Curricular Practical Training for International Students

International Students and Cooperative Education

Curricular Practical Training (CPT) is for F-1 Visa holding students and is intended to provide hands-on, practical experience that serves as a fundamental part of an established academic curriculum and is intrinsically linked to your major area of study. The goal of CPT is to advance your academic program in a specific and definable way. 

Watch this video for more information about international students and cooperative education.

If you are participating in a part-time Co-op through the Engineering Cooperative Education Program (Co-op) at Case Western Reserve University, you must be enrolled as a full-time student at the time of your Co-op. If you are participating in a full-time Co-op, course registration in SIS will maintain your full-time student status. A full-time Co-op is 21-40 hours per week, where a part-time Co-op is 0-20 hours per week. 

 

Requirements for Co-op Participation

Co-op is available to students who are in good standing with the university and pursuing a degree in engineering or computer science. Co-op course enrollment in SIS is required during your Co-op.

 

Accepting an Offer: The Co-op Program Enrollment Process

1. Obtain an offer letter. The offer letter must:

  • Be written on company letterhead
  • Be addressed to you, the student
  • Include a position title
  • Provide a job description
  • Specify the employment address (street, city, state, and zip code). If the Co-op is remote, it must include the remote address and the company's address.
  • Specify that the employment is full-time. If part-time, specify the number of hours of work per week (not a range)
  • Specify the exact start and end dates (month, day, and year)

 

2. Complete the Co-op CPT Request Form

  • Once the offer letter contains all of the required information outlined in Step 1, complete the Co-op CPT Request Form. This form will be submitted to the Co-op Director, Genine Apidone, and will provide the necessary information to begin your CPT paperwork. Please note: it takes approximately one to two weeks to obtain completed CPT documents.

3. Attend a Co-op orientation meeting. You can RSVP in Handshake events.

  • You will complete all required Co-op forms during the orientation meeting. If you do not see a meeting scheduled in Handshake, please contact coopinfo@case.edu to schedule a meeting. For second-time co-op students, you don’t have to attend an orientation meeting but you must complete all required paperwork.

4. Register for the appropriate co-op course in SIS.  

  • You will learn more about which course to enroll in during the orientation meeting. 

5. Submit CPT paperwork and all required documents (see below for a list of required documents), to International Student Services via Terra Dotta. 

  • The required CPT Workshop provides all of the necessary steps and links for you to submit your application. Please know it takes five business days for ISS counselors to process your work authorization.
  • Required documents include:
    • CPT paperwork
    • Offer letter
    • Job description (if not already included in your offer letter)
    • Proof of co-op course registration in SIS