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Internship and Full-time Job Information for International Students
1. Internship Information for International Students
All international students must report to the International Students and Scholars Office (ISSO) within the first three weeks of their arrival in the United States to have their immigration documents reviewed.
Rules for Holding a Paid Internship in the United States
An international student in F-1 status can obtain permission from ISSO to undertake a paid internship in the U.S. if the paid internship is considered Curricular Practical Training (CPT). CPT, in the context of the MIA and MPA degree programs, is authorization for paid employment that fulfills a degree requirement.
F-1 and J-1 Status Requirements
An international student on an F-1 or J-1 visa cannot receive pay for off-campus work in the U.S. unless and until the ISSO has processed the appropriate application and granted permission, either on a new I-20 for students in F-1 status or in a letter for students in J-1 status. It is your responsibility to understand the rules of your status and have your student status documents in order by properly consulting with the ISSO. If you need more information, please visit the ISSO office or contact them at isso@columbia.edu or 212-854-3587.
F-1 students must be enrolled full-time for 2 Consecutive Semesters and be in F-1 status at the time of application for CPT before they can accept paid internships in the U.S. Exceptions: A student in a formal dual degree program with SIPA and a school overseas (e.g., Sciences Po, London School of Economics, etc.) is eligible for CPT only if he/she has spent the first year overseas and will complete the final year of the program at SIPA.
J-1 Students must be enrolled full-time for at least 1 semester and be in J-1 status at the time of application for J-1 Academic Training (AT) before they can accept paid internships in the U.S. The application for Academic Training for students in J-1 status differs from CPT for students in F-1 status. Students in J-1 status under Columbia’s DS2019 sponsorship should refer to: http://www.columbia.edu/cu/isso/visa/J-1/J_academic_training.html.
SIPA Degree Requirements
You must be offered a paid internship in the U.S. that satisfies the internship requirement expected of ALL students in your program and necessary for completion of your degree.
- MIA and MPA two-year degree candidates:
MIA and MPA students are required to complete one internship as part of the degree requirement. You must work a minimum of 120 hours in an internship position to meet the requirement. Students may register to receive 1.5 credits for the internship. Students also may choose to complete an additional 1.5-credit internship of 120 hours or complete 240 hours in one internship to get a total of three credit hours. Once you have earned the maximum three credits, you may continue to participate in unpaid internships on a non-credit basis for added experience.
Effective Fall 2012, you do not need to register for internship credit unless you are doing a second paid internship in the United States. In order to receive authorization to work, the student must register during the semester in which he/she is doing the internship and complete the Curricular Practical Training (CPT) form. International students pursuing a paid internship in the United States during the summer must register in the spring or pre-register for the fall. Students may earn a maximum of 3 credits for CPT.
- PEPM MPA candidates:
A 6 credit summer internship is required of all students in the PEPM program. The PEPM department will approve CPT forms and register all students at the end of the spring semester and the internship will be undertaken during the summer, before August completion of studies.
- You must be registered as a full-time student to process CPT. You must work a minimum of 10 and a maximum of 20 hours per week at your internship during the academic semesters. You may work full-time in the summer.
- You must begin your internship by the Monday of the seventh week of the fall or spring semesters or by the last day of July for the summer semester.
Internship Credit Registration
Effective Fall 2012, F-1 students are not required to register for internship credits for their first paid U.S. internship. Students may register internship credits in the semester of completion of CPT or in a future semester.
If a second CPT is secured, registration of internship credit is required during the semester of the CPT and will count as an elective. If interning during the summer and planning to register that internship for internship credit, you must register for credit during the prior spring semester.
You can register for a maximum of 3 credits for CPT. When registering for internship credit, you must have completed the first 1.5 credit internship and received a grade BEFORE you will be allowed to register for a second 1.5 credit CPT.
Procedure to Process F-1 CPT (MIA and MPA two-year degree candidates)
You may engage in CPT only after your SEVIS record has been updated by an ISSO adviser and a SEVIS I-20 has been printed, indicating the approved employment. The endorsement will indicate the precise details of the authorized training, including the name and location of the employer, the specific dates of the training period, and whether it is full-time or part-time.
Step 1: If you are applying for CPT for the first time, determine whether you will register for credit. If you are applying for CPT for the second time, you MUST register for internship credit. If registering for credit, you must register during the semester in which the internship will be completed.
Registration exception: For summer internships, you must pre-register in the prior spring semester. There is no registration in the summer.
Step 2: You must complete the CPT form found at http://sipa.columbia.edu/resources_services/career_services/current_students/forms.html, and bring it to OCS with a letter confirming the internship on the organization's letterhead that includes the following information:
- start and end dates of employment;
- number of hours you will work per week;
- description of duties in sufficient detail to clearly show relevance to your concentration and degree, thereby meeting the SIPA internship requirement; and
- location where employment will take place.
IMPORTANT: OCS WILL NOT SIGN THE CPT FORM WITHOUT THIS INFORMATION STATED IN THE EMPLOYER LETTER.
Step 3: Submit the following documentation to the ISSO as early as 90 days but no less than 10 days before you wish to begin employment:
- CPT form signed by the OCS at SIPA
- Your current and all previously issued I-20s
- Your passport and I-94 card
The International Students and Scholars Office staff will
- Review your application for eligibility.
- If you are eligible, update your SEVIS record, print a SEVIS I-20 form indicating the approved employment and give it to you. Your employer will need to see this authorization along with your passport and I-94 form to put you on the payroll.
IMPORTANT: You CANNOT begin work until your CPT form has been approved by both OCS and ISSO. Therefore, the start date listed on your CPT form must be future dated. You should allow at least 3-5 business days for ISSO processing. CPT approval cannot be granted retroactively.
We encourage you to contact an adviser at the ISSO at (212) 854-3587 if you have questions. Students whose immigration documents were processed by the Immigration Affairs Office (IAO) on the Health Sciences campus should contact the IAO for specific procedures.
What if my U.S. Internship is unpaid?
Unpaid internships do not have to be approved by ISSO, so you do not have to fill out the CPT form. If you wish to get credit for an unpaid internship, you must register for internship credit, and submit to OCS an Internship Report and Supervisor Evaluation on completion of the internship. You do NOT have to pre-register for credit for an unpaid internship in the U.S.
2. Full-time Job Information for International Students
Optional Practical Training (OPT) After Completion of Degree Requirements
Definition: OPT in F-1 status is employment related to your field of study immediately after completion of your studies, authorized by USCIS (Citizenship and Immigration Services) through the issuance of an EAD card (Employment Authorization Document).
Obtaining the employment authorization is a 3-step process:
- Obtain an OPT recommendation from the ISSO on a new I-20
- Mail your application (I-765) and all supporting documentation for an EAD to the USCIS
- Receive the EAD in the mail. You may begin to work ONLY after you receive the EAD and no earlier than the start date on the EAD.
Eligibility:
You must:
- Be physically present in the U.S. in F-1 status at the time of application. Do not leave the U.S. during the 60 day grace period following the completion date of your program if you have not yet applied for OPT.
- Have been enrolled in a University-recognized degree or certificate program in lawful student status on a full-time basis for at least one full academic year
- Have completed all requirements for the award of your University-recognized degree or certificate at the time OPT begins
- Not have used twelve months or more of full-time curricular practical training (CPT)
- Have received a grade for any course-related CPT done in a prior semester (if applicable)
- Have not previously been authorized for OPT at the same level of study
NOTE: You do not need to have secured a job in the U.S. to process OPT.
OPT is permitted for a period of up to a maximum of twelve months per educational level (Bachelors, Masters, etc.).
Please see ISSO OPT Web page or call 212-854-3587 for information on:
- Application Period and Deadline
- How to Apply
- How to Mail your EAD Card to USCIS
- Receiving your EAD Card