International students in the United States are facing new hurdles in securing internships after federal officials warned universities to strictly enforce existing rules governing Curricular Practical Training (CPT).
The August 24 directive from the Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP), part of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, warned that some CPT approvals appeared to go beyond regulations requiring the training to be an integral part of an established academic curriculum. Universities that fail to comply could risk losing their certification to enroll international students.
What does this mean for students?
CPT itself has not been banned. However, universities including UC Berkeley, UCLA, the University of Pennsylvania, NYU, USC, the University of Washington and the University of Rochester have paused or restricted certain applications while reviewing the federal guidance.
UC Berkeley said it would continue processing CPT tied directly to degree requirements, including certain doctoral dissertation and master’s thesis research.
The changes could have a particularly significant effect on international students who depend on internships to gain U.S. work experience before graduation.
The development comes as the Trump administration pursues broader changes affecting international students, including tighter scrutiny of student visas and other employment pathways.
Bottom line: International students have not been banned from internships across the United States, but access to CPT is becoming more restrictive at some universities as schools respond to Washington’s warnings.
WWC ONE MEDIA J.M.D
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