ISS Application Process for International Students

PLEASE READ AND UNDERSTAND ALL ISS REQUIREMENTS BEFORE APPLYING

Who can qualify:

CPT is only available for current F-1 students when it is part of an established curriculum within a school. CPT must be integral to your major program of study. It cannot be authorized for work related to your minor, concentration, or previous major. Students must be in good standing with the Computer Science Department and have received a S (satisfactory) grade in any previous CS CPT course (s). 

Purpose:

A CPT is intended to enhance the student’s educational experience and provide additional learning opportunities that cannot be gained through course work alone. Internships provide students with exposure to professional work environments, varying management styles and increased applicable skills. The Computer Science department encourages our students to seek internships that offer challenging responsibilities that will benefit the student academically.  

Requirements:

Student must be in valid F-1 student status.

Student must have been lawfully present in the U.S. and enrolled on a full-time basis for one full academic year (i.e. two full consecutive fall/spring or spring/fall semesters) and have not had any gaps in required enrollment or status since your last date of enrollment.

Curricular Practical Training | ISS (purdue.edu)

A student’s CPT must be directly related to their program of study. A detailed job description must be included in the offer letter. The internship must add to the students’ knowledge and skillset, and provide real-world professional experience. CPT cannot be used for general employment. If an internship is determined to be unrelated the student’s program of study, the Computer Science department will not approve the CPT. Computer Science Departmental approval does not gaurantee final ISS approval.

CPT's cannot be done in students final semester. 

CS does not require CPT's (internships) for degree completion. Per ISS: CPT that is recommended for academic credit, and which is not required for degree completion, is limited to a maximum of two semesters. 

This information is for Comp-Sci (UG and GR) program students only.
(CS, CSHO, DSCS, AI and CS Department Graduate Majors)

Computer Science departmental contact: Lori O'Brien, ljobrien@purdue.edu

1. Submit form for CS approval
2. Complete ISS application
3. Register for course (Course registration is required. If you will need your registration PIN, see your advisor)
4. FOR GRADUATE STUDENTS ONLY - If you are or will receive any grad support, please check the start and end dates of your internship. If you start or end date do not fall within the semester of your internship, you will need to request unpaid leave and notify the faculty member you are working with. Semester pay dates can be found here.

Undergraduate

Request course through Scheduling Assistant 

Students must register for CPT course during the semester of internship

Questions regarding CPT process, please contact Jermaine Williams Jr. mainejr@purdue.edu

CPT course is CS 39699

CPT course is 0 credits

Graduate

Students must register for CPT course during the semester of internship. To find CRN's please use the schedule of classes.

If you are or will receive any grad support, please check the start and end dates of your internship. If you start or end date do not fall within the semester of your internship, you will need to request unpaid leave and notify the faculty member you are working with. Semester pay dates can be found here.

For a CPT that is approved by your major professor with the expectation that it will be used for your thesis or dissertation research:

• CS 69800 Research MS Thesis
• CS 69900 Research PhD Thesis
  • minimum of 1 credit, tuition fee per credit hour or full time tuition rate

For a CPT that is NOT approved to be used as part of your thesis or dissertation research:

• CS 59799 Graduate Professional Practice
  • CPT course is 0 credits

All Graduate CPT Courses must be supervised by a CS Tenure/Tenure Track faculty member. Register for the CRN associated with the supervising faculty member. If a CRN does not exist, one can be created. Contact Lori O'Brien ljobrien@purdue.edu 

Optional Practical Training (OPT) is an opportunity for F-1 students to gain practical experience working off-campus in a job directly related to their major field of study. It is recommended in SEVIS by an Immigration Counselor at Purdue International Students and Scholars (ISS), and then students submit their applications to U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) to be adjudicated. If you are a BS/MS student, please contact Lori O'Brien before submitting application. An offer of employment is not required to apply for OPT.

Undergraduate students should work with their academic advisor.

CS Grad students please complete the CS form below.

1. Submit form for CS approval
2. Complete ISS application

F-1 and J-1 students must register for and complete a full course of study unless otherwise authorized.

Graduate student departmental contact: Lori O'Brien, ljobrien@purdue.edu

Undergraduate student departmental contact is your academic advisor.

1. Graduate students: submit form for CS approval.
        Undergraduate students: contact your advisor and follow their instructions.
2. Complete ISS application.

F-1 students must never let their I-20 expire. J-1 students must never let their DS-2019 expire. Program extensions should be completed at the beginning of the semester of which the document would expire. The deadline for extending your document is 14 days before the expiration date listed on the document.

Graduate student departmental contact: Lori O'Brien, ljobrien@purdue.edu

Undergraduate student departmental contact is your academic advisor.

1. Graduate students: submit form for CS approval.
        Undergraduate students: contact your advisor and follow their instructions.
2. Complete ISS application.

Per ISS, the following is needed to submit a request for COEL:

Admission letter from your department or graduate school

• Based on your new academic program
• Admission letter is not required if changing education level within the graduate school, such as changing from a masters to a PhD. In such cases, the eform permits skipping this as optional

• Examples: Assistantship letter, original bank statement, sponsor funding letter, etc.
• If funded by an assistantship, the offer letter from your department’s business office is sufficient. It must state your monthly stipend, 10 or 12 month appointment, and how long the department will be funding you
• If you have questions about your financial letter, please contact the ISS office according to the info on this site.

• New Academic Program Contact name and email address 

Computer Science departmental contact -  Lori O'Brien, ljobrien@purdue.edu

1. Submit form for CS approval.