US Tightens Scrutiny Of F-1 Student Work Rules? SEVP Warns Over CPT; UC Berkeley, UC Davis Pause Credit Course Applications
The US Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP) has warned universities and Designated School Officials (DSOs) against improperly authorising Curricular Practical Training (CPT) for international students, signalling tighter scrutiny of how F-1 students access work-based training. The warning, issued in an August 12 broadcast message, does not introduce a new CPT eligibility rule. Instead,…
In an effort to tighten oversight of work-based training for international students, the U.S. Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP) has issued a warning to universities and Designated School Officials (DSOs) regarding the improper authorization of Curricular Practical Training (CPT) for F-1 students. The warning, communicated on August 12, does not introduce new rules but stresses the importance of existing federal requirements.
SEVP has stressed that CPT can only be authorized when directly related to a student's major and is a required part of the academic curriculum. Universities and DSOs are being urged to provide documentation demonstrating the curricular necessity of CPT and maintain records supporting each authorization. If universities fail to comply with these requirements, they may face investigation and potential withdrawal of their SEVP certification.
The warning has prompted the University of California, Berkeley and UC Davis to temporarily pause applications for Course Credit CPT, while still processing CPT that is a formal requirement of a degree programme. Students should be aware that SEVP has reiterated that CPT must satisfy existing federal requirements and that the increased oversight may lead to greater scrutiny of CPT applications and possible delays in university approval.
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