SIPA: School of International and Public Affairs at Columbia University

Internship and Full-time Job Information for International Students

1. Internship Information for International Students

Upon Arrival at SIPA

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 US 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 US that satisfies the internship requirement expected of ALL students in your program and necessary for completion of your degree.

• MIA and MPA candidates:
  Students must fulfill the internship requirement by registering for and completing 3 internship credits either during the summer or during a semester.  If during the summer, you must register for the internship during the prior spring semester.  Students may register for an additional 3 credits as an internship elective. You must have completed the first 3 credit internship and received a grade BEFORE you will be allowed to register for the second 3 credit CPT. There is a maximum of 6 credits for CPT.
  
• PEPM MPA candidates:
  A 6 credit summer internship is required of all students in the PEPM program.  The PEPM department will register all students at the end of the spring semester and the internship will be undertaken during the summer, before August completion of studies.

1. You must be registered as a full-time student to process CPT.
2. 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.
3. 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.

Procedure to Process F-1 CPT
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: You must register for internship credit during the online registration period (first two weeks) of the semester in which the internship will be completed. You must register during that period even if a paid internship has not yet been secured

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, have it signed by your internship supervisor, 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.

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

1. Review your application for eligibility.
2. 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.

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 the 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:

1. Obtain an OPT recommendation from the ISSO on a new I-20.
2. Mail your application (I-765) and all supporting documentation for an EAD to the USCIS.
3. Receive the EAD in the mail.

Eligibility:

You must

• be a registered student in F-1 status and physically in the United States at the time of application
• have been enrolled in lawful student status on a full-time basis for at least one full academic year
• be expected to complete all requirements for the award of your degree at the time of application
• not have used twelve months or more of full-time curricular practical training
• have received a grade for any course-related CPT done in a prior semester
• apply for post-completion OPT before the completion of your program

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:

1. Application Period and Deadline:
2. How to Apply
3. How to Mail your EAD Card to USCIS
4. Receiving your EAD Card