Introduction to Co-ops & Internships
Career Services
Illinois Institute of Technology
Benefits of a Co-op or Internship
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Co-op & Internship
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Co-op
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Learn how to apply knowledge in “real world”
Learn what you like/don’t like in field
Establish rapport with employer & co-workers
Build your resume & make yourself more marketable
Earn money
Potential of getting hired after graduation
More likely to see a project through to the end
Gain increasing responsibility on the job
Internship
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Short-term opportunity to gain experience in your field of study
Potential to work with multiple employers over time
Eligibility Requirements
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Full-time IIT student
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Good Academic Standing
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Undergrad or Grad; U.S. citizen, Permanent Resident, or
International Student in F1 Status
Completion of 2 full-time school terms
UG GPA: 2.25+, Grad GPA: 3.0+
Registration with an up-to-date profile and
resume posted in Jobs4Hawks database
Ample time in academic program to complete coop requirements (2 terms for both UG and Grads)
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Co-op: Cannot begin in final term
Internship carries no credits—must take full course load
while doing internship during fall or spring semester.
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(Stuart School of Business – Internship carries credits)
Co-op & Internship Requirements
Work must relate directly to current
studies
 Start & end dates must coincide with
university calendar
 Must get approved and register each
term
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Co-op & Internship: $300 registration
fee per term
Fees may be subject to change
Co-op Program Structure
& Guidelines
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Multi-work term commitment with one
employer
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Can be part- or full-time
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UG: Complete 2 full-time terms or equivalent
Grad: Complete 2 full-time terms or equivalent
Part-time: 10-20 hours/week
Full-time: Over 20 hours/week
2 part-time terms EQUAL 1 full-time term
Co-op can be local or out-of-state
Must continue to make academic
progress
Full-Time Co-ops
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Full-time:
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Required to work 2 terms with one employer,
but may do more
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Terms do not need to be consecutive but
cannot be all same (e.g. not all summer terms)
“Administrative Credits”
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International students limited to 3 full-time terms for
duration of degree program
UG: 12 for full-time
Grad: 9 for full-time
May take up to 2 classes simultaneously
(Graduate Students cannot take classes and do
a Full-time Coop in the Summer)
Part-Time Co-ops
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Part-time: 10-20 hours/week
Terms do not need to be consecutive
 “Administrative Credits”
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 UG:
6 for part-time
 Grad: 4.5 for part-time
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MUST take enough additional credits to
be considered a “full-time” student
Completing Academic
Requirements as a Co-op Student
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Plan ahead to graduate “on-time”
When are classes offered?
 How many classes will you need to take
per semester?
 Will you work and simultaneously take
classes or alternate school and work
terms?
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NOTE: You may NOT work an entire academic year
(FALL & SPRING) without at least one class (summer
does not count)
Graduate Students: You can take classes OR do a
Full-time Coop or Internship during Summer but not
both
Final semester at IIT before graduation
must include at least one course
Internship Program Structure
& Guidelines
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Single-work term commitment with an
employer
Can be part- or full-time in SUMMER
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Part-time: 10-20 hours/week
Full-time: over 20 hours/week
Must be part-time only in FALL & SPRING
Internships carry NO CREDITS; students
must take full course load to maintain
full time student status (except in the
summer, which doesn’t count)
Co-op & Internship:
The Application Process
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Receive offer letter from employer
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Should contain: Job Title, Detailed Job Description, Start
Date, Salary, Location of Work Site, and Supervisor’s
Name, on company letterhead.
Note: Once a student has accepted a position they should
stop applying/interviewing with other companies.
Students will not be allowed to switch companies in the
middle of a co-op/internship.
Fulfill your commitment
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Your signed Coop agreement confirms that you will work for
2 or more semesters for the same employer
Don’t ask to change employers if you receive a “better”
offer.
Attendance and promptness are important on the job—
complete your timesheet accurately
Violations of Guidelines
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Review Board will be organized
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Consists of a Career Services Coach and at
least 2 other IIT faculty or staff members
Will meet with student to determine if they are
guilty of an infraction
Possible Penalties
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May include loss of Co-op or Internship
Program privileges
May include other penalties as determined by
the Review Board
Forms for Co-op or Internship
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Download Career Services Co-op or
Internship paperwork-note that Stuart has
different forms!
