CPT vs. Pre-OPT; Which one better serves your needs?

Work authorization programs that include CPT (Curricular Practical Training) and OPT (Optional Practical Training) are a few benefits that F visa holder students can take advantage of while they study or upon graduation. To put it simply, CPT allows students to engage in internship opportunities while schooling. Among two types of OPT; Students who seek to work before they graduate can apply for Pre-completion OPT (Pre OPT) while graduating students are required to apply for Post-completion OPT (Post OPT).

Since both CPT and Pre OPT technically allow you to work off campus, students might wonder what are the differences and which one you are eligible for. In this blog post, differences between CPT and Pre OPT will be dicussed. If you are looking for internship positions during the break or while the school is in session, this post will be a great resource for you.

Related Blog Post 1: CPT allows internship for international students in USA
Related Blog Post 2: Pre OPT: The only way to work off-campus before graduation
Related Blog Post 3: Must-know 4 eligibility for student visa OPT

Contents

• The first thing to consider: Is the employment required by the curriculum?
• The second thing to consider: When you can start working?
• The third thing to consider: Are you planning to apply for Post-completion OPT?

The first thing to consider: Is the employment required by the curriculum?

The clearest distinction between the CPT and Pre-OPT can be found by looking at which employments are considered as eligible for each program. CPT requires the employment should be “an integral part of the school’s established curriculum.” Pre-OPT requires “training relates directly to the student’s major area of study.”

As you can see, OPT is more flexible as it allows any training as long as it is directly related to the student’s major area of study. Thus, in the case that your program asks you to participate in an internship as one of the graduate requirements, you can take advantage of CPT. In the same perspective, if the position is “an integral part” in a way that you can get the academic credit by working in certain positions, you might get CPT authorized. In this sense, CPT is an employment-specific program that authorization is for one specific employer and for a specific period of time. In other words, you need to have a letter of employment before you get authorized for CPT and you can’t change the employer in the middle of the CPT period.

Since there are many gray areas in CPT, and thus, each institution has different requirements and the CPT authorization process, the best practice is to consult with your DSO (Designated School Officials, a.k.a. International Student Advisor) regarding the CPT eligibility.

To sum, if you need to engage in internships as it is one of the program’s requirements OR if you can get academic credits from the opportunity, CPT is what you are looking for. On the other hand, if the internship is not required by your school but you found a great opportunity to work/intern or if you don’t want to be tied with one specific employment (let’s say if you would like to change your employer in the middle of the OPT period or if you would like to work for multiple employers), AND you are willing to go through the OPT filing process, Pre-completion OPT might be a good option for you. Please check my Pre-OPT blog to learn more about Full-time Pre-OPT and Part-time Pre-OPT.

An F-1 student may be authorized by the DSO to participate in a curricular practical training program that is an integral part of an established curriculum. Curricular practical training is defined to be alternative work/study, internship, cooperative education, or any other type of required internship or practicum that is offered by sponsoring employers through cooperative agreements with the school. 

8 CFR 214.2(F)(10)(I)

An eligible student may request employment authorization for practical training in a position that is directly related to his or her major area of study.

8 CFR 214.2(F)(10)

The second thing to consider: When you can start working?

CPT participants can start working after they get CPT authorized. When it comes to the Pre-OPT, it is not necessary to have a job offer letter to get authorized. However, you need to file the I-765, Application for Employment Authorization along with the filing fee to receive the EAD card. OPT participants can engage in employment only on and after the OPT start date and when the EAD card has arrived. All the required documents to apply for Pre-OPT is well outlined in this blog post.

Therefore, if the position that you secured asks you to start in the near future and if you are CPT-eligible otherwise, CPT will be a better option for you. If you have enough time to wait for USCIS’s adjudication on the OPT application, AND you find Pre-OPT meets your needs, you might want to choose the Pre-OPT.

The third thing to consider: Are you planning to apply for Post-completion OPT?

The third thing to consider when you would like to work (or intern) while you are still in school is that your intention to engage in Post-completion OPT. If you are planning to apply for full-time (or part-time) employment upon graduation using Post-completion OPT, you might want to go with CPT because the number of days you work through Pre-OPT will be deducted from the 12 months cumulative limit of OPT. Pasted below is what I wrote in my blog titled Pre OPT: The only way to work off-campus before graduation regarding this working hours limit.

It is worth mentioning that the use of pre-completion OPT impacts the availability of post-completion OPT – Full-time OPT is deducted from the 12-month cumulative limit at the full-time rate; Part-time pre-completion OPT is deducted from the 12-month cumulative limit at a 50% rate. Therefore, if you are planning to apply for Post completing OPT after graduation, please do the math based on the rubric below to ensure that you don’t accumulate a total of 365 days of Pre OPT.

The number of days students can engage in Post OPT=

• 12 months- Full-time Pre OPT; or
• 12 months- (Part-time Pre OPT)*50%

In summary, below is the checklist that you can see which practical training better meets your needs:

CPT

• The curriculum requires me to engage in internship anytime before I graduate; or
• I can get the academic credit for working/interning; and
• I am planning to take advantage of OPT upon graduation

Pre-OPT

• The position that I would like to work will not be considered as an integral part of the curriculum; and
• I prefer engage in employment opportunities before I graduate rather than I work upon graduation; and
• I am willing to go through the OPT filing process and pay the OPT filing fee.

Again, when you are in doubt, consulting with your advisor will be the best practice to follow. Hope this article helps you to better understand differences between two benefits-CPT and Pre completion OPT.