in CPT, click here for a list of CPT workshops. You will need to attend a workshop before you can submit your CPT application.
Co-Op
In order to participate in CPT, you must first meet the Co-Op (cooperative education) requirements of the UTEP University Career Center’s Experiential Learning Program. This means you will need report your job offer in the JobMine database. You also need to have a 2.0 minimum GPA (“Grade Point Average”) as an undergraduate or a 3.0 GPA as a graduate student, as well as being within the credit hour ranges for the Co-Op program. The University Career Center will tell you everything you need to do to be approved for Co-Op. They are located in Union West, Room #103.
Once you are approved, they will send us an approval notice by e-mail.
Once we have approved you for CPT, we will notify them & they will register you for the 0-credit Co-Op class. The Co-Op course is reflection of your participation in a major-related work experience. There are no classes to attend and registration in the course is free (with the exception of some small add / drop fees in some cases).
Extending / Renewing CPT
If you want to continue working for the same company after the semester is over, you need to request a CPT renewal. You should request your CPT renewal before your current CPT authorization ends to avoid a gap in employment. See CPT renewal form link at the top of this page.
If you obtain a new job with a different company, or if your current company wants to promote you to a different position, you need to reapply for CPT. See link to CPT forms at the top of this page.
Applying for CPT
1) Attend an OIP CPT workshop. No registration is required. You will receive the CPT application. If you are unable to attend a workshop, please send an e-mail to oip@utep.edu.
2) Create a JobMine account
3) Request a job offer letter from your prospective employer
4) Open your JobMine account and click on “Report a Hire for Co-Ops.” Select the term during which you will be working. Search for your employer in JobMine; if not there, add your employer.
5) Submit the job offer letter to the University Career Center, either by uploading it to your JobMine account in the “Report a Hire” section, by e-mail to coop@utep.edu, or in person. The UCC will contact you via e-mail after they have reviewed your job offer letter and verified your credit hours & GPA.
6) CPT Application: Ask your academic advisor to read your job offer letter and decide if it is related to your major. If it is, ask the advisor to fill out and sign at the bottom of page 1 of your CPT application. Graduate students: you must obtain multiple signatures as stated above.
7) Write a letter stating how your job is related to your major and how it will be helpful to you. Attach this to your CPT application.
8) Complete the Personal Information Sheet (attached to the CPT application) and make copies of your job offer letter, your I-20, your visa, passport and I-94. Attach the copies to the CPT application.
9) Complete the rest of the CPT application.
10) Undergraduates: Turn in the CPT application to OIP; Graduates: submit your completed CPT applciation to the Graduate School; they will forward to OIP.
11) Undergraduates: Submit your CPT appliation to OIP at least 1 week before you need to begin work;Graduates: Submit your CPT application to the Graduate School approx. 8 business days to two weeks before you need to begin work.
OIP will assign an advisor to review your application and decide if you qualify or not.
If your CPT is approved, you will receive a new I-20 with a work authorization on the third page. You will see the start date and end dates for your CPT.
You should only work during the CPT authorization dates (page 3 of your I-20). If you work before the approved date or after the approved date, you are working illegally.
Office of International Programs
203 Union East Bldg * (915) 747-5664 * oip@utep.edu * Hours: Monday-Tuesday 8-6 Wednesday-Friday 8-5