Just wanted to share something that I used and I think many of you might not know until you started studying in a Day 1 CPT school. But it could be to late to realize it if this is something you value but your school didn’t offer.
Okay, vacation policy. In short, very similar to a gap semester you might took in your first master in the US, the vacation policy of certain universities such as Westcliff, Monroe will allow you to complete consecutive semesters and then take a whole semester off, BUT keep your CPT course going. Meaning, you have the chance to study for a couple semesters and then take a semester off, without paying tuition, to only work or do other things while maintaining your student status.
I realize a lot of my classmates at Westcliff actually found out about this policy after they enroll, and they were surprise by it. Now here’s some more information in terms of which schools offer vacation, gap semester:
Optional Semester/quarter break:
- Westcliff University
- Sofia University
- CIAM
- Monroe University
- McDaniel College
Mandatory Semester Break:
- Humphreys University, break at 4th and 8th semester
Hope that helps!
Thanks so much for sharing this—super valuable info that I think many Day 1 CPT students overlook during the application process!
The vacation policy you mentioned really does make a difference, especially for students who want a bit more flexibility to rest, travel, or focus fully on work without compromising their CPT or status. It’s great to see that schools like Westcliff, Monroe, and others offer this kind of structure—basically a built-in break without the penalty.
Totally agree that this is something students often only discover after enrolling. Having a chance to plan around that in advance (especially for long-term CPT students) is a game changer.
Appreciate you listing out the schools too—bookmarking this for future reference and will definitely be sharing it with others!
Thanks again 
don’t take vacation while there are classes going on. I saw a case in which University of cumberlands’ students traveled outside the US in the middle of a semester and got reject for reentry when coming back, because the officer “suspect” he is not a real students since real students should be taking classes not vacation mid semester