International Student Services

Employment Off-Campus: Curricular Practical Training

If you will be participating in the Hamilton College New York City, Washington, DC or NECC programs, you must apply for CPT. In addition, you MAY be eligible to use CPT to authorize off-campus employment in an internship, whether paid or unpaid, if the work is required for or used to partially fulfill the requirements of a course. Important points to keep in mind about all CPT:

Meet with the International Student Advisor BEFORE you agree to take any internship—paid or volunteer-- to discuss how to get work authorization.
CPT MUST relate to your academic program and YOU must demonstrate that link!
Unlike OPT, you MUST have secured a job or internship BEFORE the CPT authorization occurs.
You are not required to submit an application to USCIS, but you MUST see the International Student Advisor with all appropriate documents, be authorized in SEVIS, and receive a new I-20 showing the authorization BEFORE the start date of your employment. Please do not come in the day before!

INTERNSHIPS ON HAMILTON PROGRAMS

F1 students on these programs MUST be approved for CPT for the required internship. IT IS THE STUDENT'S RESPONSIBILITY TO NOTIFY THE OFFICE OF INTERNATIONAL STUDENT SERVICES THAT THEY WILL PARTICIPATE IN ONE OF THESE PROGRAMS, PRIOR TO THE START OF THE INTERNSHIP! Students must also provide the following materials in order to be approved:

A letter addressed to the Associate Dean of Students/International Student Advisor by the employer. The employer letter template can be sent to your employer, or ask for a signed letter on company letterhead that specifies the number of hours you will work per week, dates of employment (beginning and ending), job description, and location of employment.

A letter from the director of program you will attend verifying the internship and eligibility for CPT. The director letter templates for New York and Washington are available on-line and from the Dean of Students Office.

CPT AND THE INTERNSHIP CREDIT

Students may apply for CPT authorization for summer or other break internships if they will engage in at least 50 hours of supervised work and have the approval of the chair of their academic department or program of concentration. Authorization MUST BE received from the International Student Advisor PRIOR to beginning the internship (an updated I-20). Students seeking CPT through the internship credit should take the following steps:

Make an appointment with the Career Center (Abby Taylor, Associate Director of Employer Relations) to discuss your plans. Call 315.859.4346.
Follow instructions on the Internship Credit/CPT Authorization Form (also available from the Career Center and Dean of Students Office) for preparing a statement describing your internship and how it is integral to your curriculum.
Seek approval from the chair of your department or program of concentration, who must sign the Internship Credit/CPT Authorization Form.
Obtain a letter addressed to the Associate Dean of Students/International Student Advisor by the employer. The employer letter template can be sent to your employer, or ask for a signed letter on company letterhead specifying number of hours you will work per week, dates of employment (beginning and ending), job description, location of employment.
Submit the form, your statement, and the employer letter to Abby Taylor in the Career Center.
The International Student Advisor will process your approval and issue an I20 with your CPT authorization.
Don't forget to submit a final statement and letter from your supervisor by the date specified on the Internship Credit/CPT Authorization Form in order to receive final credit.