Current Student Resources
Practical Training is authorized employment which is related to a student's field of study. F-1 students who are in-status can apply for a maximum of 12 months of Optional Practical Training (OPT). Students may be eligible for a second OPT after completion of a higher level degree. For example, if you are completing your bachelor degree now, you may be eligible for another 12 month OPT after your Master degree. Some may also be eligible for Curricular Practical Training. (Please see handouts in ISA for more information.) Persons on practical training are still considered to be F-1 students through the International Student Affairs Office (ISA) at NKU.
PLEASE NOTE: Your OPT application MUST be submitted before the completion of your program of study. Immigration will not accept applications after the completion of your program of study.
All F-1 students who are in-status are eligible for Optional Practical Training as long as he/she has not worked 12 months of full-time Curricular Practical Training. There are two forms of Optional Practical Training. "Pre-completion" can be carried out before completion of a student's course of study and permits 20 hours per week only (student ideally should have a job offer before applying in this case). Unlike Curricular Practical Training, you are not required to register for the COOP program to apply for OPT. "Post-completion" can be carried out after the student has completed his/her course of study; full-time employment is permissible. Students may apply for authorization for Optional Practical Training directly related to their major area of study in the following cases:
- During the student's annual vacation (summer) as long as the student intends to register for the next semester. (Student should ideally have a job offer before applying in this case.)
- While school is in session, provided that practical training does not exceed 20 hours a week.
(Student should ideally have a job offer before applying in this case.) - After completion of the course of study. (This type of practical training must be applied for prior to the completion of study.) No job offer is necessary to apply.
The following materials are needed to process an application for OPT.
1. Completed form.
2. Two immigration type color photographs (3/4 frontal profile).
3. All the I-20s ever issued to you (even from previous schools).
4. Copies of your passport name page, visa page.
5. Copy of your I-94 (which should be stapled inside your passport).
6. Any Employment Authorization Document (EAD) previously issued to you.
7. A completed Faculty Advisor Recommendation Form.
8. A check for $175 made payable to "U.S. Immigration"
* IMPORTANT NOTE: Due to the time it is taking the Immigration Service Centers to process Optional Practical Training applications, you should make an appointment with ISA three to four months before you wish to begin your employment.
ALWAYS REMEMBER: Never begin employment without written permission from the ISA office. In the case of OPT, the ISA Office can recommend the training, but you must wait until you receive written permission from the CIS to begin working.
Questions? Call ISA at: (859) 572-6517.
Click here for Optional Practical Training Application.
Students who have internships or cooperative education as a required part of their curriculum can receive an endorsement for curricular practical training. In addition, most international students are eligible to apply for off-campus employment related to their major through the cooperative education program and the ISA Office. Present regulations (clarified by DHS on 05/07/2003) state that this training will not affect other practical training provided the total amount of curricular practical training authorized is less than 12 months. If a student completes 12 or more months of full-time curricular practical training, he/she is ineligible for other practical training. You may be eligible to do part-time curricular practical training in conjunction with full-time studies.
"Students enrolled in a college or university may apply to the U.S. CIS Designated School Official (DSO) for curricular practical training that is an integral part of an established curriculum. Such training is sometimes available by sponsoring employers through cooperative agreements with the school." <INS 8 CFR 2.14.2(f)(10)(i)>
In other words, a student who is maintaining F-1 status can apply for CPT through their international student advisor, but the employment must be recommended by the student's faculty advisor, and the student must receive approval from the Career Development Center in room 230 of the University Center to enroll in the Cooperative Education Program and register for academic credit (CEP 300). Because of the many procedures involved, you should begin this process several months in advance of the semester you wish to begin.
1. Prior to beginning work, the employment MUST be authorized in writing on the reverse side of the student's I-20 by the Office of International Student Affairs.
2. To obtain authorization, the student must submit ALL necessary paperwork required by CIS and the ISA office to the ISA office. A minimum of three (3) days is required in order to review the COOP position, the recommendations, the student's schedule, and if eligible, to authorize the employment on the back of the student's I-20 and notify CIS of the approval. (See Application Process).
3. Combined on and off-campus work must NOT exceed 20 hours per week during the school year.
4. Authorization for COOP is for one employer during a particular time period. The student can NOT change employers during that time period. The student can NOT work outside of the dates authorized to work.
Failure to comply with CIS regulations will result in a violation of legal status. An F-1 student who falls out of status will lose all privileges granted by CIS. For example, any request for program extensions, on-campus employment, practical training, etc., would have to be denied. Additionally, the student could be subject to deportation and barred from re-entering the United States for 3 - 10 years. As reinstatement to F-1 status has become more and more difficult, we encourage all students to maintain good standing with CIS.
Click here for Curricular Practical Training Application Process
NOTE: The staff in the Career Development Center can assist you in revising your résumé, in exploring job possibilities, and giving interview tips. Keep in mind, however, that it is not their responsibility to know immigration regulations as they pertain to your F-1 status. You will still need to submit documents from the International Student Affairs Office and receive written authorization from the ISA Office on the back of your I-20 before you begin work. You can request additional information on curricular practical training from the ISA Office and then schedule an appointment with the ISA Program Coordinator.