Employment Guidelines

Employment for international students falls under three categories: On-Campus Employment, Curricular Practical Training (CPT) and Optional Practical Training (OPT). The U.S Department of Homeland Security, and U.S Citizenship and Immigration Services has specific requirements that must be met for each type of employment. These requirements are detailed below.

On-Campus Employment Curricular Practical Training (CPT) Optional Practical Training (OPT)

On-Campus Employment

International students may engage in on-campus employment while registered for a full course of study and maintaining their student status. On-campus employment is limited to part-time (20 hours per week) while school is in session, however students may work full-time during breaks, holidays and the summer semester (provided full-time enrollment is not required for the summer semester). Please be advised that on-campus employment is extremely hard to find and students should not expect to use on-campus employment to augment their finances. The link below will show current opportunities, please review carefully to ensure that the opportunity meets the guidelines. Students should not apply for full-time openings.

Curricular Practical Training (CPT)

Who Qualifies for CPT?

Curricular Practical Training (CPT) is available to F-1 students who have been lawfully enrolled as a full-time student for at least one academic year (i.e. two full, consecutive semesters). Wilmington Univeristy does not offer day-one CPT.

What kind of employment qualifies as CPT?

The regulations state that curricular practical training must be "an integral part of an established curriculum." They define curricular practical training as "alternate work/study, internship, cooperative education, or any other type of required internship or practicum which is offered by sponsoring employers through cooperative agreements with the school."

What are the requirements for CPT?

  • Student must have been lawfully enrolled on a full-time basis for one full academic year before being eligible for CPT Exception exists for graduate students whose programs require immediate curricular training. Available only while student is in F-1 status, before completion of the educational objective. Students in English language training programs are ineligible for CPT
  • Must be an integral part of an established curriculum, in the student's course of study. All program specific internship course prerequisities must be completed to qualify.
  • Students may engage in CPT only for the specific employer, location and period approved and recorded by the DSO in SEVIS.
  • Depends on the specific period granted by the DSO. May be granted by DSO in increments of no more than one year, or until expected date of employment completion, whichever is shorter. No cumulative maximum, except that it can only be approved before completion of the academic objective.
  • Can be only approved for part-time employment (20 hours per week) as we currently do not offer any programs that require students to engage in full-time internships.
  • Must have an offer of employment from an employer offering work that qualifies as curricular practical training

Are there any Effects on other work?

Use of full-time CPT for one year or more eliminates eligibility for Optional Practical Training. Use of part-time CPT does not affect eligibility for Optional Practical Training.

How Does the Approval Process Work?

You must receive written authorization from DSO, who records authorization in SEVIS and issues SEVIS I-20 with notation, before work begins. USCIS approval is not required Must continue to maintain a full course of study in F-1 status during the period of employment, but exceptions may exist for some CPT.

Application Instructions

Please contact the DSO for CPT Authorization. Once your authorization is approved, you will be issued a new I-20 detailing the CPT employment.

Optional Practical Training (OPT)

All communication and requests for each student must be sent through that student's assigned WilmU student email account/address. All email related to OPT must be sent to: OPT@wilmu.edu.

Optional practical training (OPT) is defined in the regulations as "temporary employment for practical training directly related to the student's major area of study."8 C.F.R. § 214.2(f)(10)(ii)

Three kinds of OPT can be identified:

  1. Pre-completion OPT
  2. Post-completion OPT
  3. 24-month extensions of post-completion OPT for certain STEM degree holders

Standard Pre-completion and Post-completion OPT

  1. The regulations allow standard OPT to be authorized at the following times:
    "During the student's annual vacation and at other times when school is not in session, if the student is currently enrolled, and is eligible for registration and intends to register for the next term or session" [ 214.2(f)(10)(ii)(A)(1) ];
  2. "While school is in session, provided that practical training does not exceed 20 hours a week while school is in session"
    [ 214.2(f)(10)(ii)(A)(2) ];
  3. "After completion of the course of study, or, for a student in a bachelor's, master's, or doctoral degree program, after completion of all course requirements for the degree (excluding thesis or equivalent)...." [ 214.2(f)(10)(ii)(A)(3) ]

Student must have been lawfully enrolled on a full-time basis for one full academic year before being eligible for OPT. Available both before and after completion of the educational objective, but different rules apply to pre- and post- completion OPT. Students in English language training programs are not eligible for OPT.

