Trump Administration Limits CPT Internships for International Students

On August 24 the Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP) — a unit of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement — issued a memorandum warning that a rise in Curricular Practical Training (CPT) authorizations appeared to violate regulations that permit CPT only when the training is an integral part of an established curriculum. The guidance prompted several universities, including the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) and the University of California, Berkeley, to pause processing certain CPT applications for international students.

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CPT allows eligible non-immigrant students to engage in off-campus internships that are directly tied to their degree programs. The Trump administration has previously targeted universities over issues such as pro-Palestinian protests, diversity initiatives, climate programs, and transgender policies. The CPT memo follows an earlier mid-August notice that similarly warned schools about “abuse of this generous system.” The Department of Homeland Security (DHS), ICE’s parent agency, emphasized that the regulations themselves have not changed but that schools and employers should consider themselves “on notice” under the Trump administration.

Reuters

• “UCLA has paused certain Curricular Practical Training authorizations while it reviews recent federal guidance and determines next steps,” — UCLA spokesperson

The Independent

• University of California, Berkeley – Clarified that “degree-requirement” CPT (e.g., Doctoral Dissertation and Master’s Thesis Research CPT) would continue as normal while the institution consults legal experts to develop revised processes.

The Independent

Rights-advocacy groups have raised concerns that the CPT crackdown could impinge on academic freedom and due-process protections for international students. Critics argue that the heightened scrutiny may deter valuable experiential learning opportunities and place additional administrative burdens on universities already navigating broader federal investigations into campus activities.

Reuters

• Institutions that publicly announced pauses: UCLA and UC Berkeley.

The Independent

• The memo cites a “rise” in CPT authorizations deemed non-compliant, though no specific numerical increase is provided in the sources.

Reuters

• “UCLA has paused certain Curricular Practical Training authorizations while it reviews recent federal guidance and determines next steps,” — UCLA spokesperson

The Independent

The memo’s language suggests that schools must align future CPT processing with the updated federal expectations or risk losing certification to enroll foreign students. Universities have indicated they will consult legal counsel and revise internal procedures, but no specific timeline for resuming full CPT services has been disclosed.

Reuters