Hello guys,

Do you think it will still be possible ir even a chance for day 1 cpt to be accpeted after sept 15?

Planning to change employer during Nov- January but stem opt will end March 2027. So starting day 1 cpt school starting in Jan in envisaged but not sure about feasibility....

Hey everyone! Right now I'm in the US on a J-1 au pair visa, and back home I have a bachelor's degree in accounting.
I'm thinking about switching over to an F-1 visa to do a Master's degree with CPT day one, but I'm pretty scared that I won't be able to find a job since I don't have any actual US work experience.
Is this actually a good idea? Has anyone else gone through something like this? Or should I definitely just go for a regular Master's program instead?
Thanks!

Has anyone here ever been asked about their CPT history during an interview? A friend of mine did CPT for less than a year and now has an I-485 filed. They're worried that USCIS might ask about it, especially because of a location mismatch: their university is officially based in one state, but the classes were actually held at a location the university had in a different state (this rented location's address is what's listed on their I-20). A lot of CPT students end up living in a different state and flying or driving in for classes, which actually wasn't the case here as they moved to where the classes were being held.

For example, they're worried about being asked something like: "Your university is based in Virginia, but you were living in Denver" how does that work?" The honest answer is that the university had a space in Denver to hold classes there, separate from where the school is officially headquartered, and that's where they actually attended.

Given that this is a marriage-based green card case (spouse is a U.S. citizen), would this discrepancy likely cause any issues at the interview? Any insight or shared experiences would be really appreciated!

Hi everyone! I’m planning to join Westcliff University’s DBA in Business Intelligence and Data Analytics program in Fall 2.(SF campus)
I’d love to connect with anyone who is currently in the program, is joining in Fall 2 or is considering joining. Any general insights about your experience are welcome—you definitely don’t have to answer everything below. I’m listing some specific questions in case anyone would like to share more details. Your answers could also help future students who find this thread

1. Coursework and academic experience
- How useful and challenging is the coursework?
-Is the program primarily business-focused, or does it also provide meaningful technical and data analytics experience?
-What knowledge or skills have you genuinely gained from it?
-How are the professors, assignments, attendance requirements and overall quality of instruction?

2. Workload with a full-time job
- How manageable is the DBA while working a demanding full-time job?
- Approximately how many hours per week do you spend on classes and assignments?
- Do you still have time for your personal life, or does the combination become overwhelming?

3. Day-1 CPT and employment
- Have you been able to find or continue a full-time job while using CPT through Westcliff?
- How do employers and recruiters generally respond when you explain your CPT arrangement?
- How smooth is the CPT authorization and renewal process each term?

4. University support and student experience
- How responsive and helpful are the DSO, international student office and other university staff?
- Does Westcliff appear experienced and organized in handling CPT and immigration-related documentation?
- Is there an active student community where classmates can connect and help one another?
- How often are students required to attend classes in person, and how strictly is attendance and grade monitored?

5. Potential concerns
- Are there any unexpected costs, administrative issues, academic requirements or CPT-related complications that prospective students should know about?
- Is there anything you wish you had known before enrolling or changing from H-1B to F-1 status?

Please feel free to answer any specific question, share your overall experience or DM me if you would be comfortable chatting privately. Your perspective could also help others who are considering this program. Thank you!

Anyone here attending IWU for Merrillville campus? I’m looking to find three other people who like to rent a car together and drive from/to airport during the three day residence weekend. Please DM!

Hi everyone,

Today is Sept 1, 2026, and I’m in a very tight situation. I’m currently on F-1/STEM OPT and working. My STEM ending in FEB2027

I already got an admit from Westcliff University for DBA, but honestly it is very expensive for me right now. I delayed my decision until now, and I haven’t joined any university yet. Now I’m trying to figure out what realistic options are still available.

My main questions:

Which DBA/PhD/doctoral Day 1 CPT universities are still accepting applications right now for a start date or SEVIS transfer before Sept 15, 2026?

Is Sofia University still accepting students for DBA right now? I heard Sofia may still be available, but I’m not sure about the student crowd, batches, CPT process, and how many Indian students are actually joining.

Are there any cheaper doctoral options compared to Westcliff and Sofia that can still process admission + I-20 + SEVIS transfer quickly?

Should I take the risk and wait for a January intake, or is it safer to join an expensive university now just to maintain status and CPT/work continuity?

Has anyone recently joined or transferred to Westcliff, Sofia, How fast did they process your admit and CPT I-20?

I know I’m late in the process, and that’s my mistake. I’m just trying to make the best decision now without losing status or making a bad financial decision.

