International Student employment

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Curriculum Practical Training (CPT) Policy and Procedure for Students in Industrial and Operations Engineering

  • CPT is an option that allows international students holding valid F-1 visas to pursue off-campus employment which is an integral part of their program of study.
  • The University of Michigan (U-M) International Center, the College of Engineering (CoE), and the Industrial and Operations Engineering (IOE) Department have developed policies, in accordance with federal regulations, for IOE graduate students who wish to pursue CPT. This document summarizes the International Center and CoE procedures and requirements for all Engineering graduate students and specifies the additional IOE departmental requirements.

General CPT policies CPT authorizations for U-M students are processed by the International Center. The International Center maintains a webpage with detailed information about CPT eligibility, the application process, and other important policies that apply to all F-1 students at U-M seeking CPT authorization. Some of the points covered are:

  • CPT work assignments can occur only after enrolling at U-M full-time for two consecutive terms.
  • The CPT option is not available if the student has completed all degree requirements. However, Optional Practical Training (OPT) may be an option for students who have graduated.
  • The student must have a written, valid job offer and a Detailed Training Description to apply for CPT authorization.
  • The CPT employment must be an integral part of the student’s program of study.
  • The student must register for one credit hour of ENGR 998 during the term of CPT employment. If CPT employment takes place during Spring/Summer, the student has the option of registering for ENGR 998 during the Spring/Summer term or the preceding Winter term (to avoid paying Spring/Summer tuition); however, if CPT employment takes place in both Winter term and the following Spring/Summer term, the student must register for ENGR 998 during both terms.
  • If pursuing CPT during Fall or Winter terms, the student is expected to be full-time and maintain a physical presence on campus.
  • Graduate Engineering students will have their CPT experience supervised by the Engineering Career Resource Center (ECRC). This document outlines the CPT process (including CPT authorization and ENGR 998 enrollment and completion) for CoE graduate students.

IOE Departmental Requirements for CPT

In addition to the above policies, IOE graduate students pursuing CPT must satisfy the following departmental requirements:

  • Full-time CPT work assignments may only be performed during the Spring/Summer term (May-August). Part-time assignments may be performed during the Fall or Winter term, provided that the student is registered for sufficient credit hours to satisfy federal regulations (please refer to the International Center website link above for details).
  • Students may not perform two consecutive terms of CPT, unless one of the terms is a part-time assignment as described above.
  • ENGR 998 is not counted toward the credit hours required for the IOE Graduate degrees.