CPT vs OPT - Difference between CPT and OPT in USA 2025

The most common question that knocks on every student's mind while going to the US to study is the work opportunities that are available there. Two options are open for any international student in the US – CPT and OPT. CPT is for internship purposes, and OPT is for post-study work. However, there exists a lot of confusion among students regarding these two programs. Since both regulations are similar, confusion is bound to exist about CPT vs OPT. Below, we provide some points of difference between the CPT and OPT programs.

Applicants studying in the US will know that CPT and OPT are two different concepts. However, to understand CPT vs OPT, it is important to delve deeper into the meanings and the significance they hold as international students studying across US universities. This article highlights the difference between CPT and OPT so that international students can better understand and utilise them while on a student visa in the USA. Check out everything about what is CPT vs OPT here. 

CPT full form is Curricular Practical Training which is for overseas students holding an F-1 student visa and actively studying. It gives them temporary authorization to gain employment training and do paid internships, practicums and co-ops related to their study area. Students can work full-time (more than 20 hours per week) or part-time (20 hours) or less per week, earn in US dollars, and gain work experience in their area of interest. CPT is employer-specific and must be completed before graduation, as candidates can do part-time or full-time jobs. One significant point to note is that if you work full-time for 12 months in CPT, you will lose your eligibility for OPT.

Applicants must meet the degree and course requirements to be eligible for this.

Documents Required for CPT Visa:

Usually, the following documents may be required to apply for CPT:

• CPT online workshop completion certificate
• Academic recommendation form
• In-depth description of training by your employer
• Copy of present I-20 form
• Print out the electronic form I-94

Eligibility for CPT Visa:

A student should:

• Possess an F1 status
• Be enrolled for one academic year before the employment begins
• Be carrying a particular employment offer which meets the requirements of the institution for the relevant course

What is OPT Meaning?

Optional Practical Training (OPT) meaning is a temporary employment directly related to F-1 students' major areas of study. OPT allows international students with an F-1 Visa to work up to 12 months in their study area. Eligible students can apply for OPT employment authorization before completing their studies (pre-condition) or after completing their studies (post-completion). Although students are allowed to work for 12 months, students with a STEM degree can extend it to 17 months. Moreover, all periods of pre-completion OPT will be deducted from the available period of post-completion OPT. Usually, it so happens that you're not permitted to do a job in a country without relevant documents of which you are not a citizen. So if you're an international student in the US, you won't be allowed to work there without the same. OPT is, therefore, mandatory.

Documents Required for OPT Visa:

Applicants are recommended to approach the international office at their respective institutions directly to get details regarding the documents required. But generally, the below-mentioned documents may be relevant:

• 2 passport-size photographs 
• I-765 (original)
• Present passport copy
• A printout of I-94 
• US$380 (subject to change) personal check, which should be addressed to the Department of Homeland Security
• Copy of OPT recommendation and I-20
• Copy of all the earlier issued I-20s
• Any earlier issued EAD card copies
• F-1 visa stamp's copy on passport

Eligibility for OPT Visa:

A student should:

• Possess an F1 status
• Be enrolled full-time for one academic year before the employment begins
• Not have used 12 months or more of full-time CPT

Difference between CPT vs OPT

The main difference between the CPT and OPT is the period the candidate is eligible to work. OPT can be completed before or after graduation; CPT must be completed before graduation. Another major difference is that CPT is required for a candidate's major, and if not, the candidate must receive course credit, whereas for OPT, a candidate has to earn course credit. Check out the difference between CPT and OPT and also understand the meaning of CPT and OPT meaning from the table below: 

Based on the table, the applicants must have understood the difference between CPT and OPT. Also, they would have clarity on CPT vs OPT in general. In the following section, let us understand the difference between CPT and OPT visas.

