Pre-completion Optional Practical Training (OPT) versus CPT

Some students who are considering CPT may want to think about pre-completion OPT instead. Like CPT, pre-completion OPT allows for work related to your major. However, there some advantages and disadvantages, depending on each student's plans. See the table below. While pre-completion OPT requires preparation well in advance, it does not need a job offer to get started and does not require registration for internship credit, which is a typical requirement for most CPT requests.