U.S. Tightens International Student CPT Internships: Harvard College Stops Approvals, MIT and Penn Pause, Higher Ed Groups Sue DHS
In August, SEVP twice narrowed CPT to internships required for graduation. Harvard College and others stopped approving it; MIT, Penn and Wellesley paused. Four higher ed groups sued on October 5. A separate four-year visa limit was postponed by a court on September 14.
On August 12 and August 24, 2026, the Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP) sent two notices to schools reinterpreting CPT (Curricular Practical Training): CPT may only be approved for internships that every student in the degree program must complete to graduate. Previously, schools generally approved internships taken for academic credit. The notices also warned that schools approving CPT improperly could lose their SEVP certification to host international students. According to The Harvard Crimson, several leading universities have since changed course.
Where schools stand
- Harvard: Harvard College and the Law School, Medical School, Graduate School of Design and Graduate School of Arts and Sciences no longer approve CPT. The Law School has stopped approving international J.D. students for its 13 externship clinics this academic year.
- MIT, the University of Pennsylvania and Wellesley College have paused CPT approvals.
- The complaint says students have already lost internship and research opportunities this semester.
The lawsuit
On October 5, four groups (the Association of American Universities, the Presidents' Alliance on Higher Education and Immigration, NAFSA: Association of International Educators, and the Association of Independent Colleges and Universities in Massachusetts) sued the Department of Homeland Security in federal court in Massachusetts. They argue the new interpretation skipped proper rulemaking and applies retroactively, ask the court to restore the previous practice, and have moved to block enforcement while the case proceeds. No ruling had been reported as of the Crimson's report.
A separate rule: four-year visa limit postponed
DHS had also issued a rule replacing "duration of status" (D/S) for F-1 students with fixed admission periods (four years for most students, with extensions requested separately), due to take effect September 15. On September 14, a federal judge in Massachusetts postponed it nationwide. The existing D/S system remains in place while the case continues.
What it means for students and families
- If you plan summer internships or co-op during college, check whether your target schools still approve CPT, or offer alternatives such as on-campus research or on-campus jobs.
- CPT is different from OPT (post-study work authorization); OPT faces a separate fee proposal, covered in another news item on this site.
- Court outcomes and school policies may change; follow your school's international office.
Sources: The Harvard Crimson, October 6, 2026; University of Washington International Student Services (D/S rule postponed). Check the official sources for the latest policy.