Curricular Practical Training for SEAS Undergraduates

Curricular practical training (CPT) may be pursued by Penn Engineering international undergraduates before their graduation. CPT is intended to provide work experience in the U.S. in situations where the work serves as an integral part of a student’s academic program and an established curriculum. If you have any questions regarding the CPT immigration status requirements, please email your ISSS advisor (listed on the iPenn page when you log in). Questions on the academic side for Engineering can be directed to registrar@seas.upenn.edu.

Usually completed in the summer term, CPT requires registration for-credit basis as part of the student’s degree requirements. Students will be registered for EAS 0099  (0.25 CU, P/F Grade Type). Note that EAS 0099 may be used as Free Elective only, in fulfillment of the student’s degree requirements. If the student fails to fulfill the terms of the course/proposal, the student will be issued an “F” for the course.  It is imperative that the student completes the work as proposed/outlined for the course during the CPT authorization period.

To apply for EAS 0099 CPT Independent Study, please complete the CPT Independent Study Form. Please send the completed signed form, offer letter, and proposal to registrar@seas.upenn.edu. Upon approval, the student will be registered accordingly and you will receive further instructions to complete the iPenn CPT. (Please check your registration record for the term that you are requesting registration to verify that you are approved and properly registered.)

 

Please note:

• In your offer letter, you will need: the number of hours you will be working, the exact start and end date of the employment, and the internship location (onsite physical address, stating remote, or combination of the two if hybrid), on employer letterhead with signature(s), and the description of the work you will do. A reminder that the start date must start on or after the term begins, and the end date must end prior to the start of the next term. (CPT’s can not run from one term into another term.)
• The CPT process can take up to two weeks for processing during the busiest times. Multiple offices and staff are reviewing your CPT at different stages. If all documents are in order sometimes it can take as little as five business days for processing. Please plan accordingly and give yourself at least a two week window prior to your start date to get all documents in and reviewed/approved on time.
  Written CPT authorization from ISSS must be obtained prior to commencing internship to maintain valid immigration status. Once all is approved, you’ll receive this final email or authorization directly from ISSS/iPenn.
• SEAS undergraduates may apply for CPT EAS 0099 more than once.
• All academic requirements for CPT must be satisfactorily completed within the term for which the student has registered for CPT. Failure to complete the CPT academic requirements would render your employment “unauthorized” and be a violation of your immigration status. For any student who gets a “F” grade, such sanctions may include forfeiture of the post-graduation OPT allotment and the possibility of working in the United States on any other visa.

Note: For SEAS graduate students, CPT application procedures may be found here.