Curricular Practical Training (CPT)

• Students must have a written job offer when submitting for CPT
• CPT can be authorized by the IPO if the internship is credit-earning, directly related to the student's field of study and integral to their program curriculum
• CPT is possible in summer (most common), and sometimes in fall or spring. Contact your academic advisor for approval and to ensure you are meeting degree plan requirements:
  • Summer/Winter internship:
    • Can be more than 20 hours per week. Not required to be enrolled full-time, but may enroll in some classes.
  • Fall or Spring Internship:
    • Less than 20 hours per week. Must be remote or local to campus so that the student can be enrolled full-time and attend classes in-person. 
• CPT is available only prior to the completion of a degree program. CPT will not be approved after the add/drop period in your final semester. 
• CPT employment may not delay completion of the academic program

See important additional CPT details and requirements on the Office of Global Affairs website. 

• Completed two full semesters in F-1 immigration status or
• Meet the Master of Finance field experience requirements: Complete one academic semester in the United States successfully completing 2 of the following finance courses (640, 679 or 609) before interning. 
• After or during internship experience, apply industry experience in a finance course with an applied project or assignment (682, 683, 672, 690RI).
• Good Academic Standing
• Satisfactory Progress toward degree

Pre-Approval Steps 

1.    Student verifies that job offer includes all necessary information (follow up with employer, as needed)

• Must be on company letterhead (with complete mailing address)
• Must contain ALL of the following information:
  • Job title
  • Brief description of job duties
  • Number of hours student will work per week
  • Job location (address where you will actually work)
  • Exact employment start and end date
  • Salary and related compensation

2.    Student initiates the Experiential Learning Request in SPIRE under the Academic. In SPIRE, you will upload your offer letter and any other required documents. 

• Log in to your student account on SPIRE. 
• Click on the Academics Tile.
• Under the Forms and Academic Requests tab, choose Experiential Learning Request. 
• Here, click the Create a New Request button. 
• Fill out all the information. Items marked with an asterisk are mandatory fields.
  • Select the respective department from the Instructor Department dropdown (SCH-MGMT) to then choose your desired instructor from the Instructor dropdown (Bobbi Hopkins).
  • The start and end dates are mandatory, but a rough estimate is okay since they can be edited later.
  • Click the question mark next to fields to view more information.
  • Enter the address at which you will be living in during the internship for the Student Living Address section, and the organization's address in the Work Address section.
  • Upload offer letter and any relevant documents by scrolling to the bottom of the page - click the Attach Document button and choose a file from your device. 
• Remember to Save any edits you make to student input before clicking Approve. If you have any questions or issues, please reach out to Mary Lysakowski,  mklysako@umass.edu.
• If you wish to proceed with your request, click the Submit Request button. Read the terms and conditions and click the acknowledgement checkbox at the bottom of the page and click I Accept. This will send a request to the selected instructor/sponsor for processing and approval.  
• Note that once you submit the form, you will receive a confirmation email along with a copy of the acknowledgment form you signed.

3.    The Experiential Learning Request will take at least 5 business days to be processed and approved. The faculty sponsor (instructor) must approve the request after they receive notification of the request. Do NOT email the faculty sponsor or the Career Development Hub requesting expedited approval.

4.    The department administrator will enroll the student in a mandatory Pass/Fail Practicum ($1400 tuition rate) as part of their semester bill.

• Although this one-credit course will appear on your transcript, it does not count toward your MF requirements.

 
CPT Application Steps

1.    Once you have completed Steps 1-4 and have received the necessary documents, proceed to the CPT Request E-Form and upload your job offer letter, approved Experiential Learning Request, and a screenshot(s) of your course enrollment/your co-op/externship paperwork for the term(s) you are requesting CPT: CPT Request E-Form for Undergraduate and Master’s Non-Thesis Students.

• Fill in the following to complete the CPT e-form:
  • Advisor Name: Bobbi Hopkins
  • Advisor Title: Assistant Director, Graduate Programs
  • Advisor Email: bhopkins@isenberg.umass.edu
  • Department: Isenberg School of Management

2.    Advisor reviews the CPT e-form; approves, as appropriate.

3.    Office of Global Affairs reviews the completed CPT request and submits paperwork to federal government to generate I-20 (Allow 10 business days for ISSS processing (you may not begin your CPT until you have been approved). Do NOT email requesting an expedited approval.  

4.    Important: Student cannot begin working until CPT is approved (start date may need to change if approval pending).

5.    Student picks up the CPT I-20 at the Office of Global Affairs.

6.    Student can apply for Social Security Number (SSN).

7.    Student provides employer with new I-20, valid passport, and evidence of F-1 immigration status (F-1 visa or USCIS F-1 approval notice, and I-94 record) to satisfy Federal employment authorization requirements.
 

After Internship

• Student completes survey reflecting on their internship experience.
• Instructor of Record contacts supervisor to verify completion of internship experience and documents Pass/Fail grade (Pass = “SAT” at Graduate Level)

If you have questions, please email your academic advisor.