When Denisse Hirujo started preparing for Optional Practical Training, she expected the process to be mostly about paperwork. Instead, she realized the real challenge would come after the approval: finding an employer willing to hire an international student before her work authorization expired.
“Honestly, it’s not even the visa part,” said Hirujo, a graduate architecture student. “It’s finding a stable job that accepts international students and might eventually sponsor.”
For some students, the challenge is not the visa itself — it’s finding work that actually fits within these narrow windows of opportunity.
Curricular Practical Training (CPT) and Optional Practical Training (OPT) are the primary ways for international students on F-1 visas to work legally in the U.S. CPT allows students to work off campus while enrolled, but only if the work is integral to their curriculum and is authorized in advance by their school’s designated official. OPT, on the other hand, can happen before or after finishing a degree and usually requires a separate application to the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). Both are forms of practical training intended to supplement academic work, but they come with rules, timelines, and uncertainty that shape students’ experiences in many ways.
According to International Students Services at Andrews (ISS), between 30% and 40% of undergraduate students engage in CPT before graduation. Most students in business, engineering and computer science majors are likely to pursue these opportunities. Nearly 90% of students apply for OPT yearly after graduation, and almost all approved applicants receive authorization from USCIS. However, ISS notes that some common student misconceptions include the belief that OPT is automatically granted upon application and that every off-campus job qualifies for CPT; however, these must be an integral part of the students’ program curriculum.
Silmara Ferreira, a designated school official from ISS, put it this way: “CPT and OPT are more than bureaucratic steps—they represent vital opportunities for international students to apply their education in real-world contexts." She also advised students to understand these processes early on and maintain a close contact with ISS advisors to "navigate these regulations confidently and fully benefit from what U.S. higher education has to offer."
For many students, understanding the system is only the beginning of the challenge. Hirujo’s frustration comes from the reality that OPT—while allowing up to 12 months of work related to a student’s major—also comes with strict post-graduation time limits. Once her Employment Authorization Document arrives, she has a limited time period to secure a job before risking her legal status.
“That means I don’t have much option,” she added. “I need to accept whatever job comes my way, even if it’s not something I really want.”
Hirujo’s story highlights a deeper issue: work authorization may exist on paper, but the number of employers willing to hire international students—excluding sponsor visas beyond OPT—is smaller than the number of graduates who need them. Many students feel forced into choices that prioritize security over passion, especially after graduation when the clock starts ticking.
For other students, those same restrictions can discourage off-campus work altogether.
“It’s just a lot of extra work that I don’t really have time for, especially in my degree, which is architecture,” said Dallon Godsoe, a student who has never pursued off-campus employment. “Waiting for papers and the uncertainty of applications being processed is just a headache for me at this point.”
The demanding workload of architecture programs, combined with visa paperwork and long processing timelines, has made the prospect of off-campus internships feel impractical for some international students, even when they recognize the professional value of gaining experience before graduation.
“Architecture is pretty demanding,” Godsoe said. “Working at a firm while doing school full-time can be a hard balance, especially when deadlines line up.”
Godsoe’s experience is increasingly common among international students in rigorous degrees. For example, architecture programs are notoriously demanding, with intensive studio hours and looming deadlines that can make even thinking about off-campus involvement feel overwhelming. When paired with stories of long waits, complex forms and the possibility of rejection, the choice to stay focused solely on coursework can seem practical.
While some students step away from off-campus internships because of visa restrictions or demanding programs, others find opportunities within their academic departments. Academic programs also influence how international students pursue professional experience before graduation. Jean Elie Etienne, a sophomore theology student, found multiple benefits in participating in a volunteer program within his department. “It helped me mostly with my English speaking, since I’m not that fluent,” he said.
Etienne also highlighted the job's versatility and the personal growth it offers international students. “This internship is something you can do anywhere if you find a pastor who is willing to give you the opportunity,” he said. “It is a good chance for you to be acquainted with different settings, different places, and different cultures.” For him, volunteering is not only an extra item on a resume, but a chance to grow professionally and personally.
Some students are fortunate to find clarity and support through their institutions’ academic departments and International Student Services, but others feel left to navigate the system on their own. Hirujo noted that guidance—while available—can sometimes feel uneven across students.
“I wish I had known earlier how important it was to understand these work processes,” she said. “Especially as an international student, you really need that guidance.”
Despite these challenges, many international students still aim for success—adjusting expectations, rethinking timelines and seeking opportunities wherever they can. For Hirujo and Godsoe, the road ahead is not straightforward, but it is purposeful.
“I want to use what I learned,” Hirujo said, “and that means figuring out how to make this authorization work for me.”
The Student Movement is the official student newspaper of Andrews University. Opinions expressed in the Student Movement are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the editors, Andrews University or the Seventh-day Adventist church.