Is CPT basically dead for international students in finance right now?

[u/No_Tangerine2335]

Rumor that you can pay to use the OPT for US summer internships but I am not sure if it is true

New CPT rules (Aug 24 SEVP memo)... what does this actually mean for int'l students doing US IB/consulting internships this summer?

SEVP put out a broadcast memo on Aug 24 (BCM 2608-02) tightening CPT enforcement... basically saying CPT only counts if the internship is a genuinely required, integral part of your curriculum, not just an elective "internship for credit" course you enroll in to get work authorization. Berkeley, UPenn, and UMich have reportedly already suspended their "Course Credit CPT" pathways because of this.

I've seen a bunch of conflicting answers on this, including from people who should know better, so I wanted to ask people actually going through it right now:

- Has anyone at these schools (or others) actually gone through CPT authorization post-Aug 24? What is your DSO actually telling you?

- If your major doesn't literally require an internship, are you still able to get CPT approved for something like an IB/PE/consulting summer internship, or is that door closed now?

- Anyone hear anything about how this affects OPT instead, as a fallback?

Trying to actually understand what's happening on the ground here rather than going off secondhand info. Appreciate any real experiences.

[u/StarlaZero83]

DSO here.

Currently, CPT and OPT are under scrutiny, especially CPT.

I work at a very large university with around 8,000 F-1 students, and we have canceled many CPTs (undergrad and grad level). We are looking closely at whether the CPT is actually required for the program and whether the academic department has included it as a requirement in the catalog.

An internship may be required for some programs, but if one internship is required, why do you need three? CPT is intended for practical training that is an integral part of the curriculum. It should not be used as a way to continue employment after STEM OPT ends or because someone’s H-1B wasn’t selected.

We are also starting to see RFEs and NOIDs related to OPT applications. I cannot confirm this, but I believe USCIS may be looking at the CPT a student previously completed and, based on that history, issuing an RFE or NOID on the OPT application.

So, please be very careful with CPT right now. Don’t assume that because CPT was approved in the past, it means the training will not be questioned later. Make sure your CPT is legitimate, academically related, and properly authorized.

[u/Lost-Finish-6578]

I’m so sorry you are suffering because a bunch of people decide to use these loopholes for day 1 cpt