The majority of international students who come to the US to pursue either their undergraduate or graduate studies do so on what is known as an F-1 visa - it is more commonly known as a 'student visa'. While this visa allows a student to be enrolled in an educational institute, the student must be enrolled for a minimum of 12 credits if they are an undergrad or a minimum of 9 credits if they are a grad. 12 credits generally translate to 3 classes per semester, 4 credits per class being the norm.

lthough a student is able to work on campus while on an F-1 visa, it is illegal for a student to work off campus if they are being compensated for it in any way (volunteering work or unpaid internships are excluded from this rule). Students however can work off campus for the purpose of an internship, work experience after graduation, economic hardship etc. with authorization.

This article addresses the two main ways in which students are able to work off campus with compensation. The two authorizations are Curricular Practical Training (CPT) and Optional Practical Training (OPT). See below for a description of what each of these entail. Let's first see what CPT means and how it applies to you as a student.

Curricular Practical Training
In most cases, the end objective of going through college - writing papers and sitting exams for 4 years - is to secure a position in the real world as a professional. The problem in today's work environment though is that merely having a degree will not ensure that you have a job waiting for you once you graduate. This is the reason that many students, regardless of their resident status, look for and strive to place in an internship before graduation.

As international students we are faced with a difficult dilemma since certain criterion need to be meet in order to work at an off-campus paid internship. The United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) include these criteria in its very definition of CPT.

USCIS defines CPT as employment which is an integral part of an established curriculum, including: "alternate work/study, internship, cooperative education, or any other type of required internship or practism which is offered by sponsoring employers through cooperative agreements with the school." [8CFR 214.2 (f) (10) (i)].

Simply put, this means that if a student on an F-1 visa wants to work off campus in a paid positions, it must be directly related to a course for which they are currently registered. The course must also be approved by the student's academic department. However, the authorization for this is granted by the Office of International Students and Scholars of the University.

In addition to the government dictates, most schools also require that a student must have maintained a full course of study for at least two consecutive semesters, spoken with the relevant academic advisor and confirmed that the CPT is approved by his/her department, and should have gained the approval to do a CPT. It is important to remember that in order to engage in CPT the student must be registered for a relevant course, and also be registered full-time (taking at least the minimum required credits per semester unless extenuating circumstances dictate a lesser amount of credits to graduate) in the Fall and Spring semesters. A CPT approval is valid only for the duration of the related course, which in most cases is the duration of the semester.

If and when you decide that you would like the opportunity to gain some experience - provided that your academic programme permits it - speak to career counseling at your university and apply to as many positions as possible. The beauty of job searching in today's tech savvy world is that you are able to advertise yourself to a broad spectrum of employers by merely posting your resume on a job site such as www.careerbuilder.com, www.monster.com, etc. which also allows you to create a preferred job filter that will constantly update you on jobs available in your field. In addition, professional magazines and even the bulletin board in your department will have opportunities posted. Keep your eyes open!
The earlier you start looking for something the better. Although you may get turned down quite a bit for lack of know-how during your first couple of years, do not get discouraged. Once you have made initial contact, it is easier to approach them when you have progressed to your Junior year or beyond and have gained more subject knowledge and hands-on experience. If you have been offered a position that would qualify for a CPT in your field then you will need to, after speaking to your advisor, gather the following documents to hand over to your International Office so that they can process and approve your CPT.

1. An offer of employment on company letterhead stating:

• Your name
• The number of hours to be worked per week
• The office location where you will be working
• The start and end date of employment (as determined by the related course start and end dates)
• The salary/hourly wage/compensation being offered
• A general description of your duties/responsibilities

2. A letter from your academic department recommending CPT - This letter should state the course name and number in which you will be registered for, and how this course is directly related to the employment.

3. A copy of your registration. (CPT will not be authorized on your I-20 unless you have proof of registration.)

Students can opt to either participate in part time or full time CPT. If a student decides to do a part time CPT, this will allow the student to work a maximum of 20 hours at off campus employment. Full time CPT on the other hand gives the option for a student to work up to 40 hours at their place of employment. However, students should be mindful that engaging in full time CPT for 12 months will automatically make you ineligible for Optional Practical Training (OPT).

That's a lot to digest and gives merely the bare bones on Curricular Practical Training. The toughest part - besides obtaining the academic department OK - is finding a paid position in the working world. We will get into all the bits and pieces of Optical Practical Training in the companion piece coming up.

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