Entry Level CPT Jobs

Entry level CPT roles let F-1 students earn U.S. work experience as a required part of their degree program, before graduation and without waiting for OPT. Employers authorize CPT through your DSO, not USCIS, so the hiring timeline is faster and the paperwork falls on your school, not the company.

Find Entry Level CPT Jobs

Overview

Open Jobs10,660+
Top Visa TypeF-1 CPT
Work Type95% On-site
Top LocationSan Jose, CA
Most JobsCVS Health

Showing 5 of 10,660+ CPT jobs

Manufacturing Engineering Intern
We won't show you this job again
New 33m ago
Manufacturing Engineering Intern
Trane Technologies
Kentwood, Michigan
Manufacturing Operations
Quality Control
Project & Program Management
Project Management
Manufacturing Engineering
$20.50 - $28.00/hr
On-Site
Bachelor's
10,000+

Have you applied for this role?

Finished Products Co-Op
We won't show you this job again
New 1h ago
Finished Products Co-Op
O-I
Perrysburg, Ohio
Specialized Engineering
Manufacturing Operations
Engineering (Non-Software)
On-Site
Bachelor's

Have you applied for this role?

Transportation Engineer Internship
We won't show you this job again
New 2h ago
Transportation Engineer Internship
ms consultants, inc.
Raleigh, North Carolina
Specialized Engineering
Civil & Structural Engineering
Engineering (Non-Software)
Civil Engineering
On-Site
Bachelor's

Have you applied for this role?

Inpatient Rehab Therapies Co-op Aide
We won't show you this job again
New 5h ago
Inpatient Rehab Therapies Co-op Aide
Boston Medical Center
Boston, Massachusetts
Healthcare Administration
Allied Health
Patient Services & Wellbeing
$18 - $20/hr
On-Site
High School
5,001-10,000

Have you applied for this role?

Co-op Student
We won't show you this job again
New 7h ago
Co-op Student
Massachusetts Eye and Ear
Boston, Massachusetts
Healthcare Administration
Administrative & Office Support
Patient Services & Wellbeing
$17 - $24/hr
On-Site
High School
1,001-5,000

Have you applied for this role?

See all 10,660+ CPT Jobs

Sign up for free to unlock all listings, filter by visa type, and get alerts for new CPT roles.

Get Access To All Jobs

See all 10,660+ Entry Level CPT Jobs

Sign up for free to unlock all listings, filter by visa type, and get alerts for new Entry Level CPT Jobs.

Get Access To All Jobs

Tips for Finding CPT Jobs

Confirm your CPT eligibility before applying

CPT requires your program to list the internship or co-op as a curricular requirement. Check your I-20 and talk to your DSO early, if the role doesn't map to a course, your school can't authorize it, and employers can't hire you.

Search CPT-authorized roles on Migrate Mate

Migrate Mate surfaces entry level positions at employers with documented F-1 hiring history, so you're not guessing which companies will actually process CPT. Filter by occupation and location to find roles that match your degree program's requirements.

Verify your offer letter includes required CPT details

Your DSO needs a formal offer letter stating the employer name, job title, start and end dates, and whether the role is paid or unpaid. A vague or informal offer will stall your CPT authorization and delay your start date.

Use O*NET to match your role to your major

If your DSO questions whether a role qualifies as curricular, pull the O*NET occupation profile for your job title. It lists the standard educational requirements and tasks, giving your DSO documented evidence that the position aligns with your field of study.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I work full-time on CPT while still in school?

Yes, but full-time CPT, defined as 20 or more hours per week, counts against your OPT eligibility. Twelve months or more of full-time CPT eliminates your post-graduation OPT entirely. Part-time CPT, under 20 hours per week, has no impact on OPT, so most students in academic-year semesters opt for part-time roles to protect their post-graduation options.

Do employers have to file anything with USCIS for CPT?

No. CPT authorization is handled entirely through your school. Your DSO updates your I-20 to reflect the specific employer, job, and dates. The employer does not file anything with USCIS, pay government fees, or wait for federal approval. That's what makes CPT faster to activate than OPT or H-1B visa sponsorship for entry level roles.

What kinds of entry level jobs are available for F-1 students on CPT?

CPT is available in any field that ties to your degree, so qualifying roles span engineering, computer science, business, finance, healthcare administration, and data analytics, among others. The key constraint is that your academic program must have a curricular link to the position. Migrate Mate lists entry level openings at employers with F-1 CPT hiring history, filtered by occupation and location.

Can I change employers mid-semester after CPT is authorized?

Not without a new CPT authorization from your DSO. Your I-20 lists the specific employer and dates. If you switch companies, your original CPT authorization becomes invalid and your DSO must issue a new I-20 reflecting the new employer before you start working. Starting at a new employer before the updated I-20 is issued violates your F-1 status.

What if a company offers me a role but says they don't sponsor visas?

For CPT, employers aren't sponsoring a visa in the traditional sense. There's no petition, no USCIS fee, and no government approval required from their side. If an employer declines because they think CPT is too complex, clarifying that CPT authorization is processed entirely through your university, not through any federal filing, often resolves the concern. Many HR teams simply aren't familiar with how CPT works.