Student Employment

Students who have studied at another institution for a period of time preceding him/her joining SFBU can have that period be counted towards their CPT eligibility. The degree program from the previous institution must match the current program at SFBU. ex. You are transferring from another US institution for an MBA and enrolling at SFBU for an MBA. Simply ensure that you meet all the requirements. (Refer to Step 1)

You can apply for CPT upon receiving your F1 status. Simply ensure you meet all the requirements. (Refer to Step 1)

Yes, you are eligible for CPT and are able to take CPT immediately.

Students are allowed to participate in internships that are in-person and remote within the U.S.

No more than 6 units of practicum coursework may be counted towards graduation.

Reports will be graded on a Satisfactory (S)/No Pass (NP) basis. Reports that are incomplete or submitted late have the consequence of receiving a NP grade. If a student receives two NP grades, their CPT will be terminated and they will receive a failing grade in the course. Students who fail CPT will not receive future opportunities to participate in CPT again.

For any changes in your CPT, you must notify the CPT Advisor immediately. If you're an international student, the CPT Advisor may have to amend or cancel your CPT I-20.

CPT Qualifications: 

• Students must be in good academic standing and must meet the minimum CGPA requirements (3.0 for graduate students; 2.0 for undergraduate students) 
• Not currently employed as a TA at SFBU 
• Valid F1 status for 9 months* (* Not applicable to local students) 
• Passport valid for the next 6 months* (* Not applicable to local students) 
• If you have any questions, schedule an appointment with the CPT advisor or send an email to career-services@sfbu.edu

Job Criteria: 

Apply for a job that is in your field of study. Your job must be located within the United States. Internships may be in-person or remote. 

Students are expected to maintain physical presence on campus to comply with F-1 requirements unless they have registered for an academic break. 

Remote and hybrid positions count as an online course for F-1 students.

If you are offered a job, you will need to request an offer letter from your employer. It must include all of the following. Missing information will result in having to request another letter from your employer!

• Company letterhead 
• Company name 
• Company's registered address 
• Your job title 
• Detailed job description 
• Start date 
• End date 
• Hours per week 
• Work location: On-site, hybrid or remote 
• Supervisor’s name 
• Supervisor’s job title 
• Supervisor phone # 
• Supervisors email 
• Pay rate 
• Clients name (if any)

 

 

 

Submit the application on your student portal under My Requests -> Academic Requests -> CPT Application and upload the following documents:

• Job offer letter (from Step #3) 
• Passport copy* 
• I-94* 
• Visa copy* 
• Previous I-20, only if you previously enrolled in the CPT course * 

*NOT APPLICABLE TO LOCAL STUDENTS

Please allow 3-4 business days for processing and verification of information provided. During peak times allow 1-2 weeks for processing.

Wait patiently for a notification that the CPT agreement has been generated and forwarded to your employer.

 Have your employer sign the agreement and email it to the CPT advisor. 

Any missing documents, need for updates or revisions will delay the processing time.

Please allow 1-2 days for approval and course registration. During peak times allow 3-5 business days for final approval.

You will receive an email notification if your CPT application has been approved. If it is approved, the course will be added to your account. Pay all fees through your student portal under Financial Info. 

Once you have finished your payment, allow 1-2 business days for your I-20 to be updated with the CPT information. The updated I-20 will be emailed to you.

You can only start working once you receive your updated I-20.

CPT is both a job and a class which helps prepare you as a professional. CPT is a course in which a professor evaluates your learning while your employer guides you through the work experience. A student enrolled in any CPT course in a semester is required to fulfill the following academic requirements in order to earn their course units.

Submit reports online: MySFBU student portal > CPT Report

Weekly Reports

A. You need to provide the following information in your weekly report:

• Work Dates
• Hours of Work
• Activities Performed
• Skills Applied to Complete Tasks
• Relevant Course/s Taken
• Knowledge/Skills Acquired

B. Reports must be different every week.

• Do not copy and paste any previous weeks reports.
• Incomplete and late reports will result in a No Pass (NP) grade.

C. Deadline to submit your weekly report is by midnight Sunday of each week.

Final Report

A. You will find a copy of the final report template in the course handout section on your MySFBU student portal.

B. You need to provide the following information in your final report:

• Employer Information
• Job Information
• Relevant Knowledge & Skills from Program of Study
• Your Learning Experience
• Independent Research Skills/Activities
• Self Evaluation

C. Deadline to submit final report is at the end of the semester, or the week your CPT ends (whichever is sooner). Upload your CPT report on your student portal and bring a paper printout with you to the CPT exit interview.

Employer Survey

You need to request your employer/supervisor to fill out a survey about your performance during CPT. Your employer will need to complete, sign, and email directly to the CPT Administrator.

Exit Interview

An exit interview will be scheduled to meet your CPT Instructor.

• Employer Information
• Job Information
• Relevant Knowledge & Skills from Program of Study
• Your Learning Experience
• Independent Research Skills/Activities
• Self Evaluation

Sample Picture of Online CPT application