Overview: Curricular Practical Training (CPT)Work authorization for F-1 students for training that is an integral part of an established curriculum and directly related to their major. A designated school official authorizes it in SEVIS and on the Form I-20, and the student may start only after receiving the endorsed I-20. Students generally need one full academic year of enrollment first, and 12 months or more of full-time CPT makes a student ineligible for post-completion OPT at that education level.See it in the glossary is tied to a curriculum requirement and authorized while a student is still enrolled; Optional Practical Training (OPT)Temporary work authorization that lets eligible F-1 students work in a job directly related to their field of study. It can be used before or after completing a program, for up to 12 months in total at each education level, and students with certain STEM degrees can apply for a 24-month extension. USCIS grants it on Form I-765 after the school's designated school official recommends it.See it in the glossary is a broader benefit usable before or after completion, with its own application and time limits. Misusing CPT can jeopardize OPT eligibility. A 2026 DHS rule that would add a fixed admission period would change how students track their status around a post-completion OPT application, even though it would not eliminate OPT. A federal court blocked that rule on September 14, 2026, so it is not in effect.
What CPT is and how it's authorized
Curricular Practical Training is work integrated into the curriculum itself, such as a required internship or cooperative education component, authorized by the school's designated school official and reflected on the student's Form I-20. It is available only while the student remains actively enrolled and does not by itself extend the student's authorized stay beyond the program.
What OPT is and how it's authorized
Optional Practical Training is a separate benefit tied to the student's field of study, authorized by USCIS through Form I-765 rather than the school alone. It can be used before completion (pre-completion OPT, generally part-time) or after completion (post-completion OPT, generally full-time), and pulls from the same 12-month standard allotment either way.
Full-time CPT and its effect on OPT eligibility
A long-standing rule remains unchanged by the 2026 admission-period rule: a student who accrues 12 months or more of full-time CPT loses eligibility for OPT entirely. Part-time CPT does not count against this limit. Students combining a curriculum-required internship with post-graduation OPT plans should track cumulative full-time CPT carefully, since the 2026 admission-period rule would not change it.
Pre-completion vs. post-completion OPT
Pre-completion OPT is generally limited and part-time during the academic year, though it can be full-time during official school breaks. Post-completion OPT is the more commonly used benefit, applied for as graduation approaches and used after the degree is finished.
What the blocked rule would change for post-completion OPT
Under the rule ending Duration of status (D/S)The period of stay for F, J and I nonimmigrants, who are admitted for as long as they maintain their program or activity rather than until a fixed date. It appears as D/S on Form I-94.See it in the glossary for F-1 students, an approved OPT application or an updated Form I-20 would no longer automatically extend a student’s authorized stay. If a student’s I-94The Arrival/Departure Record that U.S. Customs and Border Protection creates when a nonimmigrant is admitted. It shows the class of admission and an Admit Until date, and most are now electronic and available on the CBP I-94 website. USCIS can also issue one when it approves an extension of stay or a change of status.See it in the glossary expiration fell before the OPT period ended, a separate Form I-539 extension-of-stay application would generally be needed alongside the I-765. DHS built in a transition window: students in the country on September 15, 2026 who filed a post-completion OPT application by March 18, 2027 would not need to also file the I-539 for that transition. A federal court blocked the rule on September 14, 2026, so none of this applies now. USCIS continues to accept the 08/21/25 edition of Form I-765 and the 08/28/24 edition of Form I-539 and is not accepting the 09/15/26 editions. The rule would be a mechanical filing change, not a change to who qualifies for OPT or how long it lasts.
Application timing and processing
OPT applications can generally be filed within a window around the program end date. Students should confirm their current I-94 record and follow their designated school official’s guidance, since the court order is preliminary and the rule could take effect later.
Common mistakes that jeopardize OPT
Beyond the long-standing full-time CPT limit, travel timing could matter if the blocked rule later takes effect: a student who left and was readmitted under a fixed admission period before filing for post-completion OPT might lose the transition exemption. Students planning international travel near graduation should confirm the current situation with their school’s international student office before booking.
Official sources
- USCIS: optional practical training (OPT) for F-1 students
- Study in the States: final rule establishing a fixed time period of admission
Related reading
TR Immigration is an independent immigration information platform. It is not a law firm. Nothing here is legal advice, an eligibility determination, or a prediction about your case. Rules and fees change often, so confirm anything you rely on against the official page it links to.