Overview
Curricular Practical Training (CPT) is an internship, practicum, or employment that is either required by your degree program or taken for credit. The purpose of practical training is to provide valuable experiences that enhance the skills and competencies you are learning through your Princeton degree program. These experiences must be directly related to the student’s major area of study and an integral part of an established curriculum. As such, you will need approval from both an academic unit and the Davis IC before pursuing CPT. CPT is only available for F-1 students. J-1 students should see Academic Training.
Curricular Practical Training is authorized by the Davis IC after an academic review. Once approved, the Davis IC will issue you a new I-20 with the CPT authorization dates listed on page 2. Do not begin employment until you have this form and are in the authorization period.
For more information, please see the CPT modules on Davis International Canvas site. You will need your netID to log-in. The modules will break down important information regarding CPT such as the application process, eligibility criteria, and post-authorization requirements and reminders for both Undergraduate and Graduate Students. We have also included short recorded presentations for students to learn more about CPT.
Undergraduate Students
Because CPT is only available to F-1 students when it is an integral part of an established curriculum, undergraduate students are only eligible for CPT if they have declared their concentration and their department offers the Internship Milestone Credit. This Independent Milestone Credit Departmental Data and Contact Table shows which departments currently participate and who the departmental contact is for a student to reach out to with questions.
Please visit the Davis International Canvas site for more information regarding CPT including additional eligibility criteria that must be met.
Graduate Students
Because CPT is only available to F-1 students when it is an integral part of an established curriculum, graduate students are only eligible for CPT in the following scenarios:
- If their academic department requires an opportunity.
- If their academic department offers an internship course during the term in which the opportunity occurs. Please see below for offerings.
- If the opportunity is required for dissertation completion (PhD students ONLY).
Please note, students in dissertation completion enrollment (DCE) status are not eligible to enroll in classes and therefore are not eligible for course-based CPT.
Please visit the Davis International Canvas site for more information regarding CPT including additional eligibility criteria that must be met.
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The following Princeton graduate academic programs require students to participate in a summer internship program after their first year of study:
- Master's in Public Affairs Program
- Master's in Finance 2-year program
The following PhD and Master's programs at Princeton offer summer internship courses that qualify for CPT approval:
- Architecture (ARC 569)
- Chemical and Biological Engineering (CBE 563)
- Civil and Environmental Engineering (CEE 595)
- Computer Science (COS 589)
- Electrical Engineering (ELE 515)
- Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering (MAE 515)
- Operations Research and Financial Engineering (ORF 511)
The following PhD programs at Princeton offer summer internship courses that qualify for CPT approval:
- Applied Mathematics (APC 599)
- Art and Archaeology (ART 596)
- Astrophysical Sciences (AST 569)
- Biophysics (BPY 590)
- Chemistry (CHM 599)
- Ecology and Evolutionary Biology (EEB 599)
- Economics (ECO 585)
- Mathematics (MAT 599)
- Music (510)
- Neuroscience (NEU 596)
- Psychology (PSY 596)
- Physics (PHY 580)
- Quantitative & Computational Biology (QCB 590)
- Princeton School of Public and International Affairs (SPI 588)
Please visit the Davis International Canvas site for more information regarding CPT including additional eligibility criteria that must be met.
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The following PhD programs at Princeton offer internship courses during the academic year:
- Art and Archaeology (ART 597)
- Civil and Environmental Engineering (CEE 596)
- Comparative Literature (COM 592)
- Computer Science (COS 590)
- Electrical Engineering (ELE 514)
- Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering (MAE 595)
- Music (MUS 510)
- Neuroscience (NEU 594)
- Philosophy (PHI 590)
- Psychology (PSY 597)
PLEASE NOTE: PhD students moving to the master's track are not eligible to register for an internship course. Enrollment the fall semester following the internship is required for CPT approval. Therefore, PhD to Master's track students are not eligible to apply for CPT.
Please visit the Davis International Canvas site for more information regarding CPT including additional eligibility criteria that must be met.
Student Immigration
F-1 and J-1 Students
- Differences between F-1 and J-1 Status
- Extension of I-20/DS-2019 Form
- Leave of Absence and Readmission
- Maintaining Status
- On-campus Employment
- Spouse and Family Visas
- Termination or Completion of Program
- Transfers To or From Another School
- Travel Guidance
F-1 Students Only
J-1 Students Only