The Trump administration has issued new guidance to US universities aimed at restricting certain internship work authorizations for international students, warning that institutions that fail to follow federal rules could lose their certification to enroll foreign students.
In a memo dated August 24, the Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP), which operates under US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), said it had observed an increase in Curricular Practical Training (CPT) authorizations that appeared to violate existing regulations.
Under federal rules, CPT is allowed only when the training is an integral part of an established academic curriculum.
“Failure to comply with SEVP regulations may result in an institution losing certification to enroll foreign students,” the memo warned.
The guidance has already prompted some universities, including the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) and the University of California, Berkeley, to pause certain CPT applications while they review the federal requirements.
A UCLA spokesperson said the university had temporarily paused some CPT authorizations while assessing the latest guidance and determining its next steps.
UC Berkeley’s international office described the August 24 memo as “more narrow in focus, more direct, and includes content that is more restrictive in nature.” The federal government had also issued an earlier memo in mid-August.
Berkeley said it would continue its pause on certain work authorizations for the “foreseeable future” while consulting legal experts and developing new procedures that comply with federal requirements.
However, the university will continue processing CPT linked to degree requirements and will resume applications for Doctoral Dissertation and Master’s Thesis Research CPT.
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS), ICE’s parent agency, said the regulations themselves had not changed.
“Nothing about these regulations has changed,” DHS said. “However, schools and employers should consider themselves on notice: under President Trump, abuse of this generous system will no longer be tolerated.”
The move comes as the Trump administration increases pressure on universities over several issues, including pro-Palestinian protests against US ally Israel’s assault on Gaza, diversity initiatives, climate programs, and transgender policies.
Rights advocates have raised concerns over free speech, academic freedom, and due process.
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