Work Study Overview
Work-Study (CPT) Overview
The purpose of a Work-Study or Curricular Practical
Training (CPT) program is to integrate
real-life employment training with a student's
education
Immigration Service regulations allow
international master study students who are enrolled in
an "internship" (also know as a Work Study,
CPT, Cooperative
Education or
Co-op program) to work in internship positions for as
many months as the duration of the program will allow.
Through the work study program, international students may
work up to 40+ hours per week.
This CPT option is designed to give students practical
work experience in curriculum-related employment with
local US based corporations and businesses. For those who
select the work-study option, paid internship
employment is mandatory, beginning in the first semester
of the first academic year of the student's program.
Along with the mandatory internship employment, students
will need to take a total of 15 to 18 courses, depending
on the enrolled program.
Legal Overview
The option of Curricular Practical Training (CPT) is for
international students enrolled in
any HTIR participating school's master degree programs. CPT is
authorized by the U.S. Homeland Security Department for
F-1 international students and is equivalent to the
CPT option for U.S. students.
F-1 students wishing to participate in an off-campus
training program that is “an integral part of an
established curriculum” must first obtain work
authorization for Curricular Practical Training (CPT).
The training, which must be directly related to the
student’s major field of study, is defined as ”alternate
work/study, internship, cooperative education, or any
other type of required internship or practicum, which is
offered by sponsoring employers through cooperative
agreements with the school” (Title 8, Code of Federal
Regulations, Part 214.2 (f)(10).
HTIR Work-Study Program is unique
HTIR work study programs have the curriculum set
up so that the internships jobs are mandatory and therefore,
a student must begin his/her curricular training
immediately upon registration and securing his/her
social security number.
HTIR Work-Study Programs
students can begin working in their first semester of
study. This is very different than CPT programs at most universities
where the applicant can not start
the CPT employment until he/she has been in school for at least
one academic year (nine months).
Also, most universities do not have a unique program
designed specifically for the International applicant.
HTIR, in alliance with the schools, has created a unique
program that helps International candidates be
successful in the United States workforce. The
international candidate will learn about resume
building, interviewing etiquette, U.S. customs,
U.S. law in the workplace and English Phonetics.
By the time the candidate graduates from the HTIR
work-study
program he/she will be a prime candidate for an H-1b job
or a good job in his/her home country
Gain Practical Skills
The practical training that students receive by
working in a U.S. based company gives them skills and
experience that cannot be obtained in a normal
classroom-only education format, thus giving an
advantage in achieving life goals after graduation.
Earn US dollars
The wages that are paid to the students for their CPT
employment are equal to the wages paid to U.S.
employees in the same kind of employment. Net
earnings are retained by the students and used for their
personal or educational needs.
|