International Students
Curricular Practical Training (CPT) is authorized by the International Services Office (ISO) at GW. You will submit your CPT application to ISO, but must submit employment-related materials to the Career Development Office (CDO) to include with your CPT application.
The International Services Office (ISO) assists students and scholars with maintaining legal status and to make your stay in the U.S. a rewarding and enjoyable experience. However, it is important to remember that the ultimate responsibility for maintaining legal status in the U.S. is yours. ISO staff members are available to provide answers to your questions and are prepared to help you understand and comply with the often complex immigration requirements.
It is your responsibility to attend GW's mandatory International New Student Orientation and scheduled information sessions, collect and read written materials, and meet with an ISO advisor whenever you have a question or problem.
If you have questions regarding Optional Practical Training (OPT), please see the ISO OPT Guide and deanofstudents
law [dot] gwu [dot] edu (email the Dean of Students Office) to initiate that process.
Once you have received a written offer from an employer and have all your materials together, you can initiate the application process with the CDO by filling out the CDO CPT Submission Form.
Application Process & Requirements
Curricular Practical Training (CPT) is the form of work authorization F-1 law students most commonly use. CPT is strongly encouraged for unpaid positions and required for all paid positions (with limited exceptions described below). CPT is available both during the academic year (part-time only: maximum 20 hours/week) and during summer breaks (full-time: maximum 40 hours/week). CPT must be authorized on a semester-by-semester basis, although there is no limit to the number of semesters for which CPT may be authorized.
Please allow 20 business days for the processing and approval of your CPT application (10 for the CDO and 10 for ISO). Both offices receive a large number of applications and process them in the order received. ISO does not expedite applications because a student has an immediately pending start date. It will be up to you to work with your employer to modify your materials if necessary. The CDO cannot provide you with legal counsel at any point during this process.
Unauthorized employment is a serious violation of your F-1 visa status, and may permanently affect your ability to enter or remain in the United States. Many U.S. employers are not familiar with the work authorization rules governing F-1 students, and you may be asked to explain these rules to prospective employers as part of the job interview process. Therefore, it is vital to pay close attention to work authorization issues throughout your job search process as an international JD student, and to consult with the International Services Office (ISO) and the CDO as necessary.
Eligibility
- You must have been enrolled consecutively as a full time student for the equivalent of 1 academic year (2 semesters).
- You must be in valid F-1 status.
- You must have completed at least 1 full semester at GW in the semester prior to proposed practical training.
- You must have already received an eligible offer of employment/training.
How To Apply
- To apply, you must submit the following documents to the CDO CPT Submission Form:
- A proposal letter from you that includes the following (you can access a sample proposal letter on CORE):
- The type of training that you would like to do and how the proposed training is directly related to your field of study
- The specific responsibilities and duties you will be undertaking at the position
- Your expected month and year of graduation;
- Your position title;
- The full formal name of the organization where your training is to take place;
- The city and state where your training is to take place;
- Your expected hours/pay rate;
- Dated signature (electronic is OK);
- Exact dates of your training (start and end date: must match the dates on the Offer Letter).
- An offer letter (on letterhead) from the entity offering the training that includes the following:
- Full formal name and address of entity issuing the paycheck (if you will be receiving a paycheck);
- Address where training will take place;
- Title of the applicant’s position;
- Detailed description of duties;
- Number of hours the applicant will be training per week and pay;
- Exact dates of the applicant’s training (start and end date: must match the dates on the proposal letter);
- Dated signature from the employer (electronic is OK).
- A copy of your transcript (can be official or unofficial).
Submit these documents to the CDO CPT Submission Form. The GW Law CDO will contact you when materials are prepared. You must then upload your documents to ISO for approval on ISOGateway.
The CDO documentation does NOT give approval/authorization to work or begin training. You must receive written approval on your I-20 from an ISO advisor.
To receive CPT work authorization, you must fulfill a curricular course enrollment requirement, and your proposed job or internship must be directly related to the study of law. You may fulfill the CPT curricular course enrollment requirement by enrolling in Legal Practicum (6695), a free, zero credit course. The CDO will provide you with the Academic Advisor Letter and Registration Form for the course. Alternatively, students doing externships through the Field Placement Program will fulfill the curricular requirement by enrolling in the required Field Placement co-requisite course.
CPT must be re-authorized each semester. For a fall or spring semester internship, the job start date must be on or after the first day of the semester, and the end date must be on or before the last day of final exams. For summer internships, the job start date must be after the last day of spring semester finals, and the end date must be before the first day of the fall semester. Note that you therefore CANNOT work between semesters for any reason. When negotiating your job start date, be sure to allow enough time to obtain CPT authorization. You may not begin working under CPT until you receive ISO’s written approval.
