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The University of Texas at Austin

Curricular Practical Training Procedures

It is the student's responsibility to follow all the rules and guidelines of both the Immigration & Naturalization Services and our department. You are reminded that INS may audit a student's record when applying for permanent residency. You may pick up a packet of information from the International Office (I.O.), or read and download the Curricular Practical Training Information on their web site: http://www.utexas.edu/international/isss/immigration/cpt.html

IMPORTANT: Please also read our instructions below when requesting approval for CPT.

Doctoral Students
  1. Student must have received formal offer letter from company.
  2. Complete the CPT Authorization form found in the packet mentioned above or downloaded from the I.O. web site.
  3. Student must have approval from their supervising professor for CPT. Professor should email the graduate adviser explaining how the CPT relates to the student's field of study and serves an academic purpose. (This statement will be used on the I.O.'s authorization form.)
  4. Supervising professor's signature is required at the bottom of this form if the CPT will be applied toward the dissertation, an explanation is also required in this section. If not required, supervising professor does not need to sign form, but does have to complete #3 of these rules.
  5. Student turns in copy of offer letter and CPT authorization form (signed by supervising professor if necessary) to the Graduate Office for adviser's approval and signature.
  6. Student submits completed and signed forms to the I.O. for the issuance of the work authorization.
Masters Students 

M.A. (thesis option) students should follow the same instructions listed above for doctoral students. M.S.C.S. students should email the graduate adviser describing the CPT and how it relates to the student's field of study and serves an academic purpose.

  1. When student receives graduate adviser's email approval, student completes the CPT Authorization form found on the I.O.'s CPT Authorization Packet or web site (see above).
  2. Student submits completed form and a copy of the formal offer letter to the Graduate Office for the graduate adviser's signature.
  3. Student submits completed and signed forms to the I.O. for the issuance of the work authorization.
Important Information:

COURSE(S) USED TO SATISFY CPT REQUIREMENT: Student must be enrolled during the period of their CPT; however, students doing Summer CPT may choose to defer enrollment in the CPT course to the following fall as long as they do not plan to continue the CPT in the Fall. CS 195T, Practicum in Computer Sciences Application, is the course designated by our department to satisfy the CPT requirement. Exceptions to this rule: Doctoral students in candidacy may use the dissertation course "if" the CPT will be applied toward the dissertation. M.A. students may use the thesis course "if" the CPT will be applied toward the thesis.

DATES OF EMPLOYMENT: Students cannot begin employment until all course work and final exams have been completed. The recommended first date of employment should be after May 15.* Teaching Assistants cannot begin employment until their TA responsibilities are complete; generally this is after final exams for their course have been graded. Students who expect to be appointed as TA's must be on campus prior to the beginning of the semester to participate in any and all necessary orientations, workshops, etc. All students doing summer CPT must return to campus by the first class day.

EXCEPTIONS TO THE ABOVE DATES REQUIRE SPECIAL APPROVAL FROM THE SUPERVISING PROFESSOR AND GRADUATE ADVISOR.