Co-op / Internships (CPT)

The Northeastern Experience!

U.S. News & World Report ranks Northeastern University's innovative cooperative education program among the world's best. International students in valid F-1 and J-1 status may take advantage of this invaluable opportunity to combine classroom study with real life experience, provided that they seek proper authorization in a timely manner.


Curricular Practical Training (CPT) is a benefit of being an F-1 student and is authorized by the ISSI. CPT is a required or integral part of an academic program and occurs before the completion of a program of study.
  • At Northeastern, the most common form of CPT is co-op. However, CPT authorization must be obtained for each and every co-op, internship, practicum, clinical and corporate residency, or any other experiential training, whether on or off-campus.
  • CPT can be either FULL-TIME (20+ hours/week) or PART-TIME (20 hours/week or fewer)
  • CPT can be either PAID or UNPAID. Authorization is required regardless of compensation!
  • CPT is employer LOCATION and DATE specific. The employer's name and address, and the precise start and end dates must be authorized in advance by the ISSI in SEVIS.
    Students cannot start employment prior to obtaining CPT authorization from the ISSI. Working for even one day outside of the dates authorized by the ISSI is a violation of student status. Any orientation or training days must be authorized by the ISSI.
    Any extensions, cancellations, or changes to the dates or employer must be first approved by the Co-op Coordinator or Academic Advisor and then authorized by the ISSI prior to the change.


Eligibility for CPT

  • The student must be in valid F-1 status for CPT. F-1 undergraduate students must have completed at least one academic year in order to receive authorization for CPT. All students must comply with their college requirements and policies concerning the timing of eligibility for any co-op or other experiential training.


Curricular Practical Training (CPT)'s Influence on Optional Practical Training (OPT)

  • If an F-1 student has engaged in 52 weeks or more of co-op or full-time CPT within the U.S., he/she is NOT eligible for OPT. It is the student's responsibility to keep track of how many weeks of CPT he or she has used.


Academic Training (AT) is training experience related to a J-1 student's field of study.
  • J-1 students cannot participate in international co-ops.
  • If Northeastern is the J-1 sponsor, only the Responsible Office (RO)/Alternative Responsible Office (ARO) at the International Student & Scholar Institute (ISSI) can authorize the J-1 student's AT. However, if the student's DS-2019 was issued by an international agency, then that agency must authorize AT.
  • AT can be either PAID or UNPAID. Authorization is required regardless of compensation!
  • AT authorization is LOCATION and DATE specific. The employer's name and address, and the precise start and end dates must be authorized in advance by the ISSI in SEVIS.
    Students cannot start training prior to obtaining AT authorization from the ISSI. Working outside of the dates authorized by the ISSI may constitute a violation of student status. Any orientation or training days must be authorized by the ISSI.
    Any extensions, cancellations, or changes to the dates or employer must be first approved by the Co-op Coordinator or Academic Advisor and then authorized by the ISSI prior to the change.


Eligibility for AT

The student must be in valid J-1 status for AT. AT is available during a student's academic program and /or upon a student's completion of program. A student must be in good academic standing. The proposed training must be directly related to the student's major field of study and approved by the Academic Advisor or Co-op Coordinator. The student must maintain health insurance coverage for him/herself and any J-2 dependents throughout the AT. All students must comply with their college requirements and policies concerning the timing of eligibility for any co-op or other experiential training.


Consequences of Unauthorized Employment

Unauthorized employment will place the student in serious violation of his or her F-1 or J-1 student status. According to immigration regulations, students who have their SEVIS record terminated for engaging in unauthorized employment are not eligible to apply for reinstatement. In order to regain student status, the student may need to leave the U.S. and re-enter the country in valid F-1 or J-1 status. However, there are no guarantees that a student will be successful in re-acquiring status.


Social Security and Employment Authorization

    A Social Security Number does NOT constitute work authorization.
  • All paid employment in the U.S. requires a Social Security Number. If a student does not already have a Social Security Number, s/he can apply for one after obtaining CPT authorization from the ISSI. A student is not eligible to apply for a Social Security Number more than 30 days prior to starting training. Further information on how to obtain a number is available at the ISSI (see Form 111). Please keep in mind that it may take 2 to 4 weeks to receive a Social Security Number. Additional information on obtaining a Social Security Number can be found at www.ssa.gov.


International Co-ops for International Students

F-1 students can participate in international co-ops. S/he must still complete the ISSI Form 152 with the appropriate signatures and get approval from the ISSI. The student must also contact the International Co-op Office if engaging in a co-op outside of the United States.
Generally, the time that an F-1 student spends on international co-op will not affect OPT eligibility. It is likely that no CPT will be used while the student is working outside of the United States.


Taxes

All international students must file taxes. Please check the ISSI website during the month of February each year for additional resources. You can also refer to http://www.irs.gov for additional information.
Federal, state and local income taxes must be withheld from the pay of international students in F-1 status unless they are exempt by the provision of a tax treaty (see IRS Publication 901, U.S. Tax Treaties). F-1 students are NOT subject to Social Security (FICA), Medicare, or Federal Unemployment (FUTA) deductions, if claiming non-resident status for tax purposes.
The ISSI is not able to give advice on tax issues.


How to Receive CPT (or AT) Authorization

There are several steps for international students to obtain authorization for co-op or other types of CPT or AT. Authorization from the ISSI can only be granted after a position has been obtained and has been approved by the student's Co-op Coordinator or Academic Advisor.

    Step One
    The student must complete the appropriate CPT or AT authorization form along with his/her Co-op Coordinator or Academic Advisor. The following forms can be found on the ISSI website:

    • ISSI Form 165: CPT (Co-op and Internship) Application Form for CPS Students
    • ISSI Form 152: Co-op Application Form for International Students
    • ISSI Form 105: Internship (CPT) Form for International Students

    Students must be registered for the appropriate course registration for the training experience prior to seeking authorization from the ISSI.
    Step Two
    The student must bring the completed ISSI Form 165, ISSI Form 152 or ISSI Form 105 along with the following documents to the ISSI:

    • Passport (valid)
    • Form I-94 (white card in passport)

    The ISSI Co-op Specialist will examine the student's documents to determine whether or not the student is eligible to participate in CPT. The Co-op Specialist will issue an authorized student the following documents:
    • I-20 with CPT endorsement on page 3 (authorized J-1 students will receive a DS-2019 with AT endorsement on page 1)
    • Work authorization letter
    • I-9 & W-4 instructions & E-Verify information
    • Copy of agreement on Form 165/Form 152/ Form 105
    • Instructions for applying for a Social Security Number (if necessary)


    Step Three
    The student must pick up the documents from the ISSI.
    Student must have CPT or AT authorization prior to work experience, and must collect the above documents from the ISSI prior to CPT start date.

Reminders: Any changes of address must be updated on a student's MyNEU account within 10 days. Students should always keep their current and all previously-issued I-20s or DS-2019s.

CPT Overview

Please be sure to review the information in the slide-show below for an overview of your responsibilities for your CPT. Click on the arrows at the bottom of the window to control the slide-show. If you would like to view a full-size version of the presentation, then click on the box in the lower-right corner of the window below.

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