Frequently Asked Questions

1. How can the candidates work for 2 years under university authorization? Click here for complete information.

2. Can our company retain candidates for longer than 2 years? Yes, employment may continue in either, or both, of the following two ways beyond the initial two years:

• The graduate student may enroll at our university in either an IT Specialization or a Post Graduate Certificate. This continues CPT eligibility for another 11-12 months beyond the initial two years.
• Your company can begin the process of applying for an H-1B work visa for the employee after the first or second year of CPT work under university authorization. This could enable the employee to work in the U.S. for an additional 6 years (3-year H-1B visa plus a 3-year extension). If the employee first graduates and then takes the Post Graduate Certificate (see point 1 above), the H-1B application could qualify for the Masters degree quota.

3. How much processing time before a candidate can start working? All processing is handled by the university and is completed within a day or two.

4. Does the employer need to do anything for the candidate's work authorization? No, the university handles all processing.

5. What are our candidate's qualifications?

• Have prior IT employment experience (candidates are given proficiency tests in their area of expertise)
• Working toward their MS degree in Computer Science
• BS degree in Computer Science or related field
• Proficiency in English
• Gain knowledge rapidly and work effectively as a team member and individually

6. Can we contact candidates directly? Yes, you can contact and hire all candidates directly.

7. Do you really charge no fees of any kind? As a nonprofit university-funded service organization, we charge no fees to employers or candidates.

8. Are the candidates willing to relocate? Yes, on very short notice.

9. Which companies have hired your candidates? Click here for a list of over 800 companies who have hired our candidates.

10. What is the difference between CPT (Curricular Practical Training) and OPT (Optional Practical Training)? Our candidates qualify for CPT. It is a required part of their full-time student status. Students qualify for 2 years of CPT because they are also completing credits via Distance Education. Employment authorization is issued immediately upon receiving a confirmed offer of employment. The immigration document allowing employment is the updated page 3 of the I-20 showing the employer’s name and the start date of employment.

Although OPT also is issued for an F-1 visa holder (student visa), the initial length of OPT is 12 months. In certain special circumstances (e-verify employers) are allowed to extend an additional 17 months of employment under OPT. The candidate MUST have already graduated from the sponsoring school’s degree program. The work authorization document is an EAD card. It may take 2-3 months to be issued by US Immigration.