CPT vs OPT

Candidates who migrate to the US to pursue higher education often look for ways to earn extra money while studying, or they might want to gain work experience. Since getting employment opportunities with an F-1 visa can be complicated, they should always contact their school's Designated School Official for options.

Curricular Practical Training and Optional Practical Training are employment opportunities that students on F-1 visas can use while studying in the US. Both these training options are popular among students, and most students pursue both types of training.

Differences Between CPT and OPT

Criteria	CPT	OPT
Academic Requirement	Part of the academic program and is integral to graduation	Not required to complete the academic program
Timing	Must be completed before graduation	Can be taken up before or after the graduation
Credits Offered	Completed as part of the program, and the candidate receives credits associated with the training	Not a part of the academic program, and hence no credits are offered
Authorization	Authorized by DSO in SEVIS and printed on student's Form I-20	Authorized by USCIS after DSO recommends OPT in SEVIS
Employer	Can work for only one specified employer	Can work for any employer, but periods of employment cannot overlap
Duration	Authorized per semester; completion of 1 year full-time CPT makes the student ineligible for OPT	Valid for 12 months, either before or after the graduation; does not have to be continuous; can get a 24-month extension for STEM OPT
Part-time	Can work up to 20 hours a week during school year	Can work up to 20 hours a week in Pre-completion OPT
Full-time	Can work more than 20 hours a week during school breaks	Must work at least 20 hours a week during Post-completion OPT
Cost	Free- no cost to the student or the employer	Cost of online application is $470 and paper application is $520
Job Offer	Requires a job offer before applying	Job offer not needed at the time of application
Multiple Trainings	Can have more than one authorization at the same time	Cannot have more than one authorization at the same time

Similarities Between CPT and OPT

Criteria	Description
Category	Training has to be related to the field of study
Work time	Can be worked full-time or part-time
Authorization	Authorization has to be in SEVIS
Earning	Help students earn money while pursuing higher education on an F-1 visa, although they can opt to do an unpaid internship as well
Eligibility	Must have completed at least 1 year in a full-time study program
Grace Period	60 days grace period upon completion of the training to prepare to leave the country or change their visa status so that they can stay in the US legally

What is CPT?

Curricular Practical Training, or CPT, is a work authorization for international students on an F-1 visa. It allows them to pursue paid or unpaid internships in the US as long as the internship is an integral part of the student's academic program. This training is usually used to gain work experience in their academic field and is worth credits toward program completion. As such, it is taken before graduating.

What is OPT?

Optional Practical Training, or OPT, is work authorization for international students on F-1 visas to take up job offers, either during or after graduation. The job should fall within the domain of their study. Students are allowed a total of 12 months for OPT. These 12 months can be before or up to 12 months after their graduation. If pursuing OPT after they graduate, the students cannot remain unemployed for more than 90 days.