1. What is Day 1 CPT?
2. Is Day 1 CPT legal?
3. Why is CPT Important to International Students?
4. Who Will Benefit from Day 1 CPT?
5. Day 1 CPT Criteria and Requirements
6. The Risks of Using Day 1 CPT
7. How to Choose Day 1 CPT Universities
8. How to Choose Day 1 CPT Programs Day 1 CPT Application Process
9. Other Day 1 CPT FAQ
What Is Day 1 CPT?
Day 1 CPT Criteria and Requirements
Other Day 1 CPT FAQ
Is Day 1 CPT Legal?
The Risks of Using Day 1 CPT
Why Is CPT Important?
How to Choose Day 1 CPT Universities & Programs?
Who Will Benefit from Day 1 CPT?
Day 1 CPT Application Process
1. What Is Day 1 CPT? Is Day 1 CPT Legal?
Is Day 1 CPT Legal? It Can Be, If CPT Requirements Are Met
Day 1 CPT is an informal term, not a separate visa or immigration category. It generally refers to Curricular Practical Training (CPT) authorized during a student's first academic term. CPT can be authorized during a graduate student's first academic term when the graduate program requires immediate participation in qualifying practical training and the student meets all applicable CPT requirements. The DSO must authorize the employment in SEVIS and issue a CPT-endorsed Form I-20 before the student begins work. Federal regulations specifically provide an exception to the one-academic-year requirement for graduate programs that require immediate participation in CPT.
F-1 students may gain practical training experience in the United States primarily through Curricular Practical Training (CPT) and Optional Practical Training (OPT). Both can authorize training related to a student's major area of study, but they have different eligibility requirements, purposes, and authorization processes. CPT is tied to the student's curriculum and is authorized by the school's DSO, while OPT is separately authorized by USCIS.
Federal regulations generally require an F-1 student to complete one full academic year of lawful full-time enrollment before becoming eligible for practical training. However, an exception applies to students enrolled in graduate programs that require immediate participation in CPT. Having previously completed a U.S. degree does not, by itself, create an exception to the one-academic-year requirement.
CPT is governed by federal F-1 regulations and ICE's Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP) guidance. The DSO evaluates an individual student's CPT request and, when the requirements are satisfied, records the authorization in SEVIS and issues an updated Form I-20. The training must be directly related to the student's major area of study and meet the applicable curricular requirements.
For students considering a program that offers CPT during the first academic term, it is important to verify that the school is SEVP-certified, appropriately accredited, and that the program's practical-training requirement genuinely complies with federal CPT requirements. Accreditation or enrollment alone does not establish CPT eligibility.
2026 CPT Guidance Update
As of August 24, 2026, current SEVP guidance states that CPT must be an integral and required part of an established curriculum and that practical training must be required for all students participating in that curriculum. An optional internship or elective course that makes practical training optional does not satisfy this guidance. SEVP also states that sponsoring employers should have cooperative agreements with the school. Broadcast Message 2608-02 is agency guidance; SEVP expressly states that it is not itself a new regulation or final agency action.
2. Why is CPT important to international students?
3. Who Will Benefit From Day 1 CPT?
Day 1 CPT is a good choice for you if you are:
- International students who are looking to work while studying in America;
- F-2 dependents who want to pursue full-time postsecondary study and potentially become eligible for F-1 practical training may consider changing to F-1 status. F-2 status itself does not authorize employment.
- Currently working in your home country and trying to get a boost for your career but don’t want to just study in a classroom. Day 1 CPT programs allow you to enjoy American education as well as get real-life work experience in the U.S., which makes you more employable in both the U.S. and your home country after graduation.
- H1B holders who got laid off. (You only have 60-day grace period, so you can consider Day 1 CPT Universities as your backup plan.)
- H4 holders without an EAD card but wish to start a career in the U.S. as soon as possible
- F-1 students who have fallen out of status may, in some circumstances, be eligible to request reinstatement. USCIS—not the university—decides reinstatement applications. Requirements include generally filing within five months unless exceptional circumstances justify the delay, having no record of repeated or willful violations, pursuing or intending to pursue a full course of study, and not having engaged in unauthorized employment.
- For COS candidates seeking a status change from B1/B2 to F1 or from J1 to F1, Day 1 CPT universities should be given serious consideration. These universities not only offer a more flexible enrollment policy but also provide courses that are practical-oriented, allowing new immigrants to gain real-life working experiences in the U.S. while advancing their academic studies.
