Can F-1 Students Get CPT for an Elective Course? SEVP Says No

F-1 students can no longer use an elective course to qualify for Curricular Practical Training (CPT).

In an August 24, 2026 message to designated school officials (DSOs), the Student and Exchange Visitor Program said that if a course is optional, the training attached to it isn't integral to the curriculum, which is the standard CPT has to meet. In addition, when a program requires practical training, every student has to complete it, not just those who want work experience.

What does the new CPT guidance say?

The new SEVP guidance clarifies that DSOs cannot grant CPT for elective courses. If the class is optional, the training can’t be considered integral to an F-1 student’s curriculum.

In addition:

• SEVP clarified that every student in a curriculum that requires CPT must complete the work program attached to it, regardless of citizenship.
• Students must proactively request CPT authorization from their DSO, who has to confirm the training ties to a required curriculum and update the record in SEVIS.
• Employers offering CPT must have a cooperative agreement with the school. Students aren't expected to get a separate work permit for this training.

To enforce this, SEVP opened a tipline — SEVPFraud@hsi.dhs.gov — for DSOs to report school leadership that directs or coerces them into approving CPT that doesn't meet federal requirements. Complaints go directly to SEVP and Homeland Security Investigations for review.

How do these changes affect international students, U.S. universities, and employers?

Manifest immigration attorney Ana Gabriela Urizar says the CPT guidance doesn’t change federal regulation, but it could affect how often international students are granted work authorization. “My advice to both sides is the same: get it in writing early. Employers should ask the DSO directly whether the position ties to a required part of the curriculum, not just the student's major, and keep that confirmation on file. Students should do the same with their academic advisor before they accept an offer, not after. The DSOs I've talked to are being more cautious right now, and that's appropriate. A little more paperwork upfront is a lot cheaper than an authorization getting questioned later,” she says.