  • Standard OPT is available for a cumulative maximum of 12 months per educational level. A one-time extension of 24 months (for a total of 36 months) is available to certain STEM degree recipients. 20 hours/week limit for pre-completion OPT done while school is in session and student still has coursework to complete.
  • Full-time employment can be requested for pre-completion OPT done during official school breaks, and for students who have completed all requirements for their degree except for thesis or dissertation.
  • For post-completion OPT, a student must be employed for at least 20 hours per week. If doing pre-completion OPT, must maintain a full course of study during the period of employment (unless done during school breaks).

Optional Practical Training Checklist

Any student who wishes to apply for OPT should do so 60-90 days prior to the completion of their program, as the approval process can take several weeks to complete.

The following documents must be submitted through ISSM Portal to the Designated School Official prior to filing the online application with the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services Service Center.

As of May 15, 2017 students applying for Optional Practical Training (OPT) are required to pay $150 Post-Graduate Maintenance Fee at the time of registration for OPT Information Session.

  1. One passport-style color photo with a white background taken no earlier than 30 days before submission to USCIS. They should be unmounted, glossy and not retouched. The photos should show a full-frontal facial position. Your head should be bare unless you are wearing a headdress as required by a religious order to which you belong. The photo should not be larger than 2 x 2 inches, with the distance from the top of the head to just below the chin about 1 1/4 inches.
  2. Payment of $410.00 made online by credit/debit card upon completion of setting up . Other forms of payment can be reviewed during OPT Info Session.
  3. I-20 recommending OPT (Will be issued after DSO approval of the OPT application documents)
  4. Photocopies of all previous CPT/OPT I-20s ONLY, front and back, signed and dated
  5. A photocopy of your passport
  6. A photocopy of your F-1 visa or approval notice if change of status to F-1 was approved in the U.S. (original entry visa and I-94 card are required)
  7. A photocopy of the I-94 (front and back)
  8. A photocopy of all employment authorization documents (EAD) (front and back) if available and applicable

For STEM extension only, please add the following documents to the list:

  • Official transcript with degree conferral (Transcript Request)
  • Copy of diploma
  • Copy of EAD card (front and back)
  • Copy of updated employment letter (must be within 30 days of STEM application)
  • I-983 filled out by the employer

Please note the following codes for each type of OPT:

  1. Part-time OPT while you are in school: (c) (3) (a)
  2. Full-time OPT after completion of your program: (c) (3) (b)
  3. Full-time OPT 24 month extension for STEM Students:(c)(3)(C)
    (For students with a degree in Science, Technology, Engineering, or Mathematics. Must be filed 90 days prior to OPT expiration date)

Update of OPT Employment/STEM OPT Extension

To complete an OPT or STEM employer update, please submit the following documents through ISSM Portal, OPT/STEM OPT employer Update Section

  1. Copy of EAD card (front and back)
  2. Confirmation of current address and phone number
  3. Copy of employment letter. Please find below the list of information required in the employment letter:
    1. Name and Address of the company employing the student.
    2. Name of supervisor (First and Last name), and contact information (phone number and email address).
    3. Company EIN number
    4. Company E-Verify
    5. Job title and duties
    6. Type of employment (Part-time, or Full-time)
    7. Start date of employment
  4. Termination letter is required anytime you are changing employer
  5. For STEM OPT
    1. For employer change: New employer I-983 and previous employer I-983 form, pages 1-5, with page 5 bottom section “FINAL EVALUATION ON STUDENT PROGRESS” filled, signed and dated.
    2. STEM OPT Extension student evaluations: You must report your student progress every 6, 12, 18, and 24 months of STEM extension. Please submit updated I-983 form, pages 1-5, with page 5 top section “EVALUATION ON STUDENT PROGRESS” for 6, 12, and 18 months. For 24 months, fill out the bottom section with “FINAL EVALUATION ON STUDENT PROGRESS.”
    3. STEM OPT Extension student evaluations: In addition to I-983, you must submit an updated employer verification letter and not the original offer letter. It must contain all the details required for an employment letter, but should be dated no more than 30 days of submission of evaluation.

*ALL EMPLOYER UPDATES MUST BE REPORTED WITHIN 10 BUSINESS DAYS*