{"id":17638,"date":"2017-03-10T15:52:04","date_gmt":"2017-03-10T20:52:04","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.tun.com\/blog\/?p=17638"},"modified":"2019-04-08T17:45:36","modified_gmt":"2019-04-08T21:45:36","slug":"6-internship-tips-for-international-students","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.tun.com\/blog\/6-internship-tips-for-international-students\/","title":{"rendered":"6 Internship Tips for International Students"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">As an international student, you may face a few obstacles when applying for internships. The U.S. government has special rules for international students who want to work here, and schools have their own rules as well. The application process is tedious, but the benefits you get from an internship definitely overweigh any obstacles you have to go through. Internships provide you with an opportunity to gain experience in your area of interest as well as help you develop networking contacts. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Here are a few tips &#8212; from one international student to another &#8212; to keep in mind when applying for internships and for once you start working.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.pinterest.com\/pin\/520165825697881757\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-18390 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/www.tun.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/03\/International-Students-Internship-Tips.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"800\" height=\"2000\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<h2><span style=\"color: #333333;\"><b>1. Talk to your international advisor<\/b><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">One of the first steps you should take when applying for internships is contacting your college\u2019s international student advisor. Talk to a professional about your options. There are particular rules and restrictions for international students regarding <\/span><em>off-campus<\/em><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> internships, and talking to your international student advisor is the best way to get accurate information about these matters. Your international student coordinator can also help you figure out what kind of paperwork you will need to complete.<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><b>Curricular Practical Training<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> &#8211; If you are currently enrolled in a college in the U.S., you may be eligible for\u00a0<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.ice.gov\/sevis\/practical-training#wcm-survey-target-id\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Curricular Practical Training<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> (CPT). This allows you to have a paid internship after 9 months of entering the U.S, but requires that your internship be <\/span><em>related to your program of study<\/em><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> and that you receive some sort of academic credit for your internship. <\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">According to the <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.uscis.gov\/i-9-central\/complete-correct-form-i-9\/complete-section-1-employee-information-and-attestation\/foreign-students\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> (USCIS), students with an F-1 <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">visa who wish to participate in CPT must present the following three documents to establish identity and employment authorization: <\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Unexpired foreign passport;<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Form I-20 with the Designated School Official\u2019s (DSO) endorsement for employment; and<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Form I-94 or Form I-94A indicating F-1 nonimmigrant status.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Once the DSO completes Form I-20, you may begin your CPT work.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It is important to keep in mind during the application process that rules may differ from college to college, which is why it\u2019s best to get in touch with professionals at your school.<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><b>Optional Practical Training<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> &#8211; If you are looking for an internship <\/span><em>directly related to your major<\/em><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> while you are in school, or after you graduate from college, you can apply for<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.uscis.gov\/i-9-central\/complete-correct-form-i-9\/complete-section-1-employee-information-and-attestation\/foreign-students#nonimmigrant%20status\"> <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Optional Practical Training<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> (OPT). This procedure is a little tougher than the CPT application, as international students are required to apply to USCIS for approval before they are allowed to work. \u00a0Once you receive an Employment Authorization Document from USCIS, you can start your OPT work. \u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Students who are <\/span><b>still in school<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> are <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.uscis.gov\/i-9-central\/complete-correct-form-i-9\/complete-section-1-employee-information-and-attestation\/foreign-students\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">allowed to <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">work<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">For up to 20 hours per week while school is in session; and<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Full-time during the student\u2019s annual vacation and at other times when school is not in session.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Students who have <\/span><b>completed their course of study<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> must complete all practical training within a 14-month period. <\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span style=\"color: #333333;\"><b>2. Have an area of interest in mind<\/b><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Before applying and accepting an internship, be sure that you know exactly what interests you. As an international student, the time you spend on your internship is limited. In order to get your CPT, you will need to get academic credit for your internship, which is why it would be a good idea to find a job that\u2019s related to your area of interest. If you are applying for a job after graduation, you will be using valuable OPT time, \u00a0so you will need to find a job that is directly linked to your major. In both cases, before looking for an internship, be sure that your major is what you would like to pursue a career in. <\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span style=\"color: #333333;\"><b>3. Get your resume ready<\/b><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">As any other student would do, once all your paperwork is done, it\u2019s time to prepare and perfect your resume. Get in touch with career services on your college campus and ask them any questions you may have about structuring resumes and preparing for interviews. The formatting of resumes in the U.S. might be different from what\u2019s in your country, so be sure that you know <a href=\"http:\/\/www.tun.com\/blog\/the-10-commandments-of-resume-writing\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">what, and what not, to include in your resume<\/a>!