Internships for International Students

New! Internship Feedback Form: If you are a student, employer, or faculty member, who is participating (or has participated) in an student internship experience, you can share any related thoughts and feedback with the Career Development Center using this form.

International student deadlines are earlier than the general application deadlines due to CPT work authorization processing time and are subject to all course registration deadlines on the Emerson College academic calendar.

NOTE: This page applies to Emerson international students requiring work authorization in the U.S. and any student seeking to complete an internship outside of the U.S. Student seeking to complete an internship for credit outside the U.S. must also inform Education Abroad and Domestic Programs (abroad@emerson.edu). Students with U.S. citizenship or permanent residence seeking an internship within the U.S., please visit this page.

4- & 8-credit Application Deadlines*

1-Credit PDE & CDE Application Deadlines*

As a pilot, Emerson College is offering a tuition waiver on a single PDE course (for one credit) per student. This offer is valid through Spring 2025 and does not apply to summer terms.

* Late registrations are subject to drop/add deadlines on the academic calendar.
** 4- or 8-credit Summer internship courses align with the dates of the “Full Summer Term” (there are no 499/690 internship classes that run separately in Summer 1 or Summer 2).

Eligibility and Requirements (click below)

Participating in an internship is a perfect way to apply academic concepts in a professional setting and gain academic credit simultaneously.

Because internships are considered “work,” participation in a U.S.-related internship (paid or unpaid) requires taking the proper steps to ensure F-1 compliance. Curricular Practical Training (CPT) work authorization certifies that an internship is aligned with major-related coursework and maintains F-1 compliance. Application approval and CPT authorization must be obtained prior to the start date for all U.S.-related work.

Note: Whether the internship is located within or outside of the U.S., international students are required to have an approved CPT/International Student application and register for an internship course to formalize the internship as part of their academic program.

Follow these steps for internship credit:

1. Secure an internship and offer letter. Use Handshake to search for an internship or find one on your own. (View Offer Letter Requirements).
   
2. Submit an application for academic credit in Handshake. Attach your official offer letter to your application using the New Attachment button. Your start date must be at least 7 days after submission to allow for processing time. Students gaining credit for an internship outside of the U.S. must also email abroad@emerson.edu.
   
3. Register for the appropriate internship course. (View Class Terms & Requirements)
   1. For 4 or 8 credits, register for the 499 or 690 internship course within your major.
      Note: If you do not have an internship approved by the drop/add date for the term, your 499/690 course registration is subject to cancelation.
   2. For 1 credit (PDE or CDE), a registration code (CRN) will be emailed to you when your application is in the review stage.
      
4. Wait for application approval by (1) the internship course instructor (DIC), (2) your internship site supervisor, and (3) the Office of International Student Affairs (OISA) in all cases when CPT is required. OISA approval includes CPT authorization on a new I-20.

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Additional Resources

• Internship Policies & Internship Code of Conduct
• Schedule a CPT/Internship Planning Appointment