(http://www.cmc.iit.edu/students/cooperativeEdu
cation/CoopForms.asp)
Complete all appropriate forms and get all
necessary signatures.
First Semester Co-op Forms and Offer Letter
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1)Faculty Advisor/CPT Recommendation
Form (International students)
1)Faculty Advisor Form (US Citizens &
Permanent Residents)
2)Student Cooperative Education
Agreement and Academic Plan
3)Employer Cooperative Education
Agreement and Information
1. Faculty Advisor/CPT Recommendation Form
(International Students)
1)Faculty Advisor Form (US
Citizens & Permanent Residents)
2)Student Cooperative Education Agreement
Academic Plan
Coop Employer Agreement and Information Form
Internship Forms and Offer Letter
1)Faculty Advisor/CPT
Recommendation Form (International
students only)
 1)Faculty Advisor Form (US Citizens &
Permanent Residents only)
 2)Internship Employer Agreement
 3)Internship Signature Page
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1. Faculty Advisor/CPT Recommendation Form
(International Students)
1)Faculty Advisor Form (US
Citizens & Permanent Residents)
2) Internship Signature Page
2) Internship Employer Agreement
3) Student Agreement Form
Co-op & Internship Application Process
Student
START HERE
Employer
(Offer Letter
& Job Description.)
(Visit careerservices.iit.edu. Print
& complete necessary forms.)
Faculty Advisor
END HERE
(Review of Job
Description
& sign
necessary
forms.)
GO TO WORK
International
Center*
Student Registration & Records
(Co-op/Internship “COURSE” registration)
$$ Fee $$
Career Services
NOTE: International Center
requires 8-10 business days
to process your CPT
(Enter registration permit &
sign necessary forms.)
Employer
(Sign necessary forms.)
Co-op & Internship:
Performance Evaluations
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Download & Complete a Work Term
Evaluation (WTE) every term
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Complete near the end of each Co-op term and
the Internship as a review of accomplishments
and things learned
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Complete the student portion
Have your Work Site Supervisor complete the
employer portion
Sign and date document
Submit WTE by scan via e-mail, US mail or
drop off at the CMC.
Co-op Renewal Process
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Step 1
Work Term Evaluation
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Submit in person or by mail to Career Services or have
employer fax it to Career Services
Step 2
Online Co-op Renewal Form
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CAREER SERVICES WEBSITE
 May only be used if renewing a CO-OP with the same employer
 Your online request may either be approved or denied by CMC
Advisor
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Special circumstances may require a face-to-face meeting
NOT to be used to switch companies or begin a new co-op
On-line form is automatically forwarded to I Center for International
Students for CPT authorization, after Career Services approves
renewal and student registers for co-op
Note: If your GPA does not meet the minimum requirement,
you will not be able to continue the coop.
Work Term Evaluation Forms
WTE
Financial Aid & Other Money Matters
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While on co-op or internship
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Student may not be eligible for some
scholarships or financial aid
 Talk to Financial Aid Department regarding
specific matters in your case
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Student not eligible for a U-Pass
Student must keep IIT health insurance unless
exempted
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If Problems Arise on the Job
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Role of Career Services
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To help student
Will contact employer to investigate concerns and try to reach a
solution
Student’s Responsibilities
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Know what you are getting yourself into before you start
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Read contract letters carefully before signing (Non-compete, Confidentiality,
Intellectual Property, Training Agreements etc.)
Do not pay the employer for training or give them a deposit
Try talking to Work Site Supervisor to work out issues in a
professional manner
Contact your Career Services Coach as soon as problems arise
Get everything in writing (e-mails work)
Don’t ask the employer to give you a termination letter or “let
you out” of the job
Terminating Co-ops or Internships
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Should never be ended without first talking
to Career Services Coach and submitting an official
Termination Letter from the Employer
Career Services
3241 South Federal, Chicago, IL 60616 Hermann Hall Suite 113
Phone: (312) 567-6800, Fax (312) 567-6801, careerservices.iit.edu
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This is a mandatory workshop for all
participants in the Cooperative
Education and Internship Programs.
