Questions about Work and Study CPT Programs

 Q:  What is Curricular Practical Training? 

A:  Curricular Practical Training (CPT) is the legal description for the paid internship employment that students engage in while in a graduate school work-study program.  The purpose of CPT is to give students practical experience in the workplace to augment what they are learning in the classroom
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Q:  What is Optional Practical Training?

A:  Optional Practical Training (OPT) is the legal description for the one year employment that you are allowed to engage in after you graduate from your Master's program.  The purpose of OPT is to give you further practical experience in the workplace relating to your major.   

Q:  Am I allowed to engage in both CPT and OPT? 

A:  Yes, but not at the same time.  If you work for more than one year of full-time CPT, then you may not be allowed to do the one year of OPT.

Q:  If I choose to work in CPT for the entire length of time I am in the Master's program, will I be allowed to do so?

A:  Depending on the school you choose.  Some of the HTIR schools will allow you to engage in CPT for as long as you are a student in the Master's program, even if that is for 2 1/2 years or more.   However, as indicated above, if, in fact, you do work full time for more than a year in CPT you may not be allowed to do the additional one year of OPT after you graduate. 

Q: How can I go to school and work at the same time?

A: Most courses in a CPT program will be offered in the executive format.  That is, classes will be offered in the evenings and/or on weekends.

Q: Can I take on-line courses?

A:  Yes.  Some courses offered in the Master degree programs are available on-line.  It is legal for international students to take one on-line course along with two on-site classes per semester.   You can not, however, take stand alone online courses.  You must have at least 2/3 of your courses be in class.

 Q: Can I transfer my credits from another school?  

A. The university may give credit for some courses already taken at the Master's level at another school, if the other school is accredited and if the course content being transferred is basically the same as one of the courses in the university's requirement for that major.  The Registrar at the school will make this decision when you arrive for registration.

 Q: What if I decide to transfer to a different university?

A:  If you enroll at the university and choose to transfer to another university you are free to do so, subject to any limitations or requirements pulbished in each schools' policy statements or catalogs.

 Q: Is there any financial aid available?

A:  The financial aid that we can offer at the university is the legal right to obtain full time, paid employment from U.S. based companies while you are in a CPT program.  Thus, students have the potential of earning in internship employment much more often than what they might obtain in a scholarship from a different university.  

Available schools