4. Day 1 CPT Eligibility
- You need to have a valid F1 (full-time student) status.
- F1 status ≠ F1 visa; a valid I-20 is a must
- Students must have a job offer to request authorization on CPT.
- The job description of your CPT internship should be closely related to what you are studying at your Day 1 CPT universities.
- Your CPT application should be approved by your DSO and you can start working only after receiving the CPT I-20.
- Throughout your internship, you should maintain your GPA at or above 3.0.
- Working Hours:
- Part-time CPT is 20hr/week;
- Full-time CPT is more than 20hr/week;
- if you used full-time CPT for 12 months, you would not be able to use your OPT after graduation.
- You will need to renew your CPT authorization according to your Day 1 CPT universities’ rules.
5. The Risk of Using Day 1 CPT
- Raise questions regarding your status and your right to work
Using Day 1 CPT does not automatically make an applicant ineligible for H-1B status. However, H-1B cases may face additional scrutiny when there are questions about whether the student properly maintained F-1 status, followed CPT authorization requirements, or participated in a legitimate academic program. To reduce potential issues, students should carefully follow their university’s CPT policies and ensure that all employment is properly authorized and directly related to their field of study. ICE confirms that CPT must be authorized by the school’s DSO before employment begins and must be integral to the student’s academic program. (ice.gov)
It is essential to choose a reliable Day 1 CPT university. They usually offer special help to guide their international students through the application process and can provide legal evidence to prove your eligibility to work while studying in the U.S. in case you get an RFE in your future visa application.
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F-1 Visa Renewal and Re-entry Considerations
CPT is lawful only when the student, curriculum, training arrangement, and DSO authorization satisfy the applicable requirements. Enrollment in a program described as ‘Day 1 CPT’ does not by itself establish compliance.
Students should work only for the authorized employer, during the authorized dates, and under the conditions shown on their CPT authorization. Unauthorized employment or other status violations may affect future immigration benefits, visa applications, or admission decisions.
Visa issuance, admission, and future immigration adjudications are case-specific. Students with questions about their circumstances should consult their DSO and, where appropriate, qualified immigration counsel.
We highly recommend you to choose well-known day 1 CPT universities with a long standing history and national/regional accreditations. P.S. In the US, it is more difficult for schools to be accredited regionally than nationally.
Let's take WASC as an example! WASC accreditation is the highest level of accreditation for West Coast schools. Stanford University and UCLA have received this accreditation.
CPT schools in Los Angeles, for example, Westcliff University, a CPT school established in Los Angeles in 1993, received national accreditation in 2014 and regional accreditation from WASC in 2018.
If you are interested in learning more about school accreditation, please check the official website of the U.S. Department of Education. The schools' websites also generally display the accreditations they have received.
USCIS does not allow international students with F-1 visas to attend schools with 100% online courses. So you need to know the frequency of onsite classes and whether it is possible to receive CPT without attending classes onsite.
Although schools can design curriculums freely, established programs typically require students to attend class onsite either weekly or monthly, sometimes once per semester.
Keep your transportation records (such as flight tickets, hotel invoices, or Airbnb booking receipts), parking receipts, textbook receipts, tuition receipts, etc in case the USCIS requests extra evidence after you are selected for the H1b visa.
The onsite attendance policy may vary from school to school. Some CPT schools may only require you to be onsite once a month (e.g. Sofia University), some may require you twice a month (e.g. Ottawa University) and others may require you once per semester (e.g. Professional format programs at Westcliff University).
Some schools require you to be onsite weekly (e.g. UONA). All these programs are approved by the state government without exceptions.
Therefore, keep your records of the onsite attendance in case the USCIS requests evidence to prove that you have attended classes as required to maintain your legal status.
When schools apply for accreditation, they are required to submit an application that includes all programs, class format, 100% online programs, on-site programs, the number of weekly onsite sessions, and the length of classes. The schools are required to follow what they have submitted; otherwise, the accrediting agency may cancel the accreditation or accuse the schools of fraud if they find the onsite attendance is different from what is stated on file.
When you choose CPT schools, please also consider the location. Is the location easily accessible?
As all established CPT schools require you to attend onsite classes and there is no guarantee whether you can be selected for the H1b visa, the CPT program may last longer than expected. It is important to consider the convenience of transportation. If you can easily travel to the school by flight, car, bus or train, that will be great!
