CPT Frequently Asked Questions

Curricular Practical Training (CPT) allows students in research and internship courses to gain paid work experience outside the classroom. The CPT employment and academic course must be an integral part of the student's academic major.  To be eligible for CPT, you must be enrolled for at least one academic year at A&M-Commerce (fall/spring) See below for more information.

• Authorization must be granted by an international student advisor PRIOR to starting employment. Students may not begin employment until they have been authorized by an international student advisor. Permission from your academic advisor/professor is not enough to begin employment.
• CPT employment is authorized on the last page of the I-20. You are only allowed to work at the company listed on this page, for the amount of hours listed on the I-20,  and for the dates listed on this page. Part-time employment is 20 hours or less a week and full-time employment is 21-40 hours a week.  
• Because CPT employment is directly connected to a specific course you must be enrolled in a face to face or web enhanced "E" course for the CPT.  CPT will not be authorized through an online "W" course. 
• Students on CPT must be enrolled in a full course of study unless they meet an allowed exception (for example...student is in final semester).
• You cannot hold both a CPT position and on-campus employment at the same time.
• CPT employment is only authorized for the dates of the course you are enrolled for the CPT. CPT cannot be extended into a non-registered semester.

Who is eligible for CPT? Students who are in good academic standing with A&M-Commerce, in legal status with USCIS, and who have been enrolled on a full-time basis for at least one full academic year (fall/spring) at A&M-Commerce.

Do I have to be enrolled in an academic course to be approved for CPT? Yes. The CPT employment and course must be an integral part of the student's academic major. The student must be enrolled in an academic course within their degree plan (required or recognized elective) for CPT. The CPT course must be a face to face or web enhanced "E" course. The CPT employment and the academic course must be an integral part of the student's academic major.  

Do I have to be enrolled in a full course of study while on CPT? During the fall and spring semesters you will be required to meet the full course of study requirement so this may limit the location of your CPT. The only exception is students who are in their last semester before graduation. For example...student is in their final semester for fall semester and they have only one course remaining to graduate.  Student intends to participate in CPT through this course.  This will be allowed as long as the course is a face to face or web enhanced "E" course.  During the summer semester you may only enroll in the CPT academic course only but it must be face to face or a web enhanced "E" course.  

Can I enroll in a course outside of my degree plan for CPT? No. The CPT course you enroll in must be an integral part of your academic major. Once you have secured the job offer you will need to discuss with your course instructor how your proposed employment is related to the academic course and your academic major.   

Are there any exceptions to the academic year requirement to be eligible for CPT?  The only exception allowed is for students whose academic program require immediate participation in an internship as part of the requirement for the academic program.  There are no academic programs at A&M-Commerce that require students to immediately participate in an internship as part of the academic program requirements.  

What is the difference between CPT and OPT? CPT employment may be used while you are in your academic program but cannot be used after you graduate. OPT employment is used after you graduate
and may last from 12-months up to 29-months (for certain STEM majors). CPT is approved by an international advisor at the ISSO and OPT must be approved by an international advisor at the ISSO and USCIS.

Will my CPT authorization have any impact on my OPT? CPT has NO impact on any future OPT authorization unless you use more than 12 months or more of FULL-TIME CPT. The international advisors at A&M-Commerce will do their best to monitor this but it is the student’s responsibility to ensure they do not exceed 12 months of full-time CPT.

Can I have on-campus employment and CPT employment at the same time? No. Students are not permitted to have both on-campus (student worker, assistantships) and off-campus employment (CPT).  The only exception are for doctoral students completing their dissertation requirements.  

Where do I begin with CPT? The recommended first step for students who wish to participate in CPT is to secure a job offer.  Many academic departments post job opportunities in their departmental office for students to review.  Once you have secured a job offer then you may meet with your course instructor to discuss how your prospective employment will relate to your academic course and academic major.  For more information please review the application process here.  

What if I quit my CPT employment or decide to change employers? CPT employment is specific to the dates and the employer you are allowed to work for. If there are any changes to your CPT employment (i.e. you quit, are terminated, go from full-time to part-time) you must notify the ISSO immediately. If you want to change employers during your CPT you must go through the application process again before you may start the new employment.

How do I apply for CPT? Click here for the application process. Once you have completed all steps and all documents have been signed with the appropriate signatures you will need to call the ISSO at 903-886-5097 at least one day in advance to schedule an appointment. Please do not call and expect an appointment on the same day. Students must attend their CPT appointment in person. No exceptions