The U.S. government has instructed universities to apply stricter standards when approving Curricular Practical Training, commonly known as CPT, for international students.A memorandum issued by the Student and Exchange Visitor Program said authorities had observed an increase in CPT approvals that appeared inconsistent with federal regulations. Under existing rules, an internship or training placement must be an integral part of an established academic curriculum.
The government says the underlying regulations have not changed, but enforcement will become stricter. Colleges that fail to comply could lose their certification to enrol international students.UCLA and the University of California, Berkeley, have paused certain CPT applications while reviewing the federal instructions. Berkeley said it would continue processing training required for degree completion and some doctoral or master’s research placements.
The move could particularly affect optional internships that are related to a student’s field but are not explicitly required by the academic program.
