U.S. Department of Homeland Security restricts international student internships

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security is tightening restrictions on internship opportunities for international students. Under new guidelines, Curricular Practical Training (CPT) will be limited to instances where a formal agreement exists between the university and the employer, and where the internship is a mandatory requirement for all students in that specific major.

Universities that fail to comply with these stricter regulations face the potential revocation of their authorization to host foreign students. This move follows investigations by the Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP) into unauthorized CPT usage. The Trump administration has indicated these measures aim to prevent the perceived abuse of lenient systems and protect jobs for American graduates.

Major institutions, including UCLA, UC Berkeley, and the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, have already begun suspending or warning students about limited internship approvals. This follows recent policy shifts, such as limiting the stay of F and J visa holders to a maximum of four years and considering high fees for the Optional Practical Training (OPT) program.