If Day 1 CPT universities had horoscope signs, those with enrollment windows in July would fall under the sign of Cancer. Just as Cancer is known for nurturing, loyalty, and protectiveness, these schools embody the same qualities for their international students. They carefully consider the needs and well-being of their students while designing their Day 1 CPT programs, ensuring a supportive and loyal environment.
If your OPT is ending between June and August, July is an ideal time to enroll. Based on your major and location, you can consider these Day 1 CPT universities:
- New England College
- Sofia University
- University of the Potomac
- Saint Peter’s University
- Humphreys University
Find Day 1 CPT Universities Near You
If you are on the East Coast, consider New England College in New Hampshire or Saint Peter’s University in New Jersey.
New England College - Affordable and Trustworthy Option Near Boston
We have been collaborating with New England College for over three years and have sent hundreds of F1 students there, encountering no negative feedback.
As you know, CPTDog is based in California, which is quite far from New England College. Most of our communication has been conducted online. However, last September, I had the opportunity to visit their campus and meet the staff with whom we had been emailing for years. Meeting in person, touring their teaching buildings, observing their student processing procedures, and speaking with instructors and professors greatly reassured the CPTDog team about the quality of their service and their commitment to providing USCIS-aligned programs for F1 students.
Unlike many fast-growing Day 1 CPT universities that rely heavily on their Day 1 CPT programs and income from transfer F1 students, New England College is different. They have a long history and a large student body of local undergraduate students.
Stephanie and Emily from the admissions office showed us around the campus, located in the charming university town of Henniker, New Hampshire.
Currently, New England College offers four executive programs that support Day 1 CPT for F1 students:
- EMBA
- MS IT & Project Management
- MS Data Science & Analytics
- MS IT & Cybersecurity
The most popular program is the EMBA, as it is versatile and applicable to almost all job descriptions across various industries. For those looking to advance their careers and take on management-oriented roles in the near future, this is an excellent program. It allows international students to understand the U.S. working environment and management culture not only through classroom settings but also through real-life working experience.
For those with a tech background, the MS IT & Project Management and MS IT & Cybersecurity programs are excellent choices. They combine traditional IT knowledge with the skills needed in today’s workplace for engineers. The MS Data Science & Analytics program is primarily designed for those without a tech or computer science background but who wish to understand how data can help advance their careers.
The executive programs at New England College are designed to integrate work and classroom teaching, making CPT a required element. If you are unsure about engaging in a corporate environment, these programs might not be the best fit for you.
A Day 1 CPT master’s level program at New England College costs between $17,952 and $19,800 for tuition. Aside from tuition, there are minimal administrative fees. New England College is known for its low tuition rates and cost transparency. You can read about one of our students’ experiences studying at both New England College and the University of the Cumberlands, another institution famous for being affordable.
*Reminder: The coming program start date at NEC is July 15th.
Saint Peter’s University - Near NYC
Although located in New Jersey, Saint Peter’s University (SPU) is literally just a river away from Manhattan. It takes about 20 minutes to get there by car or cab if you don’t own a vehicle.
Saint Peter’s University holds MSCHE accreditation (Middle States Commission on Higher Education Accreditation), the highest level of accreditation for higher education institutions in the US.
Considering its proximity to NYC, Saint Peter’s is very affordable. The tuition for the Day 1 CPT program at SPU is $26,000 for the MS in Business Analytics (18 months) and $29,000 for the MS in Data Science (20 months). Both of these programs are STEM-designated, which means students can enjoy 3 years of OPT post-graduation, provided they have not used Master’s level OPT before.
Similar to NEC, SPU has designed its program not only to help students advance their theoretical knowledge but also to support them in gaining real-life working experience. Therefore, the graduate internship must start in the first semester of classes. If you find it difficult to secure an internship opportunity, you may want to consider schools in the same region offering similar programs with more flexible internship requirements, such as Monroe College.
Monroe College, located in New Rochelle, is farther from downtown NYC than SPU. However, its master’s program allows you to choose whether you’d like to participate in an internship while still providing CPT options from Day 1. Monroe College is relatively more expensive than SPU, but still within the affordable range, considering its premium location.
