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. Mt. Ida Newton students may have more flexibility with working hours. Please discuss internship with advisor for approval.
• 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 International Programs Office (IPO) 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 Experience request on Handshake.
   • After logging in, click on Career Center > Experiences > Submit an Experience. Any questions about registering your experience in Handshake should be directed to Mary Lysakowski, mklysako@umass.edu, in the Career Development & Professional Connections Hub.
   • Complete survey including:
     • Experience Type = International Graduate Students Internship or Externship for Credit Experience Contract (Required for CPT) (GRAD)
     • Department Administrator UMass Email Address = bhopkins@isenberg.umass.edu
     • Department Administrator Full Name = Bobbi Hopkins
     • What is the internship Department and Course Number? = SCH-MGMT 698
     • How many credits do you wish to earn? = 1
     • What is your Academic Project? = Post-internship reflection
   • Save Experience As a Draft; then scroll down to the New Attachment Button (if you submit before attaching, go back into Edit mode and attach)
   • Attach the Offer Letter document
3. Attach signed Field Experience Risk Acknowledgement Form
4. Career Development reviews after student submits Experience; (typically reviewed 2-5 business days after submission).
5. Career Development processes Handshake Experience and notifies student of status OR emails student explaining why denied and requesting student to take action.
   • Graduate Student Handshake Experiences are approved by the MF advisor who confirms student eligibility in SPIRE, verifies internship is MF related and offer letter meets requirements. Students are NOT emailed by the MF advisor upon approval.
   • Graduate Student Handshake Experiences are approved by the MS advisor who confirms student eligibility in SPIRE, verifies internship is MSBA related and offer letter meets requirements. Students are NOT emailed by the MS advisor upon approval.
6. Student will save the PDF of the APPROVED Handshake contract. Be sure to save the WHOLE contract, do not just screenshot the top of the experience. You can save the whole approved contract by using the PRINT, SAVE AS PDF function on your computer. 
7. Student allowed to formally accept the offer after Grad Programs approval (final CPT approval is not required to accept a job offer).
8. Department Administrator submits the Practicum registration. 
   • GRAD students will receive an email from Bobbi Hopkins when this process is completed.
9. Student pays for mandatory Pass/Fail Practicum ($925 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

10. Student submits CPT e-form: Undergraduate and Master's Non-Thesis Students 
    • Use the Option: "I will receive academic credit..."
    • Attach the "Approved Handshake Experience pdf"
    • Attach job offer letter (do not include special characters in file name)
    • Attach a screenshot of your SPIRE Enrollment page, showing you are enrolled in the Univ+ class
    • 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
11. Advisor reviews the CPT e-form; approves, as appropriate.
12. IPO reviews the completed CPT request and submits paperwork to federal government to generate I-20 (typically reviewed 7-10 business days after receipt). Important: Student cannot begin working until CPT is approved (start date may need to change if approval pending).
13. Student picks up the CPT I-20 at the IPO.
14. Student can apply for Social Security Number (SSN).
15. 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.