US universities pausing CPT program after new ICE memo: Indian students in a fix

US universities are pausing CPT programs after new memo from ICE.

Curricular Practical Training (CPT) is a temporary work authorization that allows F-1 international students in the US to gain off-campus work experience, such as internships or co-op programs, while completing their degree. Unlike Optional Practical Training (OPT), which is approved directly by USCIS after graduation, CPT is authorized entirely by a university’s Designated School Official (DSO). For CPT to be legal under federal law, the work must be an integral part of the school’s established academic curriculum and directly related to the student’s major. Thousands of Indian international students enrol at CPT programs every year.On August 12, 2026, the US Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP), a division of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), issued a severe compliance guidance message titled “Reminder of Liability for DSOs Regarding CPT Authorization”.

What did the new guideline say?

It said that CPT is being abused as a backdoor work permit and not actually an academic requirement. he federal warning explicitly reminded DSOs that when they sign off on a student’s I-20 form for CPT, they are doing so under penalty of perjury. Improperly approving CPT endangers the individual official and risks the university losing its SEVP certification to host international students altogether.

List of universities pausing CPT

UC BerkeleyUC Berkeley announced that it would pause course credit CPT. These programs are not exactly mandatory for the course and hence this becomes a way F-1 students obtain work authorization for an off-campus internship. “Please know that we do not take this decision lightly as we know the importance that course credit CPT plays in your academic journey,” Berkeley International Office director Emmanuel said in an email sent to all international students. “We will support (international students) to the full extent allowed by law.”UC DavisUS Davis too acted on the ICE memo and suspended course credit or non-mandatory CPT.Both campuses specified that degree-requirement CPT — where the training is an integral part of the curriculum– will be processed normally.Other universities that are pausing/reconsidering CPT are UC San Diego, Purdue, Santa Clara.

What is Day 1 CPT?

Day 1 CPT is a different program that allows students to work on the very first day of the academic program. International students who lose their visa status. While Day 1 CPT was not explicitly banned, SEVP warned DSOs that they face audit risk and potential prosecution for fraud if the “required curriculum” is just a pretext to sell work authorization. These programs are now facing intense legal scrutiny and auditing.