To receive credit you must:
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SIGN IN
Introduction to Co-op and Internship
Curricular Practical Training (CPT)
Overview – Part 2
What is Curricular Practical Training?
 Eligibility
 Time Limitations
 Full Time vs. Part Time
 I-20 Extensions After CPT
 CPT + On-Campus Employment
 Your Work Authorization
 Special Topics on CPT
 Loss of Immigration Status
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What is Curricular Practical Training?
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Temporary employment in the student’s
field of study, which is an integral part of
an established curriculum.
Alternative work/study, internship,
cooperative education or other type of
required internship which is offered by
sponsoring employers through cooperative
agreements with the school.
A benefit of F-1 immigration status, but
not an implicit right as per immigration
regulations
Eligibility
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Must be in continuous full-time student status for
one academic year
If changing status to F-1, students must be
approved for F-1 status before applying. Students
may count semesters spent studying full-time in
another immigration status only if the semesters
counted are immediately preceding the change of
status to F-1
Job offer must be in current field of study
Time limitations
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Available only during the program of study
Can be part time (20hrs/week or less) or
full-time (more than 20 hours/week)
Must respect academic registration
deadlines
Unlimited full or part-time CPT – however,
if authorized for more than 12 months of
full-time CPT, OPT is forfeited
Full Time CPT
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If you are authorized for full-time CPT
and enrolled in full-time co-op, you are
considered to be in F-1 status
You may NOT work an entire academic
year (FALL & SPRING) without taking
at least one class (summer does not
count)
You can take up to two classes per
semester in addition to full-time co-op
Final semester at IIT before graduation
must include at least one course
Part Time CPT
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While authorized for part time CPT you
must enroll in additional courses to bring
your total credits hours up to full-time (9
credits for graduate students; 12 credits
for undergraduate students)
Part time enrollment may be approved with
submission of the less than full time
request form if it is your last semester (i.e.
Part Time Co-op with 3 credit course)
Only one on-line course per term is
counted toward full time enrollment
I-20 Extensions after CPT
I-20 extensions after participation in
CPT/Co-Op will not be approved by
the International Center
 You must finish your degree by the
end date listed on your I-20
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CPT + On-campus Work
You cannot work on-campus or as a
TA/RA if you are on Full-time CPT
during the academic year
 Part-time CPT + on-campus/TA/RA
job cannot exceed 20hrs/week
 There are no hours/week restrictions
during the Summer Semester
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Forms to Submit to the I-center:
 Proof
of co-op/internship
registration
 Advisor’s Recommendation Form
with Career Services approval*
*This form is not necessary if CPT is required for
your completion of your degree and it is
established in your curriculum.
Your work authorization
Employer specific: must obtain
new authorization forms from Career
Services/Int’l Center for each
employer
 Time specific: valid for a specific
duration, typically for the duration of
the academic term, part-time or fulltime. Must respect work authorization
dates and renew prior to expiration.
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Special Topics on CPT
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Taxes: you are exempt from SSN/Medicare
taxes while you are a non-resident for tax
purposes
You may lose some scholarships/full-time
student benefits while you are on full-time
CPT (UPASS, etc)
Independent contracting, consulting, or
starting your own business do not qualify
for CPT
Social Security Number (SSN): If you don’t
have a SSN, bring the CPT I-20 with your
passport to the Social Security office at 77 W.
Jackson, Chicago (IC Letter is NOT required)
Loss of Immigration Status
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Know the start and end dates of your CPT work
authorization – listed on page 3 of your I-20.
Working either prior to the start date or after the
end date will result in the loss of your immigration
status.
Failure to obtain CPT work authorization prior to
beginning employment or prior to changing
employers will result in a loss of your F-1
immigration status.
The only remedy for loss of F-1 status due to
unauthorized employment is to leave the U.S.
immediately and re-enter with a new I-20, in
initial status, no earlier than 30 days prior to the
start of the next semester.
Questions?
Thank You!
Career Services
Illinois Institute of Technology