Work Authorization for International Students: OPT, CPT, and J-1 Compared

If you're an international student seeking work experience in the United States, whether during school, after graduation, or from abroad, there are three main pathways to understand: Optional Practical Training (OPT), Curricular Practical Training (CPT), and the J-1 visa. Two of these are tied to the F-1 student visa, while the J-1 operates under a separate exchange visitor program. Each serves a different situation, and choosing the wrong one, or misunderstanding the rules, can cost you months or even years of work authorization.

This article breaks down who each pathway is for, how they differ, and which one makes sense for where you are right now.

What is an F-1 visa?

Before covering OPT and CPT in detail, it's important to understand the visa that makes both possible. The F-1 visa is the primary student visa for international students enrolled full-time at accredited U.S. colleges, universities, or academic institutions. It allows you to live in the United States for the duration of your degree program, and critically, it provides access to work authorization through both OPT and CPT.

An F-1 visa on its own does not permit employment. It does, however, unlock the two most important work authorization pathways available to international students: curricular practical training during your degree, and optional practical training after graduation.

If you're studying outside the U.S. and don't hold an F-1 visa, the J-1 exchange visitor visa is your main alternative for U.S. internships.

Three pathways, three different situations

OPT, CPT, and J-1 are not interchangeable. Each applies to a fundamentally different situation:

You're an F-1 student in the U.S. who wants to work during your degree → CPT

You're an F-1 student in the U.S. who has graduated (or is about to) → OPT

You're studying outside the U.S. and want to intern in the U.S. → J-1 visa

What is OPT? Optional practical training as your post-graduation runway

OPT (Optional Practical Training) is temporary work authorization for F-1 students that allows you to work in your field of study after graduation. OPT work authorization provides 12 months of employment in the U.S. after completing your degree, or up to 36 months if you hold a degree in a STEM-designated field and qualify for the extension.

Why OPT matters beyond the work authorization itself: For most international students, OPT is the bridge between graduation and H-1B sponsorship. It provides the time to demonstrate your value to an employer, build a track record of measurable contributions, and establish the business case for long-term sponsorship.

The STEM OPT extension is particularly valuable under the current wage-weighted H-1B lottery system. With 36 months of OPT work authorization, you get up to three registration cycles to be selected, and three years to build the kind of experience and specialization that qualifies you for higher wage levels (which now directly improve your selection odds).

OPT requirements:

• You must hold valid F-1 status and have been enrolled full-time for at least one academic year
• No employer sponsorship required, your employer is not required to file paperwork or pay fees
• Employment must be directly related to your major field of study
• STEM OPT requires your employer to be enrolled in E-Verify

OPT application basics:

• File Form I-765 (Application for Employment Authorization) with USCIS, you may apply up to 90 days before graduation, but no later than 60 days after
• Processing typically takes 3–5 months, so timing your OPT application early is critical
• The filing fee is $410 (as of 2026)

What is curricular practical training (CPT)?

Curricular practical training allows F-1 students to take on internships, co-ops, or practicum positions while still enrolled in their degree program. Unlike OPT, curricular practical training is authorized by your school (not USCIS) and must be directly tied to your curriculum, either as a degree requirement or for academic credit.

Why CPT matters strategically: The work experience you build during school through curricular practical training directly strengthens your position when you enter the job market on OPT after graduation. Students who intern at a company through CPT often convert those relationships into full-time offers, meaning they begin OPT with an employer already invested in their success, and potentially willing to sponsor H-1B.

The critical rule: If you accumulate 12 months or more of full-time CPT (more than 20 hours per week), you become ineligible for OPT entirely. Per 8 CFR 214.2(f)(10)(ii)(A), this is one of the most consequential rules in international student work authorization, and one that is frequently overlooked until it's too late. Part-time CPT (20 hours or fewer per week) does not count toward this limit, so unlimited part-time CPT can be used without affecting OPT eligibility.

Key things to know:

• Authorized by your school's Designated School Official (DSO), not USCIS
• You need a job offer before you can apply
• Each position requires a new authorization and updated I-20
• Summer internships (typically 10–12 weeks) use about 2.5–3 months of your full-time CPT allowance
• No employer sponsorship or fees required

J-1 visa requirements: the path for students outside the U.S.

If you're studying at a university outside the United States and want to do an internship in the U.S., the J-1 exchange visitor visa is typically your primary option. It's a different system entirely from OPT and CPT, and the J-1 visa requirements include having a U.S. host company, a designated sponsor organization, and a structured training plan.

The two J-1 categories that apply:

• J-1 Intern: For students currently enrolled abroad or recent graduates (within 12 months). Up to 12 months.
• J-1 Trainee: For professionals with a degree plus at least one year of experience outside the U.S. Up to 18 months.

Why J-1 matters as a career strategy: For students outside the U.S., a J-1 internship is often the first meaningful point of contact with the American job market. It builds U.S. work experience on your resume, establishes professional relationships with potential future employers, and gives you a concrete reference point if you later pursue H-1B sponsorship or further study in the U.S.

Key J-1 visa requirements to know:

• You cannot apply independently, you need both a host company and a State Department-designated sponsor organization
• The process takes 2–4 months and costs $1,000–$2,000 total (including sponsor fees, SEVIS fee, and visa application fee)
• Some J-1 participants are subject to a two-year home residency requirement before they can apply for H-1B or other long-term visas, review your DS-2019 carefully
• The J-1 does not lead directly to H-1B in the way OPT does, but the experience and employer relationships it provides can be a meaningful foundation for future sponsorship

OPT vs CPT vs J-1: side-by-side comparison

How all three connect to long-term U.S. employment

The typical progression follows a clear pattern: curricular practical training internships during school build experience and employer relationships. OPT after graduation provides the runway to demonstrate your value in a full-time role. Your employer then registers you for the H-1B lottery, ideally at a wage level that provides strong selection odds under the current weighted system.

For J-1 participants, the path is less linear but still viable. A strong J-1 internship can lead to a return offer, graduate school admission that opens the F-1/OPT pathway, or the U.S. work experience that strengthens a future H-1B candidacy.

The common thread across all three: employers sponsor candidates who have already demonstrated their value. Every internship, every project, every measurable result you deliver during CPT, OPT, or J-1 authorization builds the case for long-term sponsorship.

Frequently Asked Questions

Find employers that hire international students

Understanding work authorization is the first step. Identifying employers who actively hire international students is often the greater challenge, particularly when many companies filter out candidates who require any form of visa support, even for roles where no sponsorship is needed.

Migrate Mate helps you navigate that process:

• Filter by visa type (F-1/CPT, F-1/OPT, J-1) to find employers with verified hiring history
• Access direct recruiter contacts to reach decision-makers instead of automated screening systems

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