Frequently Asked Questions about
Practical Training for F-1 Students
Practical training is an opportunity for foreign
students to accept up to one year, per academic degree level, of paid
employment in the United States. Practical training allows students to
gain work experience in their field of study which they normally could
not obtain in their home country. There are two types of practical
training:
- Curricular practical training; and,
- Optional practical training.
There are different rules and restrictions for
curricular and optional practical training.
Curricular practical training includes alternative
work/study, internships, cooperative education or practicum programs.
Students must complete at least nine months of the academic program
before they are eligible for curricular practical training (except for
some graduate students n a special program). Curricular practical
training may be granted on a “part time” basis for no more than 20 hours
per week, or a “full time” basis. The training must be related to the
course of study, and not for English language training.
A student seeking curricular practical training
must submit to the Designated School Official (DSO) a Form I-538 and
copy of the Form I-20 I.D. The DSO certifies on the I-538 the need for
practical training, and endorses both the I-538 and I-20 I.D. forms.
Optional practical training is available during the
student’s vacation times, part-time while school is in session, or after
completion of all course requirements. Optional practical training is
only available to students who did not use more than one year of
curricular practical training. While school is in session, optional
practical training is limited to no more than 20 hours per week. The
training must be related to the course of study.
A student seeking optional practical training must
submit to the Designated School Official (DSO) a Form I-538 and copy of
the Form I-20 I.D. The DSO certifies on the I-538 and I-20 I.D. forms
that the proposed employment is related to the student’s major area of
study and commensurate with the student’s educational level.
The student must apply for employment authorization
by filing a Form I-765 with the USCIS. This form can be filed up to 120
days before employment begins, and must be filed within 60 days after
completion of studies. F-1 students can only begin employment after
they have received an Employment Authorization Document (EAD) from the
USCIS. It may take three to four months for the USCIS to process an
application and return the EAD. Students who wish to engage in
practical training after graduation must submit their application to the
USCIS prior to the completion of the course of study.
F-1 students are eligible for up to one year of
optional practical training, but only if the student had less than
twelve months of full-time curricular practical training (or 23 months
of part-time
curricular practical training). Optional practical training must be
completed within 14 months of graduation.
During an interview with a prospective employer for
employment after graduation, you can explain that you are entitled to
work for optional practical training for one year after graduation. The
employer will not need to file any petition forms for you to begin work.
Once the year of practical training ends, the employer can then decide
whether to apply for a work visa on your behalf.
National Interest Waivers