<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span style=\"color: #333333;\"><b>4. Prepare for interviews<\/b><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>As an international student, there are a few <a href=\"https:\/\/www.tun.com\/blog\/interview-what-to-say\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">things to keep in mind during your interview<\/a>. Firstly, it is essential that you understand your work authorization options and respond appropriately. Also, be sure to emphasize the advantages of being an international student. For bilingual international students, your language skills can be a benefit to many companies. Additionally, studying abroad shows your ability to interact with diverse individuals and highlights your adaptability to new and different environments. It\u2019s important to emphasize these strengths during the interview. Finally, make an appointment with career services at your college and practice mock interviews until you get it right.<\/p>\n<h2><span style=\"color: #333333;\"><b>5. Familiarize yourself with the work culture<\/b><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>For those of you who have not worked before, it can be quite an adjustment to spend so much of your time in an office. It is also extremely important to understand the American work culture. Although the ability to work in a team is cherished, American culture is usually quite individualistic. Interns are expected to be independent and take initiative. American workplace culture is often pretty informal. Depending on where you are from, this kind of work environment might be a shock to you, so it is better that you familiarize yourself with it before starting your internship, especially if you have never been around a work setting before.<\/p>\n<h2><span style=\"color: #333333;\"><b>6. Make the most of the opportunity<\/b><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Once you have completed all the required paperwork and obtained an internship, enjoy the amazing experience! Experiencing American culture by being a part of it is a chance of a lifetime. Continuing your education in the U.S. is one thing, but working with Americans is a completely different experience.<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In the end, when you\u2019ve <a href=\"http:\/\/www.tun.com\/blog\/land-your-dream-internship\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">landed your dream internship<\/a>, all the hassles of the application process will seem worth it. Having to go through this extra step will make you value your job even more, and help you appreciate the amazing opportunity that is presented to you. There is no replacement for the knowledge and experience you will gain from your internship.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>[divider]<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><strong>RELATED:\u00a0<\/strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.tun.com\/blog\/preparing-yourself-for-the-workforce\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Preparing Yourself for the Workforce<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>As an international student, you may face a few obstacles when applying for internships. The U.S. government has special rules for international students who want to work here, and schools have their own rules as well. The application process is tedious, but the benefits you get from an internship definitely overweigh any obstacles you have [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":37,"featured_media":17680,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"_uag_custom_page_level_css":"","_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[235,652,237],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-17638","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-career-advice","category-international-students","category-internship-advice"],"aioseo_notices":[],"uagb_featured_image_src":{"full":["https:\/\/www.tun.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/03\/Internship-Tips-for-International-Students.jpeg",1125,750,false],"thumbnail":["https:\/\/www.tun.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/03\/Internship-Tips-for-International-Students-216x144.jpeg",216,144,true],"medium":["https:\/\/www.tun.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/03\/Internship-Tips-for-International-Students-300x200.jpeg",300,200,true],"medium_large":["https:\/\/www.tun.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/03\/Internship-Tips-for-International-Students.jpeg",1125,750,false],"large":["https:\/\/www.tun.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/03\/Internship-Tips-for-International-Students-1024x683.jpeg",1024,683,true],"1536x1536":["https:\/\/www.tun.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/03\/Internship-Tips-for-International-Students.jpeg",1125,750,false],"2048x2048":["https:\/\/www.tun.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/03\/Internship-Tips-for-International-Students.jpeg",1125,750,false]},"uagb_author_info":{"display_name":"Ria Wadhawan","author_link":"https:\/\/www.tun.com\/blog\/author\/ria\/"},"uagb_comment_info":0,"uagb_excerpt":"As an international student, you may face a few obstacles when applying for internships. The U.S. government has special rules for international students who want to work here, and schools have their own rules as well. The application process is tedious, but the benefits you get from an internship definitely overweigh any obstacles you have&hellip;","featured_media_src_url":"https:\/\/www.tun.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/03\/Internship-Tips-for-International-Students-1024x683.jpeg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.tun.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/17638","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.tun.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.tun.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.tun.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/37"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.tun.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=17638"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.tun.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/17638\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.tun.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/17680"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.tun.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=17638"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.tun.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=17638"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.tun.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=17638"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}