CPT only limited to primary major?

International Students
1

So, I have been doing some information hunt on CPT and OPT, and I noticed phrases " a college-level degree program." always comes with CPT since I have been scheduled an interview for an internship at the off-campus hospital nearby school.

My major is chemical engineering, but I am also on Pre-medicine track. However, my I-20 only shows my major, and according to one of staff member at the Int. student office, I-20 is supposed to show a primary major only(so secondary majors are not in there)

I talked with another lady in Int. student office(whom I am starting to really dislike for her repetitive answering machine attitude), and she basically said that I should do pre-comp OPT instead because CPT is for a CURRENT MAJOR FIELD OF STUDY. However I really don’t want to do Pre-comp OPT because I will lose eligibility for 24 month post complete OPT STEM extension, especially for an unpaid, 8month intenrship.

What should I do?

2

Since this is unpaid, you need to find out if it even comes under the CPT/OPT rules. Unpaid (as in volunteer) should not have anything to do with either of those.

3

Unfortunately, CPT authorization is required even for unpaid internship…wow.
Guess I should meet with the head director about this. Our school doesn’t have many int. students so they tend to be not so helpful when it comes down to this kind of specific question.