If you are living close to the San Francisco Bay Area, Sofia University is a good choice for you! It is a Day-1 CPT school in Palo Alto.
Sofia University offers MBA and MSCS programs and only requires you to attend onsite classes for a half-day on Saturdays every month. All other courses can be completed online.
Top 4 Day 1 CPT Universities:
If you have no idea where to start, use our screening tool to weigh your options. Still confused? Contact us for a free consultation.
Top 4 Day 1 CPT Universities for DBA:
7. Which Day 1 CPT Program Should I Choose?
Bottom Line: Make a Reasonable Study Plan
If a student chooses to pursue multiple master's degrees covering similar subjects, USCIS officers may pay extra attention to this student while reviewing his/her visa application.
- First, a trend of progression among your degrees is recommended. It is ideal to go from bachelor to master, then to doctoral/Ph.D.
- Second, your study plan should go parallel to your career development. Your work experience and your study plan should be relevant and complementary to each other.
- Third, the management program is always an ideal choice when you run out of other options, especially the DBA program. DBA is a doctoral-level program, some of them are even recognized as STEM programs (i.e. Westcliff University’s DBA) which will grant you 3 years of OPT after graduation. All in all, it allows you to legally work with an F1 visa for nearly 6 years.
If you have no idea where to start, use our screening tool to weigh your options. Still confused? Contact us for a free consultation.
Usually, after you received an offer letter from your Day 1 CPT universities, you can start to apply for internship authorizations. CPT application usually involves the following steps:
Step 1: Get a Job Offer
Get an offer from your job, and make sure the job description is aligned with your Day 1 CPT program!
Step 2: Register for a CPT course
At most Day 1 CPT universities, in order to enjoy your CPT, you will have to register for a CPT course first. Then, hand in your offer letter, and a CPT agreement signed by your employer along with other supporting materials required by your university to apply for a new CPT I-20.
Step 3: CPT I-20
Wait for your CPT application to be approved by your CPT school and receive your new I-20. Note that you must wait until the CPT takes effect to work. If your employer requires you to start working right away, apply for an unpaid leave while waiting for your new CPT I-20 to avoid breaking the immigration law.
Step 4: Renew your CPT
Pay attention! Before the end of each semester, check your email, even spam! Your school will send the CPT renewal email/reminder to you. If you don’t receive the renewal email, remember to contact your advisor. Not renewing your CPT on time may result in losing your working status.
If the current CPT authorization expires before a new authorization begins, you are not authorized to continue working after the CPT end date.
You can also check this GUIDE.
Under the currently operative Duration of Status framework, an eligible F-1 transfer student generally must begin classes at the transfer-in school by the next available session start date or within five months, whichever comes sooner. The exact calculation depends on the student's circumstances. A normal SEVIS school transfer does not automatically require the student to leave the United States and re-enter simply to ‘activate’ the new I-20.
Under the currently operative D/S framework, an F-1 student generally receives a 60-day grace period after completing a program of study or authorized post-completion practical training. During that period, the student may prepare to depart or, when eligible, take another permitted immigration or SEVIS action such as transferring schools. Transfer timing is also subject to the applicable five-month/next-available-session requirements. Students should coordinate the transfer with both schools' DSOs before the applicable deadlines.
Policy note: The DHS rule that would have changed the D/S framework was scheduled for September 15, 2026, but a federal court postponed its implementation on September 14. The existing D/S framework remains in effect while the litigation continues.
Yes! day1cpt.org partnered schools allow you to enroll even after the semester has started. There are up to 6 enrollment periods during the year.
If you have a valid student visa, such as an F-1 visa from the original school, you can activate I-20 by traveling to Mexico and Canada, and then re-enter the US.
If your student visa has expired and you want to start school as soon as possible, it is recommended to apply for the student visa online from countries that you do not need visa to visit. You can enter the US again after obtaining the student visa from these countries, which usually takes 2-3 days.
If your visa has expired and you still have time before school starts, you can apply for a status change within the US. Please contact us to learn about the status change.
Yes, you can. You can just contact your current school advisor to ask for the transfer.
Work Related
Affirm, Adobe, Bloomberg, Barclays, BOA, Box, Citi, Doordash, Google, IBM, JP Morgan, Matterport, Microsoft, Okta, Oracle, Walmartlabs, WeWork, and more.
