Curricular Practical Training

The U.S. Code of Federal Regulations defines CPT as “an integral part of an established curriculum” and as “alternate work/study, internship, cooperative education, or any other type of required internship or practicum which is offered by sponsoring employers through cooperative agreements with the school.”

In order for any CPT request to be considered, the alternate work/study, internship, or cooperative education must be required by the curriculum, or the student must receive credit for the training. Since CPT is curricular in nature, CPT can be a required experience towards the degree/program or can be an elective or required course where the applied learning aspect of the experience or the off-campus training must be required of the course.

F-1 students may be authorized for Curricular Practical Training (CPT) to engage in a temporary practical training experience directly related to their major field of study when it is considered to be an integral part of an established curriculum.

Eligibility

Must have been lawfully enrolled for a minimum of one full academic year in continuous F-1 status.
- This means no break in enrollment or F-1 status in the year prior to the internship dates.
- Students who have taken a leave of absence can contact ISSS to verify their eligibility.
Must be in F-1 status at the time of submitting the CPT application, and intending to enroll at Middlebury for at least one academic term of study after the internship or fieldwork course session.
The internship must relate directly to the student’s academic major or program.
Must be enrolled in a course or program which requires the off-campus training experience.
Must have a training offer that qualifies for CPT prior to applying for the CPT authorization.
CPT start and end dates must be within the dates of the academic course or experience to which it relates.
CPT may be approved for part-time (20 hours or less) or full-time (over 20 hours). Note: If you use 12 months or more of full-time CPT, you become ineligible for Optional Practical Training (OPT) at the same educational level. See specific hour requirements for the CPT approval periods.

Important Considerations

If the student and the experience qualify for CPT and all required CPT application materials are received, ISSS will update the student’s SEVIS record with an endorsement for CPT and will produce an updated Form I-20, showing the dates of authorization and details about the internship sponsor. All requests for CPT must be received and approved before the start of your practical training, to include any orientation and training.
Students may only begin the off-campus training on or after the CPT start date on their updated I-20. This includes any training or orientation that may be required prior to starting the experience.
CPT authorization is employer/program specific and for the designated period of time only. Any activity, orientation, or training that you engage in outside of your dates of approved CPT will be considered unauthorized employment and may lead to a termination of the SEVIS record and the student’s F-1 status.
NOTE: The employment/internship/practicum must be with a bona fide employer. CPT cannot be issued for freelance or self-employment opportunities. (These are sometimes presented as 1099 Employments for tax purposes.).

For Middlebury College Students

See Student Employment Information webpage for opportunities.

For Middlebury Institute Students

Institute students need to review the “CPT Presentation (for Institute Students)” on the Forms and Resources page in the Student Employment Authorization section. This presentation has specific details about CPT regulations and policies at the Institute.

If your degree program requires an internship, culminating experience, or practicum in order to complete the degree, then you are eligible to apply for CPT during your program of study. CPT can only be issued at the time you are enrolled in the associated course. CPT will not be approved if the course has already been completed or if you will enroll in the course in a future term of study.

ISSS encourages you to begin the CPT Application process as soon as possible, submitting all documentation in a timely manner prior to your requested CPT start date. From the time a completed application is submitted, it can take 7 to 10 work days before approval (or denial) is issued. Please review the Apply for CPT for Middlebury Institute of International Studies section to ensure you have all needed documentation before starting your CPT application.

Updated on 09/30/2026