prior to the completion of the educational program as part of his or her educational experience. The Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS) defines this type of training as ‘alternate work/study, internship, cooperative education, or any other type of required internship or practicum that is offered by sponsoring employers through agreements with the school.’” Optional Practical Training. OPT is temporary employment authorization that gives F-1 student an opportunity to apply knowledge gained in the classroom to a practical work experience off campus. Pre-Completion Practical Training (OPT): This is temporary employment directly related F-1 student’s major field of study that takes place before they complete their program of study. Any authorized Pre-Completion OPT during a degree program will be subtracted from the time available for Post-Completion OPT.
“Post-Completion Practical Training (OPT): This is temporary employment directly related to the student’s major area of study that takes place after the student completes a full course of study. Authorization for this training may be granted for a maximum of 12 months of full-time or part-time work. Those on a student visa can only gain authorization once for this type of training.”
Kentucky State University can process both CPT and OPT paperwork for students. For CPT (which is the most common internship work authorization), Kentucky State and the Federal government require that the employer submit a signed letter on the organization's letterhead which should confirm the job offer, dates of employment, salary information, and should include a detailed job description. (See Appendix C for a sample letter.) There is additional paperwork that the student will need to complete. If you offer an internship to an international student, please refer him or her to Kentucky State University's Office of Global Strategies and International Affairs for more information:
Eric Yang, Ph. D
Director, Office of Global Strategies and International Affairs
(502)597-6327
Eric.yang@kysu.edu
Employers may pay international students for internship work, but must disclose this information on the letter submitted to Kentucky State University. Employers may also want to verify with the international student that s/he has applied for a Social Security card. If the student does not have a Social Security card, Kentucky State University’s Office of International Student Experiences can