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Working Off Campus as an F-1 Student (Before Graduation)
If you are an F-1 student and are interested in any off-campus work—whether paid or unpaid—before you graduate, you must receive work authorization first.
You may only work off campus after you are approved for one of the following:
To be eligible for CPT or Pre-OPT, you must have maintained valid F-1 status for at least one full academic year in your current degree program.
Important: Working off campus without proper authorization is a violation of your F-1 status and may result in termination of your SEVIS record. This applies to both paid and unpaid positions.
Pre-Completion Optional Practical Training (Pre-OPT)
Pre-OPT allows F-1 students to gain work experience in their field of study before graduation.
- F-1 students are eligible for a total of 12 months of OPT per degree level.
- Any time used for Pre-OPT will be deducted from your 12 months of Post-OPT.
- The employment must be directly related to your major field of study.
Important: We strongly recommend applying for a Pre-OPT I-20 from the ISSC at least 97 days before your requested start date. If you plan to work this summer using Pre-OPT, apply as soon as possible.
Curricular Practical Training (CPT)
CPT is off-campus employment authorization for F-1 students whose internship or training is an integral part of their academic program. CPT is required for both paid and unpaid internships.
Your CPT employment must meet one of the following conditions:
- The internship is required for all students in your degree program, or
- The internship is a planned and approved option within your specific degree program, or
- The internship is required for your dissertation or thesis.
You must also be enrolled in an internship course that is required or approved by your academic unit. Please note that internship requirements vary by academic department.
Important: We recommend applying for CPT several weeks before your intended start date.
Processing time includes:
- Academic department approval, and
- ISSC 7-business processing time (which begins only after your academic advisor submits their approval)