Check out about: Permanent Residence USA 

Difference Between OPT and CPT Visa

Since the two CPT and OPT differ, the visa rules also differ. Thus, it is essential to understand the difference between an OPT and a CPT visa. Let's discuss in detail each rule that is valid for CPT and OPT Visa below:  

Curricular Practical Training (CPT) Visa Rules

• CPT allows you to intern in the US during your course period. To work as an intern, you first need to find an internship, and then the college has to issue a Curricular Practical Training (CPT) to the interning student.
• CPT may only be used before completing one’s studies as it is supposed to be undertaken during the curriculum.
• You don’t need a different visa for CPT; you can complete your CPT on an F1 visa.
• Technically speaking, employment or experience must be integral to the established curriculum of the degree program and is seen as supplementing the existing understanding of the curriculum.
• A student must be registered for a course related to employment or experience.
• CPT is supposed to be semester-specific; CPT is only authorized on a semester basis i.e. fall, spring, or summer CPT. Its duration is from one semester up to 364 days.
• Students can work either part-time (20 hours/week or less) when college is in session or full-time during summer break.
• CPT is employer-specific, i.e. a student can work only for those employers listed on the student’s I-20 and SEVIS.
• International Student and Scholar (ISSS) authorizes CPT by issuing a new I-20 with a CPT recommendation.
• The processing time of a CPT is 5 to 7 business days, as is a fairly quick process.
• Employment is only permitted for dates in the CPT recommendation on the I-20 and in SEVIS.

Optional Practical Training (OPT) Visa Rules

• OPT is a one-year work permit given to students after completing a degree program in the US. You have to find a job within 90 days after graduation.
• OPT may be used during one’s studies (Pre-Completion OPT) and after completing one’s studies (Post-Completion OPT). Pre-Completion OPT allows you to work legally before graduation if you have finished your CPT period.
• Technically, the job must be directly related to one’s major field.
• No course registration is required.
• OPT is not semester-specific.
• Pre-Completion OPT may be part-time (20 hours per week) when college is in session, full-time during school breaks (winter or summer) or completely full-time (when working on one’s thesis/dissertation). Post-Completion OPT may be authorized for full-time employment. 
• OPT is not employer-specific; the student can work for any employer if the position is related to their field of study.
• International Student and Scholar Services (ISSS) and USCIS must authorize OPT. ISSS issues a new I-20 with OPT recommendation. USCIS then issues an Employment Authorization Document (EAD) card. Read more here
• OPT processing times may vary, but it generally takes 1 to 3 months.
• Employment is permitted during the validity dates on the EAD card, after which you will have to apply for an H1 visa (work visa).
• USCIS requires a $520 application fee to issue the EAD card.

Read: What is STEM OPT Extension and how to get it?

Significance of CPT and OPT in USA

After understanding what is CPT and OPT, the difference between CPT and OPT and how a CPT visa differs from an OPT visa, let us discuss the significance of CPT and OPT significance in the USA. 

1. CPT is for internships or part-time jobs in the USA or co-op programs in the USA; OPT is for graduates after graduation. Thus, CPT allows students to gain valuable hands-on experience in their field of study while still enrolled in their academic program, and through OPT, they gain practical work experience in the US after completing their studies.
2. CPT helps applicants gain hands-on experience and build a network. OPT helps students develop their resumes and professional networks.
3. After completing OPT, applicants pave a common pathway to gain valuable work experience. They can also look at other professional opportunities and aim for the highest-paying jobs in the USA. After completing CPT, applicants have to complete their education. 
4. CPT is for practical training during the academic program. While OPT is for practical training before or, more commonly, after the academic program. Thus, it is significant for applicants pursuing STEM-related subjects to get hands-on experience in the USA. 

Thus, we can conclude that both CPT and OPT permit international students to be employed in noteworthy work in various fields and industries and also across some of the most popular job sectors of USA.

This was everything about CPT vs OPT.. Need more assistance? Drop us your queries in the comment section below. Or sign up for free Shiksha Abroad Counselling for application or admission-related assistance.