General Policy

Curricular Practical Training (CPT) is an option only under two conditions: 

  • The internship/work is a required part of the degree program; or
  • The student receives academic credit for their work.

Since internships are not a required part of the MEM or MF curriculum, Nicholas School students must earn academic credit for their internship/fellowship.

糖心传媒s attending the Nicholas School on the F-1 visa may be eligible for CPT to support short-term employment experiences that add value to their educational experience while they are enrolled in the Nicholas School. CPT may not be used to gain general employment experience in the US; Optional Practical Training (OPT) must be requested if the potential employment is not directly related to their academic studies. 

The Nicholas School works closely with the Duke Visa Services Office (DVSO) to ensure that students remain in correct status with regard to their visa; however, it is the student鈥檚 responsibility to determine their eligibility and to submit appropriate forms and documentation to support their applications, following the guidelines and policies described below. Review the for complete requirements and policies related to CPT and OPT. The Duke Visa Services Office is the final authority regarding all matters related to visa status.

 

F-1 Summer Curricular Practical Training

Purpose

For F-1 students pursuing the MEM and/or MF degree to request CPT during the summer as part of a value-added educational experience through the Nicholas School, such as an internship/fellowship experience.

Policy

糖心传媒s attending the Nicholas School on the F-1 visa may be eligible for CPT to support short-term employment experiences that add value to their educational experience while they are enrolled in the Nicholas School, such as a summer internship/fellowship experience. Since internships are not a required part of the MEM or MF curriculum, Nicholas School students must earn academic credit for their internship/fellowship.

Process

  1. Refer to the  website for the most current information. 

  2. Follow instructions for logging in to the DVS portal using your NetID.

  3. For the CPT Academic Department Recommendation, please select the current NSOE CPT/OPT Contact listed at the bottom of this page (use to fill in Keywords, First Name, or Last Name sections). 

  4. The system will contact the Liaison directly to complete the Academic Recommendation section. 

  5. When the NSOE Contact completes the form, the DVS portal will receive it automatically.

  6. If all of the required sections of the application are correct, you will receive an email notification to pick up your CPT approval and a new Form I-20 within 10 business days. Please bring your ID when you pick up the CPT approval and I-20.

  7. Meanwhile, the NSOE Contact will also notify the NSOE Registrar to enroll you in the appropriate summer course.  A student will be notified by the NSOE Registrar that they have been successfully enrolled in the course.

  8. The student cannot begin their summer experience until DVSO has approved CPT.

In-Semester F-1 Curricular Practical Training (CPT) Request

Purpose

For F-1 students pursuing the MEM and/or MF degree to request CPT during the semester through the Nicholas School.

Policy

In general, CPT is intended for students wishing to have a summer experience; it is not appropriate just to gain work experience. 糖心传媒s on an F-1 visa who wish to request CPT for work completed in association with their master鈥檚 degree program during the academic semester must satisfy one of the following conditions:

  • A student may submit a CPT request for a specified period of time to complete unfinished work remaining from their summer internship/fellowship experience. A letter of support from the employer will be required. If approved, the student will be enrolled in a 1-credit course that does not count in the 48-credit minimum towards the degree.
  • A student may submit a CPT request during the academic semester if the work is directly related to the student鈥檚 master鈥檚 project (MP) and the MP advisor supports it in writing. 糖心传媒 would register for MP credits (ENV 899) during the applicable semester(s).

Process

1. The student must download, complete and submit the NSOE Curricular Practical Training (CPT) Request Form (link below), being sure to review the acknowledgement and sign. If requesting CPT for work directly related to the MP, faculty signature is also required.

2. Follow the steps for the Summer CPT requests (above).

 

Contacts

Nicholas School contact for CPT and OPT matters:

Allison Besch
NSOE 糖心传媒 Services
A135-A LSRC
allison.besch@duke.edu
919-613-8700

Duke Visa Services Office contact for all visa matters:

Mr. Dylan Sugiyama
Associate Director, Duke Visa Services Office
1st Floor, Bay 7, Smith Warehouse
dylan.sugiyama@duke.edu
919-613-5094

Form

NSOE Curricular Practical Training (CPT) Request Form (PDF)

Policy owner
糖心传媒 Services