VOI World/ Desk
International students in the US are facing fresh uncertainty over internships and practical training after the Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP) issued new guidance narrowing how universities can authorise Curricular Practical Training (CPT).
CPT allows F-1 international students to undertake off-campus internships, practicums and other practical training when the work is an integral part of their academic programme. The August 24 guidance from SEVP said CPT should qualify only where the training is an integral and required part of an established curriculum that applies to all students in the programme.
The guidance follows an August 12 SEVP message warning universities about a rise in CPT authorisations that appeared to fall outside existing regulatory requirements. SEVP warned that institutions failing to comply could lose their certification to enrol international students.
The immediate impact is being felt at universities as they review their procedures. UCLA has paused certain CPT authorisations while it assesses the federal guidance. UC Berkeley has also said some applications are unlikely to be processed in the near future, although it will continue processing CPT linked directly to degree requirements and certain doctoral and master’s thesis research.
Other universities have introduced similar restrictions. The University of Southern California, for example, said CPT requests would be authorised only when practical training is a degree requirement for graduation, while previously approved CPT would not be affected.
The distinction is important for international students. The administration has not announced a blanket ban on internships, and the underlying CPT regulations have not been formally changed. The Department of Homeland Security said the latest action is intended to enforce existing requirements more strictly.
However, the narrower interpretation means internships that previously qualified under a university’s CPT process may now face additional scrutiny. Students whose programmes do not make practical training a mandatory requirement could therefore find it harder to obtain CPT authorisation.
The change could be particularly significant for Indian students, who make up one of the largest international student groups in the US. For many students, internships and practical training are an important route to gaining US work experience while completing their degrees and building careers after graduation.
For now, the impact will vary by university and programme. Students with existing CPT authorisations should check directly with their university’s international student office, while those planning internships should establish whether the training is a mandatory component of their curriculum before making commitments.
