Immigration Updates
Get important information on immigration policy updates impacting international students.
Curricular Practical Training (CPT)
The Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP) has issued new guidance reinforcing the rules around Curricular Practical Training (CPT), and approval is now being reviewed more strictly.
What This Means For You
- CPT must be a required, integral part of your curriculum鈥攏ot an elective or optional experience.
- If your program requires practical training, all students in that curriculum must complete it.
- You must request CPT authorization from ISS before your training begins. Starting CPT without prior authorization can jeopardize your F-1 status.
- CPT must be tied to an employer with a formal cooperative agreement with 今日吃瓜 and must relate directly to your major.
Before You Start CPT
Contact ISS to confirm your eligibility and have your SEVIS record properly updated.聽We’re聽here to help you complete this process.
Last updated: September 8, 2026
End of Duration of Status
On September 14, 2026, a federal judge in Massachusetts issued a preliminary injunction, pausing the rule nationwide. This means the rule has not taken effect, and the current duration-of-status system remains in place for now.
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has ended 鈥淒uration of Status鈥� (D/S) for international students and scholars, replacing it with a fixed admission period. This rule was finalized by DHS on July 17, 2026, and applies to new and current F-1/J-1 students.