Please see a list of 200 employers who hired part-time CPT or full-time CPT employees in 2019. All of these employees support full-time CPT authorization. Typically, summer interns and Day-1 CPT employees are considered full-time CPT. The only difference between part-time CPT or full-time CPT employees them is that summer internship usually lasts for 2-3 months while Day 1 CPT lasts longer.
Yes! But remember to contact your school in advance and update your employer info in the Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP) within 10 days of the switch.
You can apply for CPT 2-3 weeks before school starts after receiving the school's acceptance letter or successfully transferring SEVIS. If you miss the deadline, you may have another chance to apply for CPT during the semester.
Yes, there will be a short gap and you can’t continue working during the gap.
OPT expires on the second day after SEVIS is transferred out of the original school. You can start working after obtaining the new CPT from the new school, as early as on the first day of school. To start working on the first day, we recommend that you start your application as soon as possible after receiving the school's acceptance letter and apply for CPT two weeks before the school starts.
Because the school has a limited number of staff overseeing CPT applications, applying near the deadline could result in delays as the school needs to process a large volume of applications. It's possible that this delay could lead to the student not receiving an I-20 containing employer information during the first-week class; therefore, the student temporarily will not have work authorization.
After receiving the CPT applications, it normally takes the school 3-5 days to process the SEVIS transfer and approve the CPT application. Please start working only after the CPT application has been approved. If there is a gap, it is better to take a few days off and keep a record with your employer about these days off (we recommend not including these days on pay stub) in case the USCIS requests for extra evidence (RFE) to prove that you did not work during the gap.
Yes! If you participate in a master's program, you have 2 H1b draws while studying. If you continue with a DBA program, you will have another 4 H1b draws for a 3-year program. You can take a one-semester break after completing every 3 semesters consecutively. In the meantime, you can still apply for CPT and work. Additionally, you can apply to delay your graduation in the 3rd year of your doctoral program. In total, these count as 6 H1b draws.
Yes! You can drop out of school after being selected for the H1b visa. It is recommended to finish the semester with grades reported on the transcript until the H1b takes effect. Should you need to drop out immediately, you can contact your school's academic advisor.
School Related
Yes! Day1cpt.org can help you waive the application fee. Please contact us before submitting your application.
Yes, you can! We encourage visiting your home country during the breaks after each semester. You can choose to continue working or enjoy the time off during these breaks.
Yes, you can!
Bachelor's, master's and doctoral degrees each provide 1 opportunity for OPT or OPT Extension (STEM majors only). Every international student has up to 2 OPT opportunities (bachelor's degree OPT + master's degree OPT, or master's degree OPT + doctoral degree OPT).
But if you use full time CPT to work more than 365 days, you can not apply OPT after completion of the program.
The schools with the highest level of regional and national accreditations are typically high-quality schools. If you are more interested in business, CS, or IT programs, we recommend Westcliff University on the west coast. Westcliff University has a faculty-to-student ratio of 1:8. A smaller class size gives the students more attention from the professors. Not to mention that many faculty members at Westcliff University are well-known in academia.
On the east coast, we recommend choosing Monroe College, which was established over 100 years ago. It has a great location and a relatively low cost of tuition. Another recommended school is Harrisburg University of Science and Technology, which has strong faculty members in Engineering and technical programs.
Yes! If you participate in a master's program, you have 2 H1b draws while studying. If you continue with a DBA program, you will have another 4 H1b draws for a 3-year program. You can take a one-semester break after completing every 3 semesters consecutively. In the meantime, you can still apply for CPT and work. Additionally, you can apply to delay your graduation in the 3rd year of your doctoral program. In total, these count as 6 H1b draws.
Day 1 CPT Schools
West Coast
East Coast
- Monroe University (ex-Monroe College)
- Saint Peter's University
- McDaniel College
- New England College
- National Louis University
Midwest & South
You might want to know more about Day 1 CPT
Have Questions? Contact us now!
OPT Comprehensive Guide
- What is OPT?
- OPT Eligibility
- OPT Application Guide
- STEM OPT Application Guide
- How to Fill in i765 Form?
- OPT Grace Period
- OPT Denied & Solution
H1B Comprehensive Guide
- What is H1B?
- H1B Eligibility
- H1B Application Guide
- H1B Grace Period
- H1B Denied & Solution
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