Frequently Asked Questions
- What are the required elements for a complete CPT application?
For CPT, you will need to provide the Career Development Office with three documents:
1) Your GW Law transcript (official or unofficial)
2) An offer letter from your employer, and
3) The student proposal letter signed by you (Use the template on CORE).- What is the Career Development Office (CDO)’s role in the process?
The CDO does not approve CPT requests. We begin the process and provide you with the academic advisor letter and registration form. The CDO is also available to answer logistics questions that arise during the process but cannot provide you legal counsel.
- What is the process if I am receiving academic credit for my position?
If you are receiving academic credit for your position, the CDO will provide you with the academic advisor letter to register for the appropriate co-requisite course. The Field Placement Office will provide you the course number. You do not need to be signed up for the course when you are submitting your application, but the course name must be in the proposal letter. You can sign up for the class formally after the process.
If you are not receiving academic credit for your position, the CDO will provide you with the academic advisor letter and Restricted Course Registration Form. This will allow you to register for the free, zero-credit Legal Practicum course (6695). Registration is done through the Records Office.
- When should I initiate the application process?
As soon as you receive your offer of employment. The CDO requires 10 business days (two weeks) to process your application before it is sent to ISO for processing, which requires an additional 10 days. You may not begin work without authorization by ISO.
- What positions can I apply for?
Many firms (small, medium, and BigLaw) hire international students for summer associate positions. Apply in the same manner as non-international students and if selected, simply apply for CPT.
Generally, U.S. citizenship is required for federal agencies and federal court clerkships. However, there are exceptions. The position’s posting controls and often indicates whether citizenship is required. State courts and courts such as the D.C. Superior Court often hire international students as judicial interns.
- How much CPT can I be authorized for?
While you qualify for up to twelve months of CPT, please be aware that going beyond this twelve-month period can impact your Optional Practical Training (OPT) status after you graduate. Part-time CPT does not affect this eligibility.
- Do I have to apply for CPT authorization each semester I want to work?
Yes, CPT must be authorized each semester. If you wish to work for the same employer for more than one semester, you still must re-apply for CPT with updated dates and new duties you will be taking on.
- What happens if I complete 12 or more months of full-time CPT?
If you complete 12 or more months of full-time CPT, you will be ineligible for OPT. Any participation that is less than 12 months full-time (40 hours per week) will not affect your eligibility for OPT. You may not exceed the number of working hours permitted and may only work during the authorized time period as indicated on your I-20.
- How many hours per week can I work during the Fall and Spring semesters?
You may work up to 20 hours per week while you are enrolled for classes (generally Fall/Spring semester, Part Time CPT). You must be enrolled as a full-time student and be enrolled in the appropriate internship course: Legal Practicum, or, if receiving academic credit, the appropriate co-requisite course for Field Placement.
- How many hours per week can I work during the Summer semester?
Full time CPT permits employment of 21 hours or more per week (generally Summer-Full Time CPT).
- Can I work over Winter Break?
No. Because Winter Break occurs at the conclusion of the Fall semester and there are no courses (CPT has a curricular requirement) you may not work until Spring classes start.
- Can I change employers while on authorized CPT?
No. CPT is employer-specific and you will need to submit another application. If you are splitting a summer between two employers or have two employers in any semester, you must apply separately and have two CPT applications with two proposal letters and two employer letters.
- Do I have to apply for CPT if I am in the GWNY program?
You must apply for CPT if you are in the GWNY program as you are receiving credit.
- Do I have to apply for CPT if I am in a clinic?
The Rising for Justice Clinic and Domestic Violence Project Clinic require CPT. Please confirm with your Clinic advisor that you will or will not need CPT when you join your Clinic.
- Do I have to apply for CPT if I am not getting paid or credit?
Any position receiving academic credit, pay, stipend, or financial benefit (Metro card, subsidies, etc.) requires CPT authorization. CPT is not required for truly voluntary positions as defined by the Department of Labor. However, because the definition of "truly voluntary” is a bit of a gray area, we strongly encourage applying for CPT.
You should understand the risks and potential effect of not applying for CPT on future immigration applications (especially H1-B and PR). Beyond determining if the internship meets labor law criteria, one should also take into account if other students are getting credit or payment for the same internship.
- Do I have to apply for CPT if I am working on campus?
F-1 students may work on campus without any work authorization, but should consult with ISO.
- Where can I go to find employers that are looking to hire F-1 students or have previously hired them?
A great resource for international students available for all GW students is Interstride.