Academic Internship Program – Application Process for International Students

If you are an international student seeking academic credit for your internship, please follow the steps below to officially apply:

Contact the Center for Global Engagement (internationaloffice@rmu.edu) to ensure eligibility for an off campus internship and understand the potential limitations.

Key CPT Requirements Include:

  • You must complete one year of full-time enrollment (Fall/Spring).
  • Your internship must be related to your studies and major.
  • F1 students can only work 20 hours per week while taking other courses.
  • Full-time CPT is typically only an option in Summer (as long as you do not take other courses).
  • CPT/immigration approval is tied to your academic class dates. For example, if the class is from August 28 to December 15, your work authorization is from August 28 to December 15.
  • Enrollment in an internship course through the Academic Internship Program is required for paid internships and highly recommended for unpaid internships.

Review the Academic Department Criteria for Internships page to make sure that you understand your department’s specific requirements for internships.

The Job & Internship Search Strategies for International Students page provides helpful resources to assist you in finding an internship.

Complete the appropriate application form in Revolution.
(Please note: To access the forms, you must sign in to Revolution using your RMU credentials.)

  • Include ALL required information
  • Attach your updated resume to your application and upload it in Handshake
  • Attach a PDF of your employer’s email response containing the Required Employer Information

Important: Your internship company/organization must be approved in Handshake. If they are not yet approved, the Career Center will contact your employer regarding the Handshake registration and approval process.

The Career Center will review your application for completeness and accuracy.

  • If there are questions about your Required Employer Information or if any information is missing/unclear, the Career Center will reach out to your employer to obtain additional details/information. 
  • If your internship company/organization is not approved in Handshake, the Career Center will contact your employer about the registration and approval process. (The timeline for approval varies.)

Once the Career Center review is complete, your application will be forwarded to your Academic Department for review.

The Department Head will:

  • Confirm that you meet the Department Criteria for your major
  • Verify there is room in your Degree Audit for internship credits
  • Review the Required Employer Information and application

They will then approve or deny your request for academic internship credit and indicate the decision in Revolution.

You will receive an email notification from Revolution with the Department Head’s decision.

If approved, you will receive details about your internship course, including:

  • Course name and registration instructions
  • Your assigned faculty instructor
  • Where the course fits into your Degree Audit in Banner

If denied, you will be provided with the reason for denial.

If approved for academic internship credit through the Revolution process:

  • Provide the Center for Global Engagement with a letter or email from your internship employer confirming the following:
    • Employment start and end dates
    • Number of hours you will work per week
    • Job description and responsibilities
  • Complete the CPT application found here.

This step is required to obtain CPT authorization before beginning your internship.

Wait to begin any internship work until the CPT approval is listed on your I20.

If your internship continues into another semester or you secure a new opportunity, you must repeat the full application and approval process.

If you have any questions about the Academic Internship Program, please contact:

If you have any questions about Curricular Practical Training (CPT), please contact: