CPT Information Page for Graduate Students

CPT ELIGIBILITY

To be eligible for CPT, you must:

• Have completed two full semesters in F-1 immigration status (Masters students may be eligible prior to two full semesters by using the M.S. Concentration in Field Experience)
• Master's students can participate in part-time (20 hours or less) CPT during the fall or spring semesters, unless they participate in the Field Experience Concentration, which allows them to work full-time during the academic year.  
• Ph.D. students can participate in part-time or full-time CPT during the fall, winter, spring or summer semesters.
• Be in good academic standing

• Be making satisfactory progress towards your degree

  
   

CPT REQUIREMENTS

• You must have a written job offer or CPT letter
• Your internship must be directly related to the student's field of study
• CPT is available only prior to the completion of a degree program
• CPT employment may not delay the completion of the academic program
• Aim to submit your Experiential Learning Request at least 10 business days prior to your listed start date to allow time for processing.

For more important CPT details and requirements, visit the Office of Global Affairs (OGA) website.

Application Process

1. STEP 1: Student verifies that job offer or CPT letter includes all necessary information — see example below (follow up with the employer, as needed) CPT Letter example.pdf

• The letter must be on company letterhead (with complete mailing address)
• The letter must contain ALL of the following information:
  • Job title
  • Brief description of job duties
  • Number of hours per week you’ll be working, or part-time or full-time classification
  • Any monetary compensation you will receive for this work. This includes bonuses and relocation stipends. Please note: Per the Office of Global Affairs, CPT is not necessary for unpaid opportunities (i.e., volunteering) unless that opportunity is likely to become a paid position. Organizations should follow recruiting guidelines including Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA)
  • Job location (where you will actually work). If you’ll be working remotely, the letter must state that. If you’ll be working partially in the office and partially from home, the letter must state that along with the address of the office where your on-site work will be performed.
  • Exact employment start and end date. The Experiential Learning Request start and end dates must fall within the start and end dates of the academic term for which you are applying. Check the UMass Academic Calendar for these dates. If your CPT request spans more than one academic term, you will need to submit multiple CPT requests (one for each academic term). However, you are permitted to use the one offer letter with start and end dates spanning multiple academic terms for each of these Experiential Learning Requests.

1. STEP 2: Student initiates Experiential Learning Request in SPIRE.

• Log in to your student account on SPIRE.
• Click on the Academics Tile.
• Under the Forms and Academic Requests tab, choose Experiential Learning Request.
• Click the Create a New Request button.
• Fill out all the information. Items marked with an asterisk are mandatory fields.
  • Select the respective department from the Instructor Department dropdown (under CICS, not CMPSCI) to then choose your desired instructor from the Instructor dropdown. Master's and PhD should select Taylor Nichols as the Instructor.
  • Graduate students should select ‘internship,’ not ‘co-op’ when completing the request form.
  • Graduate students should use course number CICS 598T (1 credit)
  • The start and end dates must fall within the start and end dates of the academic term during which you intend to hold this CPT. 
  • Click the next to fields to view more information on them.
  • Enter your home address in the Student Living Address section, and the organization's address in the Work Address section. If your home address will change once your CPT begins and you do not yet have your new home address, fill in your current home address and then email your updated address to Taylor [dot] nichols [at] umass [dot] edu (Taylor Nichols )once you have it. 
• Attach your offer letter and/or CPT letter at the bottom of the page.
• Click the Submit Request button. Read the terms and conditions, and click the acknowledgement checkbox at the bottom of the page and click “I Accept.”
  • This will send a request to the selected instructor/sponsor for processing and approval. You will receive a confirmation email along with a copy of the acknowledgment form you signed.
• CICS Grad Advising reviews after receiving email notification from SPIRE; confirms student eligibility in SPIRE, verifies internship is CICS-related and offer letter meets requirements (typically reviewed 2-5 business days after submission).
• CICS Grad Advising approves or denies the request, which sends email notification of status to student.
• Students will save the PDF of the APPROVED Experiential Learning Request in SPIRE. Be sure to save the WHOLE contract, do not just screenshot the top of the experience. You can save the whole approved contract by using the PRINT, SAVE AS PDF function on your computer.
• Students are allowed to formally accept the offer after CICS approval (final CPT approval is not required to accept a job offer).

1. STEP 3: Enrollment in 598T

• If applying for CPT for the summer or winter term, student requests UWW enrollment appointment (see instructions here)
  • CICS Grad Advising contacts the registrar’s for the request to be accepted
     📣 We are typically able to do course registration late adds, as needed, unless you are applying for CPT in  your final semester.
  • Student pays for mandatory Pass/Fail UWW CPT course. Summer rates for the CPT course can be found here.
    Although this one-credit course will appear on your transcript, it does not count toward your CICS requirements.
    There is a registration fee and per credit fee associated with this Independent Study (see 'Cost').
• If applying for CPT for the spring or fall terms, CICS Grad Advising will submit an enrollment request for 598T on your behalf. Although this one-credit course will appear on your transcript, it does not count toward your CICS requirements.
  There is a registration fee and per credit fee associated with this Independent Study; view tuition and fees here. 

1. STEP 4: Student submits CPT e-form: Master's Non-Thesis Students or Doctoral Students
   Choose the Option: "I will receive academic credit..."

• Attach the job offer letter (do not include special characters in the file name), approved Experiential Learning Request, and a screenshot(s) of your course enrollment/your co-op/externship paperwork for the term(s) you are requesting CPT.
• Fill in the following to complete the CPT e-form:
• Advisor Name: Taylor Nichols (for all CICS graduate students)
  Advisor Title: Academic Advisor
  Advisor Email: tcannon [at] cics [dot] umass [dot] edu
  Department: Computer Science
  Advisor Phone: 413-545-4822
• CICS Careers / CICS Advising reviews the CPT e-form; approves, as appropriate.
• Office of Global Affairs (OGA) reviews the completed CPT request and submits paperwork to the federal government to generate I-20 (typically reviewed 7-10 business days after receipt). Important: ****Students cannot begin working until CPT is approved (the start date may need to change if approval is pending).
• Student picks up the CPT I-20 at the OGA.
• Students can apply for Social Security Number (SSN).
• Student provides the employer with new I-20, valid passport, and evidence of F-1 immigration status (F-1 visa or USCIS F-1 approval notice, and I-94 record) to satisfy Federal employment authorization requirements.

1. STEP 5: After Internship 

• Student completes a survey reflecting on their internship experience.
• Instructor of Record contacts supervisor to verify completion of internship experience (only for M.S. Concentration in Field Experience).
• Instructor of Record documents Pass/Fail grade.

Curricular Practical Training (CPT) : Office of Global Affairs : UMass Amherst

UMass Study Abroad Program

Graduate students may be eligible to participate in a global education program. Students should visit the Office of Global Affairs Global Education for more details.