r/Day1CPTuniversities

Hi!!! I have an urgent ask I want to ask others that are on CPT. My visa is going to expire in August 8 (which is in a month) but I’m thinking if it’s ok to go back home for a week or two since family is in hospital. I’m on CPT and my green card is in application but only the first step, I only have my priority date. Want to ask if anyone has similar experience?? Thank you!! I asked my workplace immigration attorney and they were pretty against traveling internationally on CPT and another friend said the concern would be the expiration date is cutting close…Any insights would be great.

*the reason I am asking for other insights instead of just my lawyers is because they told me to not event travel to Hawaii…but I still did and it was fine

1. Go for a higher degree and a reputed college , for example DBA at westcliff. Westcliff is a legit university , there’s a reason why its expensive but safe as well or do a phd from an actual university where you get funding

2. If you are going with a second masters go at your own risk , all these popular day1 universities like cumberlands , iwu etc are gonna be scrutinized more . USCIS was already aware of this but now they are literally calling “Day1CPT” out

3. Rules don’t apply retroactively but VO’s are not dumb , they would not create an exception for you if you enrolled for a second masters before the rule comes out.

Earlier under the biden administration day1cpt was taken with a grain of salt but under this new administration don’t even try to cut corners is what i am realizing. I read the OMB document twice and they literally mention words like “pay to stay” schools etc.

Just curious to hear different perspectives on this.

If Day 1 CPT is a legal pathway for professionals to continue working while studying as part of their academic program, why don’t we see this option offered more commonly at highly ranked or well-known universities?

I understand CPT itself is allowed under F-1 regulations when it’s an integral part of the curriculum, and some universities structure programs around that. But I’m trying to understand the long-term implications.

For people who chose Day 1 CPT:

1. How did you evaluate whether a university was legitimate and low-risk?
2. Did you have concerns about future visa stamping, H-1B, or green card processing?
3. If a visa officer asked why you moved from working full-time to enrolling in a Day 1 CPT program, how would you explain that decision convincingly?

Not judging anyone’s choices, I know everyone’s immigration journey is different. Just trying to understand the risk/reward and how people think about it.

Hi Guys,

Is anybody doing a DBA at Westcliff University (ideally in SoCal)? How do companies feel about hiring you on CPT for three years? Do you get lots of rejections?

Anyone going to Akron university as an international student? Got accepted for rn-BSN program

I curious why many people choose to hang on to Day1CPT for years and even do multiple master’s without a stable US status instead of moving to Canada or elsewhere where they may be able to find a job and have a stable status and even PR?

Is it solely because the US salaries are much more than what you get elsewhere? Or the burden of moving to a new country and risks of not finding jobs? etc.

Basically if you don't have any visa certainty and path to GC, are you just trying to stack up as much money as you can while you can somehow stay here and work legally and then think about the next move after that?

I am considering finding a Tech job in Canada and moving there but the pay is nowhere close to what you get in the US. Just wanted to sanity check myself.

Hi folks! A lot of people found it helpful when I shared my journey from Day 1 CPT to an O-1, so I figured I'd do another AMA.

I'm not a lawyer or immigration consultant—just someone who's been through the process firsthand and is happy to share what worked for me, what I learned along the way, and answer questions about my experience.

Happy to answer questions about building an O-1 profile, evidence, timing, publications, recommendation letters, the petition process from a personal perspective, and anything else I can speak to based on my own experience. Can refer you to the law firm i used as well, and can advise against one i had a poor experience with. cheers!

Are anyone still going for a second master day 1CPT ?

I mean are people still enrolling despite the coming changes in F1 and DS rules.

I recently transferred my SEVIS record from Texas Tech University to Westcliff University to start a new MS in Computer Science program.

Timeline:

• CPT application submitted: June 16
• SEVIS release date from TTU: June 22
• Westcliff confirmed they received my SEVIS record and issued my initial transfer I-20.
• My program started on June 29.

The problem is that I'm still waiting for my CPT-authorized I-20 (the one with employment authorization on page 2). Westcliff says processing times have increased because of the high volume of applications at the beginning of the session.

I'm currently on a leave of absence from my employer (Tesla) because I can't return to work until I receive the CPT-authorized I-20.

Has anyone else transferred to Westcliff recently? How long did it take from your SEVIS transfer/program start to receive your CPT-authorized I-20? Any recent experiences or timelines would be greatly appreciated.

Are the new wage levels that have been released bring into effect the proposed prevailing wage level increases? Or is this separate from that?

hey everyone,
I want to switch job as my current job is not so great paying and employer won’t sponsor my h1.. thats why i was doing 2nd masters but i cant keep this . Want to switch. My priority is amazon cz i have a frnd so i get get referal eassily. Please help me . thankyou!!

Looking for some safe options with reasonable workload. Thank you!

I’m 26 years old and currently work as a Data Engineer at a university in California. My salary is under $100k, and I enjoy learning. I don’t have a lot of professional experience yet, but I’m motivated to grow my technical skills.
I’m currently on STEM OPT and only have **one H-1B lottery attempt left**.
I’m trying to decide between two paths:
**Option 1:** Stay at the university and pursue a cap-exempt H-1B, which offers more immigration stability but potentially slower salary and career growth.
**Option 2:** Move to a private company where I could earn more, work on larger-scale engineering problems, and grow faster, but I’d be relying on my last H-1B lottery.
For those who have been in a similar situation:
Which path would you choose and why?
Is staying at a university for a few more years worth it for the cap-exempt H-1B?
If you were in my position, would you prioritize immigration security or faster career growth?
Has anyone successfully transitioned from a university cap-exempt H-1B to industry later? How difficult was it?
I’d really appreciate hearing from people who’ve actually gone through this decision.

Hi All,

With the end of D/S coming up soon is it still safe to pursue a second masters ?? or should i go for a dba or phd ??

Ty

Hi all as today was last day to file petition wanted to create thread to discuss or see the timeline of approval

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I am currently in a situation where I have already used full-time CPT for approximately 11 months, and I am now deciding between two possible paths for maintaining my F-1 status and green card.

Both options are not ideal, but I am trying to choose the one with relatively lower immigration risk for future I-485 adjustment of status.

Option 1

Continue working full-time in practice, but change CPT status to part-time (20 hours/week). Payroll and pay stubs would also be adjusted to reflect 20 hours per week, while maintaining the same overall annual compensation through an adjusted hourly rate.

Option 2

Complete my current master’s program and then enroll in a second master’s program using Day 1 CPT again. (No OPT) This would allow me to maintain F-1 status through continuous enrollment while continuing my employment under CPT authorization.

Given these two options, both of which carry some level of risk, could you please advise:

Which option is relatively less risky from an I-485 (green card) perspective?

And which option is more likely to raise concerns regarding status maintenance or compliance during USCIS review?

Hi all,

I need to change my status to F1 from H1B in the coming months. I am planning to apply for an MBA or DBA( I have a Master's in the US already) and COS. My PERM is pending. Any idea on the possible risks and things that can be done to avoid any issues?

Anyone in a similar boat that got their COS approved recently(with pending PERM/I-140 approval)

Any help would be greatly appreciated!

What university is good for DBA?
I don’t see DBA being offered at Cumberlands. I did apply at Westcliff. Any other universities I could apply for a DBA that also offers day1 CPT? Need to apply asap. H1 grace period ends end of July.

Hi All,

I have come across people who are still going for a second masters and doing sevis transfer before the rule goes into effect which is likely around fall 2026. Even if one’s H1b gets picked next year , it will be outright denied i reckon.

Would like to know people’s thought process on this.