Update on CPT and Hybrid course for international students

Low Plaza has been described as one of the great urban spaces in America. It was built to resemble a Greek amphitheater and is ideal for outdoor events, including concerts, theatrical performances and fairs. Students flock to the plaza steps to sunbathe, socialize and study, making it, in the words of a leading architect, a true "urban beach." Watching over the plaza is Alma Mater, a bronze sculpture by Daniel Chester French, famous for his statue of Abraham Lincoln at the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C.

As you know, SIPA’s 21-month full time Master of International Affairs (MIA) and Master of Public Administration (MPA) require students to complete an internship. Beginning with the cohort matriculating for the first time in Fall 2020, SIPA will require students in these programs to fulfill their internship requirement after completing two semesters (in this particular example, as early as Summer 2021).

• International students enrolled in the hybrid program in Fall 2020 and Spring 2021 will be eligible for Curricular Practical Training (CPT) as early as Summer 2021
• International students who enroll in the online program in Fall 2020, then enroll in the online or hybrid program in Spring 2021 will be eligible for CPT as early as Summer 2021

Students who first matriculate in the four-semester MIA program or four-semester MPA in Spring 2021 will be eligible for CPT after completing two semesters (in this particular case, after Spring 2021 and Fall 2021).

We encourage our international students to keep up to date with Columbia's International Students & Scholars Office (ISSO), the best resource on current travel and visa issues.