Earlier eligibililty for Curricular Practical Training ?

[Bigboy1]

Hi everyone,

I am new to this forum and think it is a great resource for international students among other groups.

I have a questions now. I started to study in an undergraduate full time program in the USA. I have been here for two months and am a student of Music.
I got information from our registrar and from a lot of websites that you can get CPT only after one academic year in the USA. This is sort of tragic since I won the audition for a one year position in an American professional music ensemble. When I took the audition I just wanted to see what the standard is, means if I am competetive to American Musicians. I was humbled and surprised to have been offered this position and told them that I will have to find out if I can do it at all or not since I do not want to break any laws and jeopardize my international status.
Since I do not want to interrupt my studies for a one year position I can only think of the CPT as a possibility to study.
Is there any legal way to get an earlier eligibility for the CPT ? An attorney they asked replied that there is an earlier eligibility in case the Designated School official agrees to sign it. But our registrar would not believe it.
Do you guys have any information about this by any chance ? I do not want to do anything that is not lawful but would like to perform really badly, if it was legally possible.

The ensemble said they can give me some ample time to find about these things. IF I can not manage they will ask another guy to play with them, but in case there was a legal way to play they really seem to want me.

For any help I would be more than thankful for.

 

[Jo1234]

The lawyer you asked is wrong. Find a better lawyer.
There is such a possibility for graduate students, but not for undergrads.
And CPT would not be the right thing, anyway. CPT is for work that is an integral part of the curriculum, e.g., if a class requires an internship. And you would have to continue to study, so a full-time position would not quite be possible, except during summer recess.
Pre-completion OPT would be the normal way to work on the side in your field of study. That also requires being enrolled for one year,, and limits the work hours during school session.
You can certainly put the fact that you won the audition on your resume, but taking the position is unfortunately not possible.