*Reminder: The coming program start date at SPU is July 1st.
If you are on the West Coast, especially in California or near California, consider Sofia University or Humphreys University as your Day 1 CPT schools.
Sofia University - Day 1 CPT in Bay Area
Computer Science and Information Technology are the most popular majors among international students for a very practical reason: the job market demands workers who can code. Many H1B applicants work in the tech industry, and immigrant workers are a key reason why the US leads in technology innovation. Consequently, there are a large number of international students in the Bay Area, where big tech companies like Apple, Google, and Amazon are located.
If you are in the Bay Area or wish to find employment there, consider enrolling in Sofia University. Its programs are specifically designed for those who wish to enter the US tech industry. Both the MS in Computer Science and the MBA in Data Analytics are STEM-designated programs that support Day 1 CPT.
Sofia University has a satellite campus in Palo Alto, with its main campus located in Costa Mesa. Sofia recently introduced a new doctoral-level program, the DBA (Doctor of Business Administration).
At Sofia, master’s level programs cost between $24,000 and $28,000, while the DBA program costs $51,300. F1 students enrolled in Day 1 CPT programs at Sofia are required to attend on-site classes once a month. Sofia University operates on a quarter system, featuring four quarters each year, with each quarter spanning 11 weeks. Students have the option to take a break for one quarter after completing three consecutive quarters. During this break, they are also eligible to engage in full-time CPT employment.
For more information about Sofia University, check out this page, or contact our consultant.
We can help you waive the $75 application fee.
*Reminder: The coming program start date at Sofia is July 1st.
Another school in California is that students who reside on the West Coast can consider is Humphreys University.
Humphreys University - A Cheaper Non-Profit Option in California
Based on CPTDog's information transparency policy, we would like to inform students that although Humphreys University is regionally accredited, it is currently on warning status.
What Happened to Humphreys University?
During a visit on December 21, 2021, the WSCUC accreditation team placed Humphreys University (HU) on warning status, recommending improvements in budgeting, governance, decision-making involvement, transparency, and data usage. Despite progress, the warning status remained after a February 2023 visit.
This status does not affect HU’s accreditation or students' status. The university has a dedicated webpage explaining the situation and has provided a contact person for any prospective or existing students who still have concerns after reading their statement. For further information, you may contact Jess Bonds, Accreditation Liaison Officer, at jbonds@humphreys.edu.
Humphreys University offers the advantage of being a very affordable non-profit institution, with the MBA-IT program costing $21,000. Choosing a non-profit institution is crucial if this is your first master’s degree, as only master’s or above-level degrees from non-profit institutions qualify you for the H1B master's cap, increasing your chances of being selected.
The downside, however, is the unresolved warning status and the limited major options. Currently, Humphreys has two programs with Day 1 CPT options, the MBA-IT & MBA - Organizational Leadership. There is also a non-CPT master's program in the same hybrid format for students who do not want to participate in CPT. That program is MBA - General Business.
If you would like more information about schools offering similar programs that are also non-profit and in the same region, please feel free to contact us.
*Reminder: The coming program start date at Sofia is July 1st.
University of the Potomac - Great Option if You are in D.C.
Since our last blog covered the University of the Potomac, I won't go into too much detail here. In summary, Potomac offers a wide range of majors covering almost every field, making it easy to find a program that fits any job description for Day 1 CPT.
Located in D.C., it has a bi-weekly on-site requirement, so we only recommend it to those living nearby. Compared to other Day 1 CPT universities in the area, the University of the Potomac is very affordable, especially its doctoral programs. It even made it onto our "Cheapest Day 1 CPT Universities" shortlist.
*Reminder: The coming program start date at Sofia is July 1st.
Conclusion
Alright, those are all the July Day 1 CPT picks. I hope they meet your expectations. If you have a flexible schedule and would like to consider Day 1 CPT universities with openings in the nearby months, let me know. Even better, you can reach out to our consultants, who can provide you with a personalized list of Day 1 CPT universities and an application fee waiver code.