Yesterday, a piece of news suddenly circulated among Chinese international students in the US:
Has UC Berkeley suspended CPT issuance?
Source: Reddit
Shortly after, UC San Diego also issued a notice announcing a temporary suspension of processing CPT applications for F-1 students.
Immediately, many students currently studying in the US and preparing for internships began to worry: Has the US CPT policy suddenly tightened? Will we still be able to apply for CPT and participate in internships normally in the future?
Here is the quick summary: CPT has not been cancelled, and eligible F-1 students can still apply normally.
The story begins with a recent notice released on August 12 by the Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP).
SEVP Suddenly Issues Statement: CPT Review to Be Tightened
On August 12, SEVP, which falls under U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), sent a Broadcast Message to school DSOs, titled:
"Reminder of Liability for DSOs Regarding CPT Authorization"
Source: ICE
This is not a new regulation cancelling CPT, but rather a clear warning from SEVP to US universities: In the future, schools need to more rigorously demonstrate that an internship is indeed part of the student's curriculum when approving CPT.
SEVP stated that it has recently observed an increase in the number of CPT authorizations, some of which may not comply with current regulations, and reminded schools and DSOs to further strengthen CPT approval compliance.
According to current US federal regulations, CPT must be "an integral part of an established curriculum," and the job content must be directly related to the student's major.
In other words: The essence of CPT is primarily Curricular, and secondarily Practical Training. Schools cannot approve CPT simply because a student has found an internship or wishes to obtain off-campus work opportunities.
This notice specifically emphasized the responsibilities of schools and DSOs in CPT approvals. If SEVP believes that a school has authorized CPT non-compliantly, it may require the school to provide materials proving the relationship between the CPT and the curriculum; in cases of serious violations, the school may even face risks regarding SEVP certification and other administrative or legal consequences.
For this reason, some US universities have quickly adjusted their CPT approval policies.
UC Berkeley and UCSD Have Adjusted CPT Application Policies
UCB: Suspension of Course Credit CPT Applications
As of now, the UC Berkeley International Office website has clearly stated:
Starting August 12, 2026, applications for Course Credit CPT will be temporarily unavailable and will not be authorized. This means that the suspension applies to Course Credit CPT applied for by students who earn credits through internship courses, Independent Study, or similar methods.
Source: UC Berkeley
However, UCB currently retains another category: Degree Requirement CPT. If a specific program explicitly mandates internships, practicums, Capstone Work Experience, etc., as essential components for degree completion, students may still apply for CPT in accordance with relevant regulations.
The UCB official website currently lists several programs eligible for Degree Requirement CPT, including the Master of Analytics, Master of Financial Engineering, MBA, MPH, MPP, and others.
Source: UC Berkeley
UCSD: Temporarily Halting Processing of All F-1 CPT Applications
UC San Diego has adopted a more cautious approach.
Since August 12, the university has temporarily suspended the submission and processing of all F-1 CPT applications in iServices, pending further policy guidance. At the same time, it emphasizes that F-1 CPT remains an available form of work authorization.
In other words, the current suspension appears to be a measure for the university to digest the latest SEVP requirements and reconfirm approval standards, rather than an announcement of the permanent cancellation of CPT.
UCSD also reminds students that they cannot begin working until they have received a new I-20 containing CPT authorization and the officially approved CPT start date has arrived; CPT cannot be approved retroactively.
Source: UCSD
Is CPT About to Be "Shut Down"?
From the current perspective, no.
As of now, SEVP has not announced the cancellation of CPT, nor has it modified the federal regulations governing CPT itself. Current U.S. regulations still allow eligible F-1 students to apply for CPT.
What has truly changed is that compliance reviews for CPT are becoming significantly stricter.
In the past, some schools might have allowed students to find an internship related to their major and then register for corresponding courses to earn credits, thereby applying for CPT. However, based on the signals released by SEVP this time, schools may need to answer one question more cautiously in the future:
Why exactly does this internship belong to this student's curriculum system? Merely being "related to the major" may no longer be sufficient.
This is also why Berkeley initially suspended precisely the Course Credit CPT, while retaining the Degree Requirement CPT that is explicitly written into program graduation requirements. UC Davis has also currently suspended Course Credit CPT, but Degree-Requirement CPT continues to be processed normally.
Source: UCD
Therefore, whether other U.S. universities will adjust their CPT policies will likely depend on the CPT models currently adopted by the schools and their specific interpretation of the SEVP notice.
What Should Students Who Have Already Obtained CPT Do?
For students who have already received formal authorization from their school's DSO and obtained a new I-20 marked with the CPT employer, work location, and start/end dates, there is currently no official news indicating that existing CPT authorizations are uniformly invalidated.
Students should still strictly work within the scope authorized on their I-20, paying particular attention to: do not start working before the CPT approval date, and do not continue working beyond the approval date.
If your university is currently reviewing its CPT policy, it is advisable to promptly confirm with your school's DSO whether your authorization has been affected, rather than relying solely on information from social media.
What is the impact on students preparing to study in the US?
Currently, SEVP has not canceled CPT, but it is certain that US universities are entering a more cautious phase in approving CPT.
The recent adjustments by UC Berkeley and UC San Diego are likely just the initial response from the first group of schools.
For students who hope to stay and develop their careers in the US after graduation, choosing a university should not be based solely on rankings and majors. It is equally important to understand the program's internship structure, CPT policies, and career support services in advance.
In particular, students planning to participate in internships during their studies should focus on the following when selecting a program:
Whether the program includes formal Internship / Practicum / Co-op components, whether practical courses are part of the curriculum requirements, the school's specific CPT requirements, and when the program typically allows students to begin off-campus internships.
Source: NYU
In the future, some universities may also re-evaluate the internships and course structures within their programs, further clarifying the relationship between practical components such as Internships and Practicums and degree requirements.
For students currently applying to US universities, planning internships, or seeking employment in the US, it is essential to keep up with policy changes and rely on the latest information released by universities and official sources.
CheersYou (清柚教育) will continue to monitor changes in study abroad policies such as CPT and provide timely updates on the latest developments.
