MBAD 6298 Registration and Curricular Practical Training (CPT)
About Curricular Practical Training (CPT)
Students who wish to complete an off-campus internship during their program of study must receive authorization for Curricular Practical Training (CPT). CPT allows students to gain valuable practical experience in their field of work while they are still taking classes in their degree program. Detailed information about CPT and the process to apply for CPT authorization can be found on the International Services Office (ISO)'s website: Curricular Practical Training.
Important: Please note that you can only engage in CPT if you have received written approval on your I-20 from an ISO Advisor. Any off-campus training undertaken prior to receiving written authorization from the ISO or beyond the authorized dates listed on your I-20 violates F-1 immigration regulations and can lead to termination of your F-1 student status.
MBAD 6298 Registration
MBAD 6298, the zero-credit Graduate Internship in Business and Management course, serves as the "appropriate curricular course" to which you must apply and from which you must receive proof of enrollment before applying for CPT. MBAD 6298 is the course for students enrolled in GWSB graduate programs. All other international students should contact their school-specific career center to ask about the equivalent curricular course for their school and degree program. Registration in MBAD 6298 is handled by the Office of Global & Experiential Education (G&EE) and must be applied for one semester at a time.
To be registered for MBAD 6298, you must complete the following steps:
- Step #1: Get Your Offer Letter and Write your Proposal Letter
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The first step for MBAD 6298 registration is to get an internship Offer Letter from your employer and write your CPT Proposal Letter. When you receive your Offer Letter, make sure to review it carefully to ensure it meets the requirements outlined on the ISO's CPT website in the "How Do I Apply?" section.
Please also note that your internship start and end dates must be contained within one of GW's academic terms as defined by the GW Academic Calendar (either Fall, Spring, or Summer). For example, if you are applying for CPT for the Fall semester, your internship start date cannot be before the first day of classes for the Fall semester, nor can your end date be after the last day of Fall final exams. If your internship will span multiple semesters, you will need separate Offer Letters for each semester of your internship; please contact G&EE at [email protected] for more information about specific requirements and considerations for internships that span for multiple semesters.
- Step #2: Contact your GWSB Program Manager
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Send your Offer Letter and CPT Proposal Letter to your GWSB Program Manager to request a CPT Advisor Support Letter. Your Program Manager will review your CPT documents and, once approved, issue the Advisor Support Letter.
Please note, the CPT Advisor Support Letter can only be issued by a member of the GWSB Graduate Program team; neither G&EE nor the ISO are authorized to issue CPT Advisor Support Letters.
- Step #3: Apply for MBAD 6298 with G&EE
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Once you have received your CPT Advisor Support Letter, it's time to apply for the MBAD 6298 course with the Office of Global & Experiential Education (G&EE)! To apply for MBAD 6298, students must first submit the GWSB MBAD 6298 Application with your information about your internship.
Submit the GWSB MBAD 6298 Application
Please note, the GWSB MBAD 6298 Application is used for GWSB record-keeping purposes only, and information submitted in the form is not forwarded to the ISO; you still must submit your documents to the ISO via ISOGateway for formal CPT approval after you are registered for MBAD 6298.
After the GWSB MBAD 6298 Application is submitted, you must send the following documents to G&EE at [email protected]:
- CPT Proposal Letter
- Internship Offer Letter from your employer
- CPT Advisor Support Letter written by your GWSB Program Manager
You will not be registered for MBAD 6298 until all three of these documents are received. Upon receipt, G&EE will review your documents and, if approved, register you for MBAD 6298. You will receive an email and signed MBAD 6298 Registration Confirmation Letter once your MBAD 6298 Registration has been processed.
Please note that, during peak times (particularly late Spring and early Summer), G&EE's standard processing time for MBAD 6298 applications is 3-5 business days.
Applying for CPT Authorization with the ISO
After you receive your MBAD 6298 Registration Confirmation Letter, you must submit all of your CPT documents to the International Services Office (ISO) for formal CPT authorization via ISOGateway. The typical CPT processing time for the ISO is ten (10) business days, so please plan accordingly! Note that you should not submit your CPT request in ISOGateway until you have received your MBAD 6298 Registration Confirmation Letter from G&EE.
Important: Registration in MBAD 6298 does not authorize you to start your off-campus internship. You are not authorized to start your off-campus internship in the United States until formal CPT authorization is received from the ISO and you receive an updated I-20 with your CPT information listed on Page 2 of the document. You must receive your updated I-20 before you start your internship!
Remember, you are required to apply for CPT for each semester of your internship. If your internship will span multiple semesters or will otherwise extend beyond the original CPT dates authorized by the ISO, you must submit new CPT forms to G&EE and the ISO to be registered in MBAD 6298 and receive formal CPT authorization for your new internship period.
Dropping MBAD 6298
Students may only drop MBAD 6298 if they never received CPT authorization and/or did not participate in an off-campus internship for any length of time during the semester. If these criteria are met, you can send an email to [email protected] requesting to be dropped from the course.
Questions about MBAD 6298
If you have any questions regarding MBAD 6298, please contact the Office of Global & Experiential Education (G&EE) at [email protected].
Questions about CPT
CPT is managed by the GW International Services Office (ISO). For questions about CPT requirements or the authorization process, please contact the ISO directly at [email protected]. Detailed information about CPT can also be found on the ISO's CPT webpage.