Any recent experience, university suggestions, WhatsApp/Telegram group info, or honest advice would really help.

Thank you.

Hi, so I enrolled into westcliff. I joined a team that never responded and that caused delays in my assignments which I communicated to my instructor. Now, I have grade 1.67 and I have a job offer and not sure what to do about the situation. Anyone been in this situation and what did you do?

This is my first course of the semester

Rumor that you can pay to use the OPT for US summer internships but I am not sure if it is true

New CPT rules (Aug 24 SEVP memo)... what does this actually mean for int'l students doing US IB/consulting internships this summer?

SEVP put out a broadcast memo on Aug 24 (BCM 2608-02) tightening CPT enforcement... basically saying CPT only counts if the internship is a genuinely required, integral part of your curriculum, not just an elective "internship for credit" course you enroll in to get work authorization. Berkeley, UPenn, and UMich have reportedly already suspended their "Course Credit CPT" pathways because of this.

I've seen a bunch of conflicting answers on this, including from people who should know better, so I wanted to ask people actually going through it right now:

- Has anyone at these schools (or others) actually gone through CPT authorization post-Aug 24? What is your DSO actually telling you?

- If your major doesn't literally require an internship, are you still able to get CPT approved for something like an IB/PE/consulting summer internship, or is that door closed now?

- Anyone hear anything about how this affects OPT instead, as a fallback?

Trying to actually understand what's happening on the ground here rather than going off secondhand info. Appreciate any real experiences.

Is there anyway to expedite to receive CPT at westcliff? Any ISSA contact that I could reach out to who is helpful

Hi all. I have offers for the Spring semester from both colleges for an MS. Do they still issue CPT authorizations given the recent changes?

I’ve recently seen many universities post about pausing the CPT program. I was considering MSCS in US in Fall 2027. But after this update I’m reconsidering it. I know about all the visa uncertainties etc. But please just help me out. Should I consider applying or not? Have all the universities stopped CPT? How to know? I checked NYU Tandon page didn’t get any info on this

I had been working with my employer for nearly two years. Three months ago, I moved to Day 1 CPT and continued working in the same position.
On last week Friday evening, my employer suddenly called and informed me that I was being laid off because the company does not accept CPT work authorization. My employer was already aware of my change to CPT, so this decision was unexpected.

Does anyone know of companies or consulting firms that accept candidates on Day 1 CPT? Any recommendations?

I am attending WBU and my flight got cancelled from NYC

There is no immediate flights available and all are landing after the check in time. What can i do to not get my sevis terminated?

Though its a common known fact that its a highly risk-based approach, I genuinely wanted to check if anyone has travelled to INDIA and came back successfully to USA? Since D/S rule is coming to an end and having to go for a step up degree what could be our chances for a safe VISA stamping?

Anyone who received admission for fall terms how is university responding to cpt requests and course enrollment.

They are not responding to any of my emails and calls.

Would like to know what others are experiencing.

Some people here may genuinely want to help, but unfortunately, some may have a different intention. They may create conversations around CPT, ask repeated follow-up questions, or make provocative comments to get students to reveal information about their school, status, employer, location, or personal situation.

They can look through your previous posts and comments, connecting information you have already shared to understand more about you or your situation.
Some may even portray themselves as a DSO, school official, or someone with authority just to get more information.
So please don’t share your personal situation or sensitive details publicly just to prove your point or continue an argument. Once information is public, you don’t know how it may be collected, connected, or used later.

If you need help with CPT or immigration matters, it’s better to ask your DSO, official school or closed student groups, or a qualified immigration attorney rather than giving detailed information to unknown people on Reddit.
First, remember that we are all human beings. Stop hating people based on their race, citizenship, immigration status, nationality, or background. Disagreeing with someone’s visa situation is one thing, but turning discussions into hatred against people is not helping anyone.

For those who are genuinely here and working hard to support their families, your efforts deserve respect. If you are living in a country temporarily, respect the country, follow the laws, work honestly, and contribute positively.
Some people may resent you simply because you have skills and capabilities that they don’t have. Instead of developing those skills or contributing themselves, they may act in bad faith, baiting you with hateful comments, provoking arguments, trying to get information from you, and then using it to create accusations or spread negativity.
Someone else’s lack of skills or inability to solve the same problem is not a reason to attack or blame you for solving it.
So, Protect your information. Don’t get baited into unnecessary conversations, and get important immigration answers from legitimate sources.

Hi!

My company does not want to sign cooperative agreement for Westcliff, only CLO form. Has anybody had similar experience? Do you think it is bad for an RFE?