CPT is defined as alternate work/study, internship, cooperative education, service learning, or any other type of a required internships that sponsoring employers offer through cooperative agreements with Castleton. You will need authorization from the International Student Office for this type of practical training. If you are authorized for one year or more of full-time CPT, you will not be eligible for Optional Practical Training (OPT). Part-time CPT, under 20 hours per week, will not affect OPT. Please contact the ISO for more CPT application information.
This program allows you to take a job in your field of study, part or full-time. The duration that you can work under OPT is 12 months per higher educational level. OPT may be done during specific times before you graduate, or after you graduate. Castleton’s student employment positions do not qualify as jobs for OPT. You should apply for OPT during the semester you will complete your degree requirements. You will need a recommendation from the International Student Office (ISO) and authorization from the S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) for OPT. Please contact the ISO for detailed OPT application information.
The USCIS can authorize this kind of work permission when a student has fully documented severe economic hardship arising after being in status with a F-1 visa for one full academic year. This option requires the ISO to verify that adequate employment on campus is not available.
If you receive any form of compensation, even “in-kind” compensation such as meals, housing, insurance, or other items, for work completed by you, the USCIS considers this to be employment.
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) considers you to be in status if you fulfill all of the conditions of your F-1 visa. These conditions are:
DHS considers you to be “out of status” if you do not meet any one of the conditions of your F-1 visa as listed above.
If you are out of status, you lose the following privileges and benefits:
To get back in status, you must do one of the two things: apply to the USCIS for reinstatement within the U.S. or leave the U.S. and be readmitted with a new I-20. For more details, please see an international student advisor.
Your F-1 status ends either on the date listed in #5 on your I-20 or when you complete the last requirement for your program of study, whichever comes first.
You may stay in the U.S. for 60 days after completion of your program. You may not work those 60 days. If you do not complete your program, you may only stay for 15 days if approved by an international student advisor before resigning from school.