Undergraduate curricular and optional practical training (CPT)

This page contains information for undergraduate students pursuing Curricular Practical Training (CPT). Graduate students should review this CPT page instead.

International students admitted to our undergraduate computer science programs in CLA and CSE and the data science program in CSE who are interested in working off-campus must complete specific paperwork with a CS&E Advisor and the International Student and Scholar Services (ISSS) office to work legally.

Students should take the following steps to get set up for CPT (for more details on CPT go to this ISSS website):

  1. Receive a job offer
  2. Students should complete the CPT online workshop on MyISSS.
  3. Students should meet a CS&E Advisor via drop-in advising or an appointment. Students will need to bring the Course Instructor Verification Form and their offer letter for employment with them to the advisor meeting.
    1. The CS&E Advisor will complete the Course Instructor Verification Form for the CPT application.
    2. The CSE&E Advisor will email the student a permission number to add CSCI 5996 to a future semester and instructions on writing a paper to receive credit for CSCI  5996.
  4. Students should register for CSCI 5996 online using the permission number emailed to them (must be registered before submitting paperwork to ISSS).
  5. Students complete all three sections of the CPT Request in MyISSS.
    1. Upload CPT supporting documents
    2. Enter CPT employment details
    3. Submit a CPT request to the advisor you met with to complete step 3 above.

CSCI 5996 is a one-credit course taken pass/fail, which will only count for credits towards the 120 credit minimum needed to graduate. CSCI 5996 will not count for major requirements in the BS and BA programs. CSCI 5997 will be used for any CPT extension requests since CSCI 5996 cannot be added to the same semester twice.