Work While Studying at CIAM

Who can apply for CPT at CIAM on Day 1 of the program?

✓  Transfer F1 students can use CPT from the beginning of the program
➤  Initial F1 students have to be enrolled for at least 9 months before applying for CPT

How long can I use CPT at CIAM?

Throughout the whole program. However, if you use full-time CPT for more than 12 months, you will not be eligible for OPT post-graduation.

Do I have to take a CPT course? 

CIAM's MBA program integrates work experience directly into its curriculum, requiring all students to complete at least two semesters of CPT courses to qualify for graduation.

On-Site Requirement

➢ 2 / Semester: one day each time (Saturday or Sunday), from 9 AM to 5 PM.
➢ F1 students are required to attend all on-site sessions; failure to attend will result in expel. 
➢ Students who cannot attend an on-site class must request leave in advance and receive approval from the professor.
➢ Leave from onsite courses is limited to no more than two instances per semester.

 

CPT Authorization Fee 

The first two semesters will be free, but starting from the third semester, there will be a charge of $500 for each semester's CPT authorization. Assuming a student needs CPT for all six semesters, this results in an additional cost of 4 * $500. This will also add 4 credits upon graduation, but these cannot be used to substitute for other required courses.

Application Process

The CPT course is a zero-credit hour course, meaning there is no additional tuition fee for registering for it. Each semester, students have the opportunity to enroll in an Experiential Internship Course for their CPT, authorizing them to engage in CPT work.

• INT501 Experiential Internship Course: Available for the first three semesters, with a maximum of three enrollments. This course is designed to support students in applying time management skills and health and stress management techniques to effectively balance work, school, and life for optimal success.
• INT599 Experiential Internship Course: Available for the last three semesters, with a maximum of three enrollments. This course focuses on integrating the work environment with the academic environment of the MBA program.

Students who have been in F1 status for more than one year are eligible to apply for Day 1 CPT, allowing them to choose INT501 from the first semester. Otherwise, students must wait until the third semester to apply for CPT (choosing INT501).

To apply for CPT, a student must have an Employment Letter from a company, and the start date cannot be in the past. CPT must be renewed each semester. 

CPT Renewal Frequency 

CPT authorization must be renewed every semester.