International Students

Curricular Practical Training (CPT) is defined as "alternate work/study, internship, cooperative education, or any other type of required internship or practicum which is offered by sponsoring employers through cooperative agreements with the school." 

CPT is a benefit of F-1 status. You are not guaranteed CPT and must meet all eligibility requirements to be authorized. Please be aware that CPT opportunities vary within UMass. Some programs may allow CPT while school is in session, while others only permit CPT during summer and/or winter terms. Students should determine this by contacting the appropriate person in their college.

For more information on CPT, visit the CPT Information Page on the IPO site or attend an information session while classes are in session.

OPT is a benefit of F-1 student immigration status and provides for an initial 12-months of off-campus work authorization anywhere in the United States for international students who have been enrolled full-time for a minimum of one academic year (considered to be 9-months or two full semesters). There are three different types of OPT:

1. Pre-completion OPT (employment before completion of studies)
2. Post-completion OPT (employment after completion of studies and graduation
3. STEM OPT extension (extension of previous Post-completion OPT for those students who graduated in a STEM field (List of Fields Labeled STEM)

You may file your Post-Completion OPT up to 90-days prior to your completion of studies date, and up to 60-days after graduation/program end date. However, waiting to apply until 60-days after your graduation/program end date is strongly discouraged, as it may jeopardize your ability to utilize the full 12-months of OPT eligibility because of processing delays.

For information on how to apply for OPT, visit the OPT Application page on the IPO site or attend an information session while classes are in session.

Utilize Job Boards with an International Candidate Focus

A job board is a website that posts open positions. While there are many websites that does this, not all of them have filters that narrow down opportunities that are open to international applicants.

Handshake is UMass Amherst's career platform, and has many functions to help students find an opportunity that is right for them. If you are unfamiliar with how to use Handshake to search for jobs, begin with our resource guide: How to Use Handshake.

UMass Amherst Collections: Companies that Hire International Students

UMass Amherst Collections are curated lists of employers specifically tagged for UMass Amherst students by UMass Amherst Career Services. The “Hires International Students” collection is a list of employers who have hired UMass Amherst international students into full-time jobs since 2020. 

To view the list of employers in the Hires International Students Collection:

1. Log into Handshake

2. Click Career Center on the left navigation menu.

3. Scroll down to the section for Curated Employers and click on "Hires International Students" to view the list of employers. Follow the companies you are most interested in to receive a Handshake notification when they add new postings. 

Search Filters: Find Companies that Hire International Students

When on the Job Search page of Handshake, there are two job search filters in Handshake that are specifically helpful for international students.

Applying the "Hires International Students" filter will produce a curated list of active Handshake postings from employers who have hired past UMass Amherst international students. This filter can be used in combination with any of the other job search filters to further refine your search. 

To view jobs posted by employers that hire international students:

1. Log into Handshake

2. Click Jobs on the left navigation menu

3. Next to the search bar, click "UMass Amherst collections" and select "Hires International Students"

Within the “All Filters” section, there are three filter options for work authorization. These are based upon the criteria the employer selected when entering the job posting in Handshake. 

• Jobs that do not require US work authorization

• Jobs that are eligible for US visa sponsorship

• Jobs that are open to candidates with Curricular Practical Training (CPT) and/or Optional Practical Training (OPT)

Resources Beyond Handshake

• OPT Nation's List of Companies that Hire International Students: Many companies have an established history of hiring both domestic and international candidates. By searching these companies' job postings, you will increase the likelihood of finding positions that offer the potential for sponsorship.

When applying for jobs in the United States, you may be asked for either a resume or a curriculum vitae. While both documents summarize your professional experience, there are differences between the two.

Resume: A one-to-two page summary of your experience as it relates to the position for which you are applying. While a resume often includes professional experience related to your field, it will often include academic, leadership, research, or volunteer experiences as well so long as those experiences relate to the role. A resume is the most often used document when applying for positions in the United States.

Curriculum Vitae (CV): A multi-page collection of all of your experience related to your course of study. Unlike a resume, a CV typically is not customized for every position. Rather, it tends to be a stable document that is added to as you gather experiences and accomplishments in your course of study. A CV is most often used when applying for positions in academia or research in the United States.

Note that when applying for jobs outside of the United States, CV is often used interchangeably with resume. If you are looking to apply for positions outside of the United States, it is helpful to see what the expectations for applications are in other countries.