Texas is rapidly becoming a top destination for F1 international students, experiencing remarkable growth in this demographic. Research from Opendoor indicates that over the past two years, the total number of international students in Texas, including those on Optional Practical Training (OPT), has surged by 15%, significantly outpacing the national average of 10% and far exceeding California’s 3.2%.
One of the primary reasons for this trend is Texas's growing popularity among Indian international students, who are poised to surpass the number of Chinese international students—the largest group over the past decade.
The migration of many tech companies to Texas, especially to the Dallas region, due to higher taxes in California, has made the state an even more attractive educational and professional hub. The top five universities in Texas, known for their focus on technology, are now leading institutions for international students. Coupled with pleasant weather and strong community support, Texas is not just a preferred study location but also a favored destination for Indian students to find employment and settle post-graduation.
Despite the recent reforms, the H1B visa selection rate remains around 25% for FY 2025, prompting many who wish to stay in the U.S. or build a career to consider Day 1 CPT programs as a viable alternative to the H1B visa.
What are the Day 1 CPT options in Texas Then?
Day 1 CPT Universities
Dallas Baptist University
📍Location: Dallas, TX
🗂️ Programs: MS Information Technology and Management (STEM) | MS Management (STEM), MBA (STEM), TESOL
💰 Program Tuition: $45,756 - $51,476
⏱️ Program Duration: 2 - 3 years depending on the program
🔺 On-site Visit: Bi-Weekly
🔹 CPT Renewal: Every Semester
University of the Cumberlands
📍 Location: Irving, Texas (20 mins drive to Dallas)
🗂️ Programs: EMBA, MSIT, MSPM, MSISS, MSAI, MSCE, Ph.D. in IT, Ph.D. in Business, Ph.D. in Leadership, etc
💰 Program Tuition: $17,500 - $46200
⏱️ Program Duration: 20 months - Master | 3-4 years - PhD
🔺 On-site Visit: 1 / Semester
🔹 CPT Renewal: Every Semester
💸 Scholarship: Application Fee Waiver & Referral Bonus Available if apply through CPTDog
Westcliff University
📍Location: Irvine, California (about to open a campus in Texas, once enrolled can transfer to Texas when new campus is open)
🗂️ Programs: MBA (STEM), MSCS (STEM), MSEM(STEM), MSIT (STEM), DBA (STEM), MA TESOL
💰 Program Tuition: $28,620（Master）/$51,300 (DBA)
⏱️ Program Duration: 1- 4 years depending on the program
🔺 On-site Visit: 1 / month
🔹 CPT Renewal: Every Semester
💸 Scholarship: Application Fee Waiver & Referral Bonus Available if apply through CPTDog. We can also help you apply scholarships at Westcliff, which can be as high as $10,000.
Trine University
📍 Location: Phoenix, AZ (about to open a campus in Texas in 2024, but specific location is unknown yet)🗂️ Programs: MBA, MSBA[STEM], MS-Engineering Management[STEM], MS-Information Studies[STEM]
💰 Program Tuition: $17,250
⏱️ Program Duration: 1-3 years depending on how you arrange courses
🔺 On-Site Visit: 1 / Semester
🔹 CPT Renewal: Every Year
💸 Scholarship: N/A
Regular Universities with CPT Options
These universities, when meeting the necessary requirements, allow F1 transfer students (from OPT to CPT) to use CPT from the start of their program. However, they offer only a limited number of majors. While most of their programs are designed as standard master's or doctoral-level programs, only a few include work-integrated designs that enable the use of CPT.
A major advantage of these universities is that they are accredited and often hold rankings in US News. This aligns with the traditional mindset of international students and offers them a sense of security. Additionally, these universities typically have a higher full-time versus part-time faculty ratio compared to Day 1 CPT universities.
On the downside, opting for another master's degree at these universities usually means facing:
🔺 higher tuition fees
🔺 more on-site requirements. T
🔺 only three enrollment periods throughout the year, which may not align well with your personal OPT expiration schedule.
🔺 Additionally, the CPT approval process at these universities can be more complex and time-consuming, as programs that offer CPT or are designed with integrated CPT constitute only a small portion of the university's offerings.
🔺 CPT typically involves closely monitored assessments, additional homework, or presentations related to the internship experience.
The University of Texas at Austin
University of Texas Austin is ranked #43 in Best Global Universities on US News.
📍 Location: Austin, Texas
🔸 CPT policy: need to enroll a CPT course and CPT authorization needs to be renewed on a semester basis.
🔺 CPT Eligibility: The highlighted section (see pic below) states that if you are a transfer student, you can start applying for CPT at the beginning of the program, provided that your previous U.S. study duration exceeded two semesters.
Texas State University
Texas State University is a public research university and is ranked #280 out of 439 National Universities on US News.
📍 Location: San Marcos and Round Rock, Texas
🔸 CPT policy: CPT has to go with classes, which means renewed by terms
🔺 CPT Eligibility: The details don't specify whether CPT can begin on the first day, but the eligibility section indicates that some graduate programs have integrated CPT into their curriculum as a mandatory graduation requirement, thus making the CPT option available.
University of North Texas
A fast growing university located in Texas, focusing on tech related programs and boast a large number of Indian international students. It is one of the nation’s top colleges for enrolling transfer students by U.S. News & World Report
The University of Texas at Dallas
