Does part-time CPT use up my OPT?

No. Only 12 months or more of full-time CPT removes OPT eligibility at that educational level. Part-time CPT does not.

Can I start CPT before my new I-20 is issued?

No. CPT is authorized for a named employer and specific dates on your I-20. Work outside that window is unauthorized employment.

Official8 CFR 214.2(f)(10)(i) · Last verified 17 Aug 2026

Curricular Practical Training: what it is and how it affects OPT

CPT is work authorization tied to your curriculum, authorized by your school rather than by USCIS. Twelve months or more of full-time CPT removes your OPT eligibility at that degree level.

What qualifies

Curricular Practical Training must be an integral part of an established curriculum. The regulation defines it as alternate work/study, an internship, a cooperative education programme, or any other type of required internship or practicum offered by sponsoring employers through cooperative agreements with the school. Your designated school official authorizes it in SEVIS and issues an updated Form I-20 showing the employer and the exact dates before you start. Note the regulation's own word: required. Carrying academic credit is not by itself what makes work qualify, and the guidance SEVP issued to schools in August 2026 turns on that distinction — there is a separate guide here on what that guidance asks your school to be able to show.

Source: 8 CFR 214.2(f)(10)(i) · in effect from 2003-01-01

The 12-month rule

If you use 12 months or more of full-time CPT, you are no longer eligible for optional practical training at that educational level. Part-time CPT does not have this effect. This is the single most consequential CPT rule, because the trade is made months before the cost of it appears.

Source: 8 CFR 214.2(f)(10)(i) · in effect from 2003-01-01

Authorization is per employer and per period

CPT is authorized for a specific employer and a specific set of dates. Working before the start date, after the end date, or for a different employer is unauthorized employment even if the work itself is identical.

Source: 8 CFR 214.2(f)(10)(i) · in effect from 2003-01-01

Official

Frequently asked questions

Does part-time CPT use up my OPT?: No. Only 12 months or more of full-time CPT removes OPT eligibility at that educational level. Part-time CPT does not.
Can I start CPT before my new I-20 is issued?: No. CPT is authorized for a named employer and specific dates on your I-20. Work outside that window is unauthorized employment.