How to Submit Forms to International Student Services

The International Student Services (ISS) office will be updating their Immigration Case Management System from Terra Dotta to Sunapsis. Terra Dotta will still be used until the implementation of Sunapsis. For more information on the change visit https://global.tamu.edu/sunapsis. 

Listed below are instructions for graduate students on how to submit curricular practical training (CPT), optional practical training (OPT) and reduced course load (RCL) forms to the ISS office at Texas A&M University.

Any forms not available for submission in Terra Dotta should be submitted to the graduate advising office by emailing grad-advisor@cse.tamu.edu. These forms need to have the student name and UIN sections filled in when they are submitted. For any questions, please send an email to grad-advisor@cse.tamu.edu.

How to Submit a CPT Form

1. You need to have one credit hour of computer science and computer engineering (CSCE) 684 listed on your approved degree plan for every semester you will be on CPT. If you do not, you will need to submit a course change petition through the Graduate and Professional School document processing submission system before your CPT request can be approved.

2. You need to register for one credit hour of CSCE 684 in the semester(s) you will be on your internship.

3. You will need to submit the following CPT documents to the computer science and engineering department’s graduate advising office to process by emailing grad-advisor@cse.tamu.edu:

   • CPT department form (complete as much as you can)

   • CPT employer form

   • CPT student form

   • Offer letter

4. After the CPT forms have been processed by the advising office, a full-time memo will be attached and sent to the office of registrar for approval. This is only needed if the internship will be taken in your last semester or in fall or spring.

5. You will need to submit a request for CPT in the ISS Terra Dotta system and list Dr. John Keyser as the recommender:

   • John Keyser

   • Email: grad-advisor@cse.tamu.edu

   • Phone: 979-458-6806

   • Within the Terra Dotta request, list:

     • Your name 

     • Your UIN

     • Semester you are requesting CPT

     • Explanation of request

     • CPT employer

     • Job title

     • Start date

     • End date

     • Courses you will be enrolled in during the CPT term (e.g. CSCE 684, one credit hour)

     • Number of hours you plan to work per week

How to Submit an OPT Form

1. You will need to apply for graduation before you submit your OPT request.

2. You will need to be registered in the semester you submit the OPT request.

3. For Master of Science (thesis) or doctoral students, you will need to have submitted your Request and Announcement of the Final Examination forms from the Graduate and Profesional School before the OPT form can be processed.

   1. The OPT form asks for your defense date. This is why the request for final exam must be submitted before you submit the OPT.

4. State if you will be applying for a letter of completion from the Graduate and Profesional School (this is rare).

   1. More information on a letter of completion request can be found on the Graduate and Professional School forms and information page.

5. Submit the OPT request in Terra Dotta and list Keyser as the recommender:

   • John Keyser

   • Email: grad-advisor@cse.tamu.edu

   • Phone: 979-458-6806

   • Within the Terra Dotta request, list:

     • Your name

     • Your UIN

     • Document name

     • Semester you are submitting the request for

     • Explanation of request

     • Graduation date

     • OPT start date

     • OPT end date

     • How you will be applying for post-completion/per-completion

     • Defense date (if thesis or Doctor of Philosophy)

     • Courses you will be enrolled in during the last term (course number, name and number of credit hours)

How to Submit an RCL Form

1. You must apply for graduation before you can submit the RCL request in Terra Dotta.

2. You need to make sure the courses that you are registered for match what you list on the RCL.

   1. If you are registered full time and submit the RCL request, your form will not be able to be processed until your registration and RCL courses match.

3. You need to make sure your degree plan is up to date. You must be registered for all remaining courses on your degree plan.

   1. If your degree plan is not up to date, you will need to submit a course change petition on the Graduate and Professional School document processing submission system. You should do this immediately after pre-registration for your last semester.

4. You will then use Terra Dotta to submit your RCL request and list Keyser as the recommender:

   • John Keyser

   • Email: grad-advisor@cse.tamu.edu

   • Phone: 979-458-6806

   • Within the Terra Dotta request, list:

     • Your name

     • Your UIN

     • Document name

     • Semester you are submitting the request for

     • Explanation of the request

     • Your graduation date

     • Whether you will request a letter of completion

     • Your defense date (if thesis or Doctor of Philosophy)

     • Courses you will be enrolled in during the last term (course number, name and number of credit hours)

     • Total number of credit hours you plan to take during the RCL term