WASHINGTON — Georgetown University Law Center has stopped approving off-campus work for its international J.D. students. The change blocks them from internships and externships, which are important for building a legal career.
What Changed
Georgetown Law says it has “temporarily paused approval of CPT” while it reviews its rules against new federal guidance. No end date has been given.
CPT, or Curricular Practical Training, is a work permission that lets students on F-1 visas take off-campus jobs connected to their studies.
About 130 international J.D. students are affected, out of more than 2,250 total J.D. students.
Why It Happened
In August, the Department of Homeland Security sent two warnings to universities about CPT:
- On August 12, it warned of rising CPT fraud and said school officials could face criminal responsibility for the accuracy of CPT approvals.
- On August 24, it said work experience must be a graduation requirement for all students in a major to qualify for CPT.
These messages did not change the actual rule, which only requires a job to be “integral” to a student’s program. But in September, DHS said it would enforce the new guidelines anyway. A federal judge is now weighing a lawsuit challenging the guidance.
Other Law Schools Are Doing the Same
Harvard Law, the University of Washington School of Law, UC Berkeley School of Law and Columbia Law School have also suspended CPT approvals.
How Students Are Reacting
The president of Georgetown’s Student Bar Association said the pause takes away a key career opportunity and hopes it will be eased or reversed. An immigration attorney said the policy could push international students to choose other law schools.
Georgetown Law says it is working with international J.D. students to make sure they still have strong hands-on learning opportunities while the court case continues.