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Davis College
Department of Computer Science
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International Student Internship and CPT Guidance

The Computer Science Department strongly encourages students to pursue internships and practical industry experience. Internships provide valuable opportunities to apply classroom knowledge in professional computing environments and are an important part of career preparation.

Because many international students participate in internships using Curricular Practical Training (CPT), students must carefully follow both academic and immigration-related requirements before beginning employment.

These guidelines apply to students in:

  • B.S. in Computer Science (COSC)

  • B.S. in Computer Information Technology (CITE)

  • B.S. in Data Science

How the CPT Approval Process Works

CPT approval involves both the Computer Science Department (the academic approver) and TCU International Services (ISO). The steps below outline the full process from start to finish:

  1. Submit CPT materials in ISO Gateway. The student submits all CPT materials through ISO Gateway. The academic approver receives an email notification that a request has been submitted and is awaiting approval.

  2. Departmental Google Form. The academic approver emails the student a link to a departmental Google Form to collect additional information ISO Gateway does not capture.

  3. Academic review. The academic approver reviews the ISO Gateway request and the completed Google Form together to determine whether the internship is academically appropriate and eligible for CPT.

  4. Permission code and course enrollment. If everything is in order, the academic approver emails the student a permission code and instructs the student to enroll in the internship course.

  5. Formal academic approval. After the student enrolls in the course, the academic approver returns to ISO Gateway to complete the formal approval.

  6. ISO authorization. ISO verifies enrollment and issues the CPT authorization.

Employment may not begin until ISO has issued CPT authorization and it is reflected on the updated I-20 (see Final Reminder below).

General Requirements

CPT internships must:

  • Be directly related to the student's major field of study

  • Provide practical training and professional experience relevant to the curriculum

  • Involve meaningful supervision and mentorship

  • Be approved by both the department and TCU International Services (ISO) before employment begins

Students may not begin any internship, employment, volunteer position, or practical training activity before CPT authorization has been officially granted (see Final Reminder below).

Internships by Major

The following types of internships are typically considered appropriate for CPT review. Students should seek positions that align with their specific degree program. Internships may be paid or unpaid.

Computer Science (COSC)

TCU's B.S. in Computer Science provides a strong foundation in algorithms, software design, programming languages, and computing theory. Internships should involve substantive software development, engineering, or research responsibilities.

  • Software Engineering

  • AI / Machine Learning Engineering

  • Cybersecurity Research and Engineering

  • Cloud Computing

  • DevOps / Infrastructure Engineering

  • Data Engineering

  • Systems Programming

  • Mobile or Web Application Development

  • Research and Development Engineering

Computer Information Technology (CITE)

TCU's B.S. in CITE focuses on applying computer technology — both hardware and software — in the workplace, with coursework in system and network administration, interface design and scripting, database administration, and project management. Internships must involve meaningful technical work beyond basic help desk support, ticket resolution, or routine computer repair.

  • Systems Administration and Engineering

  • Network Administration and Engineering

  • Database Administration and Development

  • Cloud Infrastructure and Operations

  • Cybersecurity Analysis and Operations

  • Security Operations Center (SOC) Engineering

  • Penetration Testing and Vulnerability Assessment

  • Information Security and Compliance

  • Enterprise Systems Integration

  • IT Project Management (with a technical component)

  • Scripting and Automation Engineering

  • Technical Consulting

Data Science

TCU's B.S. in Data Science is a rigorous program grounded in computer science and mathematics, with a focus on AI and machine learning. Internships must reflect this computational and mathematical foundation. Roles centered on business-level analytics tools (such as Power BI, Excel spreadsheets, or Tableau dashboards) without a meaningful programming or modeling component do not qualify.

  • Machine Learning Engineering

  • AI/LLM Applications

  • Data Science Engineering

  • Statistical Modeling and Computational Analytics

  • Predictive Analytics and Forecasting

  • Natural Language Processing

  • Computer Vision

  • Data Engineering and Pipeline Development

  • Research and Development in AI/ML

Internships That May Not Qualify

The department may deny CPT approval for internships that:

  • Are not sufficiently related to the student's academic program

  • Lack meaningful technical or professional responsibilities

  • Appear primarily clerical, administrative, or unrelated to computing/data

  • Do not provide clear supervision or organizational structure

  • Appear to exist primarily to obtain work authorization

  • Involve freelance or gig-style work without formal supervision

  • Involve self-employment or startups owned primarily by the student

  • Otherwise raise compliance concerns under university or immigration policies

Examples that typically do not qualify include generic office assistant work, unrelated sales or marketing roles, delivery driving, cash-based work, informal volunteer arrangements, or loosely defined "startup helper" positions without technical responsibilities.

Startup Internships

Internships with startups are permitted and can provide valuable experience. However, startup internships receive additional review.

Students must demonstrate that:

  • The company is a legitimate operating business

  • The internship includes meaningful technical or professional training

  • There is an identifiable supervisor or mentor

  • The work is directly related to the student's degree program

The department may request additional documentation for startup internships.

Required Documentation

Students should be prepared to provide all of the following:

  • Official internship offer letter — must clearly describe the technical responsibilities and work the student will perform. The duties listed must be directly related to the student's academic major (COSC, CITE, or Data Science). If the offer letter does not contain sufficient detail, students may be asked to provide additional documentation from the employer.

  • Detailed job description with specific technical responsibilities

  • Supervisor name and contact information

  • Employer name and website

  • Internship location and work arrangement (onsite, hybrid, or remote)

  • Internship start and end dates

  • Number of work hours

  • Explanation of how the internship relates to the degree program

The following information is also required for departmental review:

  • Preferred English name used in daily communication

  • Full legal name exactly as shown on immigration documents

  • TCU ID number

  • Degree program and major

  • Internship course number, title, credit hours, and academic term

Additional documentation may be requested when necessary.

Academic Component

CPT is tied to the academic curriculum, so students must enroll in the department's internship course, CITE 40450 — Computing Internship. Its instructor is the department's academic approver and the point of contact for all academic questions about the internship and CPT.

CITE 40450 is not offered in the summer, but students may still intern then: enroll in the fall section (enrollment is required before CPT can be approved — see Steps 5-6 above), complete the internship over the summer, and earn the credit in the fall.

Students may also be required to submit a final report or reflection, participate in faculty supervision, or complete other departmental requirements.

Remote Internships

Remote internships may be permitted if approved through the official CPT authorization process. Remote internships must still be directly related to the student's academic major and involve appropriate supervision by the employer.

Common Reasons CPT Requests Are Delayed

  • Expired or incorrect I-94 documentation

  • Student not enrolled in the internship course (CITE 40450)

  • Missing internship offer letter

  • Internship duties not clearly related to the student's major

  • Missing employer or supervisor information

  • Incomplete or vague job descriptions

  • Mismatch between legal name and submitted documentation

Final Reminder

Students must receive official CPT authorization from TCU International Services before beginning employment.

Working before CPT authorization may result in serious immigration consequences.

Students are strongly encouraged to consult with ISO before accepting or beginning any internship opportunity.

For immigration-related questions, please contact TCU International Services.

For academic internship and CPT questions, please contact the instructor of CITE 40450 — Computing Internship, who serves as the department's academic approver.