Dear Colleagues,
I am reaching out to academic departments to share some urgent and critical updates from the ISSS. The ISSS received two emails from the Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP) on 8/12/26 and on 8/24/26 defining how and when schools are allowed to authorize Curricular Practical Training (CPT). CPT is a work authorization benefit for international students that permits them to work off campus in a professional internship if the internship is required for their degree.
The recent messaging from SEVP detail that CPT can only be authorized when the internship is required for all students in an academic program/major. Further they clarify to schools that enrollment in an elective internship course does not constitute eligibility for CPT.
For many institutions this is a much narrower interpretation of the CPT regulations and has required us to review and make changes to our CPT policy. The University is working to evaluate which of the many different scenarios in which students will engage in an internship are eligible for CPT. We are not processing CPT applications for now, unless the internship activity is a degree requirement and students and advisors can point us to where this requirement is published. Students can submit the CPT application through the ISSS portal, but we can’t guarantee approval. The new guidance states that we can only authorize CPT if it’s an integral part of an established curriculum and the internship is required for all students participating in the academic program regardless of citizenship.
To assist the ISSS in assessing CPT eligibility it would be great if you could respond to this ISSS Survey of Internship/Practicum Offerings Across UConn Majors/Programs of Study
You can review the SEVP memos we received:
(1) August 12, 2026 – Reminder of Liability for DSOs Regarding CPT Authorization
(2) August 24, 2026 - Guidance for Designated School Officials regarding Curricular Practical Training
The timing of these messages is challenging, and we recognize that this creates unexpected change in plans and hardship for students who were planning to engage in an internship this fall. Thank you for your attention to this matter.
Best regards,
Arthur
Arthur Galinat (pronounce my name)
(he/him/his)
Director, International Student & Scholar Services (ISSS)
UConn Global Affairs
Center for International Student & Scholars (CISS)
For more information, contact: ISSS at international@uconn.edu