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CPT (Curricular Practical Training) is the benefit of off-campus employment (paid or unpaid) in the form of an internship, practicum, or other required practical training. CPT must be an integral or required part of an established curriculum and is required to register for the course that is associated with the requirement of practicum or internship, paid or unpaid. It is your responsibility as a student to ensure that you have the proper work authorization for your internship and practicum experiences while at The Chicago School. Please review the CPT application​ under the For​ms section. You must apply for the benefit of CPT and have CPT approval before begin your employment, whether paid or unpaid.   
 
Please be aware that CPT authorization is per semester only.  Once you register for the following semester for the course that requires training, you will apply for CPT extension following the same process below. If your Job Offer letter is still valid from previous semester, you do not have to re-submit.
 
The following documents should be submitted to the DSO team at least one month before the start date of your Practicum​/Internship and the latest 2 weeks prior to the start date.  Students working without the proper CPT authorization could lose their F-1 Status. 
  • CPT Application Form​ ​signed by your Academic Advisor 
  • Job Offer Letter in the Employer's Letterhead and must include the required information on the template (letter example is on page 2 of CPT Application Form)​

Part-Time & Full-Time CPT Authorization 

​CPT is considered as part-time when working 20 hours or under per week.  CPT is considered as full-time when working over 20 hours per week. Students can complete unlimited part-time CPT with no impact to future OPT (Optional Practical Training) eligibility.  If students complete 12 months of full-time CPT, they will lose their OPT eligibility for that degree level.