Can I hire an F1 international student for an internship?

Our international students often offer past work experience blended with US education, and can be hired for internships under Curriculum Practical Training (CPT) for roles aligned with their current education program. The role must offer a supervised workplace learning experience, and not replace a full-time employee or be an independent contractor.

The F1 student must meet the CPT eligibility criteria, including being enrolled in a US university for a full academic year. The student must be approved for CPT prior to the start of the internship.

The student must be enrolled in an internship course at the same time as employed in an internship, and there are stricter requirements for start and end dates. See timelines at https://jindal.utdallas.edu/career-management-center/internships/#04-reporting-and-timelines. A student can be hired for a 6 month co-op program, but must be approved for CPT for both semesters.