2+2 program, 5+ years program, can I apply for CPT in between?

There are a few international students who are admitted into the 2+2 programs and 5+ years of the combined (bachelor’s + master’s) programs. Some of the 2+2 programs include receiving two master’s level degrees upon graduation. 5+ years of programs include getting a master’s degree in 1 year instead of 2 years by taking some classes during the bachelor’s degree.

Whether it is a 2+2 program or a 5+ years program, international students in these programs may encounter a tricky situation if they would like to engage in work experience after completing the first program/degree. For example, if your desired internship start date is after the program end date on your first I-20, students cannot apply for CPT because CPT is for current international students who haven’t completed the program. Graduating students or students who have graduated should apply for the post-completion OPT.

To have a better understanding of these scenarios, go to the “Case Study Scenario” below. To learn more about CPT and OPT, go to the CPT/OPT page that includes the following related blog posts.

Related blog post 1: CPT allows internship for international students in USA
Related blog post 2: Must-know 4 eligibility for student visa OPT

Therefore, what if international students who are in the 2+2 program or 5+ years combined program completed the first part of the program and would like to engage in the internships? This blog post will have a look at relevant regulations to see how these students can engage in internships during the breaks (summer or winter) through CPT.

Disclaimer: SEVIS SAVVY delivers information based on the visa/immigration regulations and this is no legal advice by any means. Since institutional policies may vary, getting confirmation from your international student advisor will be helpful to ensure that you comply with institutional policies and processes.

Contents

• Case Study Scenario
• Regulation based answers

Case Study Scenario

Q 1: I have been admitted into the 5 years long Bachelors in Business Administration+ MBA program. I have completed 4 years by the program end date in my first I-20 that states my bachelor’s degree information. Before my MBA program starts, I would like to gain work experience using CPT but the program end date in my first I-20 has ended. What should I do?

Q 2: I have been admitted to the 2+2 graduate program and I have completed my first Master’s degree. Now before I start my second Master’s degree, I would like to get some practical experience in my field by working as an intern. However, I encountered a problem: I was initially told to apply for CPT but I found out later that I cannot apply for CPT as my first degree is finished.

I have an option to apply for OPT but then I will not be able to apply for OPT again after I receive my second degree because 2 programs are in the same education level. I would rather apply for OPT once I am done with the second degree. What should I do? I have secured the internship.

Regulations based answers

5+ years of combined programs

Let’s look at the first question first although the answer is similar for both questions from the immigration/SEVIS standpoint: Change the initial start date of the second part of the program.

I will give you the back story of how SEVIS works to help you better understand why the initial start date needs to be changed: the SEVIS system doesn’t recognize bachelor’s + master’s combined programs. Therefore, students will have two SEVIS records under the same SEVIS ID- one for bachelor’s, the other one for master’s. The program end date of the first record (Form I-20) will reflect the date that the student completes the first part of the program.

When the second part of the program starts, the second SEVIS record (second I-20) will be changed from “Initial” to “Active.” Usually, international students whose status is “Active” can apply for CPT when they were enrolled for a full academic year (when they were in “active” status for a full academic year). However, the CPT regulation for graduate students is more flexible:

…Exceptions to the one academic year requirement are provided for students enrolled in graduate studies that require immediate participation in curricular practical training. A request for authorization for curricular practical training must be made to the DSO. A student may begin curricular practical training only after receiving his or her Form I-20 with the DSO endorsement.

8 CFR 214.2(f)(10)(i)

Therefore, if the graduate program requires you to engage in internships, you can get CPT authorized even if you haven’t met the “full academic year” regulation for your second part of the program.

One thing to note is if your desired internship start date is before the program start date, the program start date needs to be changed to the internship start date. Otherwise, your DSO would not be able to authorize CPT for you.

2+2 programs

Similar to the first scenario, international students who are in the 2+2 programs won’t be able to apply for CPT after they complete the first degree. Instead, they will be able to apply for the post-completion OPT.

That being said, it’s highly likely that these students are not interested in applying for OPT mostly because they would like to work for only a couple of months while the school is on break before the new semester starts in several months.

What is more, if the 2+2 programs offer the same educational level degree (2 bachelor’s degrees or 2 master’s degrees), students can only apply for OPT once. In other words, if the student uses OPT upon completing the first degree, that student won’t be able to re-apply for OPT upon obtaining the second degree due to the immigration regulation 8 CFR 214.2(f)(10). As you can see below international students can apply for another OPT only when they completed a higher educational level:

…A student may be authorized 12 months of practical training, and becomes eligible for another 12 months of practical training when he or she changes to a higher educational level. …

8 CFR 214.2(f)(10)

Similar to the first case, if the student is in the 2+2 master’s program, her/his new SEVIS record’s program start date can be updated to reflect the internship start date and get CPT authorized. Students may need to explain that the program requires immediate participation in internships to be compliant with the immigration regulation 8 CFR 214.2(f)(10)(i).

This blog post was inspired by a real case where the students who are in the 2+2 program were originally told that they can apply for CPT and then later told that they cannot. They were given options to 1. leave the country 2. apply for OPT which will prohibit them from applying for OPT upon receiving the second degree 3. work on campus.

If only they knew possible options for them to engage in internships, they would not have to go through all the negative emotions. Don’t be ignorant, be savvy. Your study abroad experience, your education, your right to know!

All other F-1 regulations that international students should be aware of can be found on the F-1 visa page.