Introduction to Co-ops & Internships Career Services
Illinois Institute of Technology
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Benefits of a Co-op or Internship Co-op & Internship Learn
how to apply knowledge in real world Learn what you like/dont like
in field Establish rapport with employer & co-workers Build
your resume & make yourself more marketable Earn money
Potential of getting hired after graduation Co-op More likely to
see a project through to the end Gain increasing responsibility on
the job Internship Short-term opportunity to gain experience in
your field of study Potential to work with multiple employers over
time
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Eligibility Requirements Full-time IIT student Undergrad or
Grad; U.S. citizen, Permanent Resident, or International Student in
F1 Status Completion of 2 full-time school terms Good Academic
Standing 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 co- op requirements (2 terms
for both UG and Grads) Co-op: Cannot begin in final term Internship
carries no creditsmust take full course load while doing internship
during fall or spring semester. (Stuart School of Business
Internship carries credits)
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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 Co-op
& Internship: $300 registration fee per term Fees may be
subject to change
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Co-op Program Structure & Guidelines Multi-work term
commitment with one employer UG: Complete 2 full-time terms or
equivalent Grad: Complete 2 full-time terms or equivalent Can be
part- or full-time 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
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Full-Time Co-ops Full-time: Required to work 2 terms with one
employer, but may do more International students limited to 3
full-time terms for duration of degree program Terms do not need to
be consecutive but cannot be all same (e.g. not all summer terms)
Administrative Credits 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)
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Part-Time Co-ops Part-time: 10-20 hours/week Terms do not need
to be consecutive Administrative Credits UG: 6 for part-time Grad:
4.5 for part-time MUST take enough additional credits to be
considered a full-time student
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Completing Academic Requirements as a Co-op Student 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? 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
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Internship Program Structure & Guidelines Single-work term
commitment with an employer Can be part- or full-time in SUMMER
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 doesnt count)
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Co-op & Internship: The Application Process Receive offer
letter from employer Should contain: Job Title, Detailed Job
Description, Start Date, Salary, Location of Work Site, and
Supervisors 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 Your
signed Coop agreement confirms that you will work for 2 or more
semesters for the same employer Dont ask to change employers if you
receive a better offer. Attendance and promptness are important on
the job complete your timesheet accurately
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Violations of Guidelines Review Board will be organized
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 May include
loss of Co-op or Internship Program privileges May include other
penalties as determined by the Review Board
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Forms for Co-op or Internship Download Career Services Co-op or
Internship paperwork-note that Stuart has different forms! (
http://www.cmc.iit.edu/students/cooperativeEdu cation/CoopForms.asp
) http://www.cmc.iit.edu/students/cooperativeEdu
cation/CoopForms.asp Complete all appropriate forms and get all
necessary signatures.
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First Semester Co-op Forms and Offer Letter 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
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1. Faculty Advisor/CPT Recommendation Form (International
Students)
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1)Faculty Advisor Form (US Citizens & Permanent
Residents)
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2)Student Cooperative Education Agreement
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Academic Plan
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Coop Employer Agreement and Information Form
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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)
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1)Faculty Advisor Form (US Citizens & Permanent
Residents)
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2) Internship Signature Page
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2) Internship Employer Agreement
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3) Student Agreement Form
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Co-op & Internship Application Process Career Services
(Enter registration permit & sign necessary forms.) Employer
(Sign necessary forms.) Student (Visit careerservices.iit.edu.
Print & complete necessary forms.) START HERE Employer (Offer
Letter & Job Description.) END HERE GO TO WORK Student
Registration & Records (Co-op/Internship COURSE registration)
$$ Fee $$ International Center* NOTE: International Center requires
8-10 business days to process your CPT
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Co-op & Internship: Performance Evaluations Download &
Complete a Work Term Evaluation (WTE) every term Complete near the
end of each Co-op term and the Internship as a review of
accomplishments and things learned 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.
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Co-op Renewal Process Step 1 Work Term Evaluation Work Term
Evaluation Submit in person or by mail to Career Services or have
employer fax it to Career Services Step 2 Online Co-op Renewal Form
Online Co-op Renewal Form - 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 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.
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Work Term Evaluation Forms
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WTE
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Financial Aid & Other Money Matters While on co-op or
internship Student may not be eligible for some scholarships or
financial aid Talk to Financial Aid Department regarding specific
matters in your case 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 Role of Career Services To help
student Will contact employer to investigate concerns and try to
reach a solution Students Responsibilities Know what you are
getting yourself into before you start 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) Dont ask the employer to give you a
termination letter or let you out of the job Terminating Co-ops or
Internships Should never be ended without first talking to Career
Services Coach and submitting an official Termination Letter from
the Employer
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Career Services 3241 South Federal, Chicago, IL 60616 Hermann
Hall Suite 113 Phone: (312) 567-6800, Fax (312) 567-6801,
careerservices.iit.edu This is a mandatory workshop for all
participants in the Cooperative Education and Internship Programs.
To receive credit you must: SIGN IN
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Introduction to Co-op and Internship Curricular Practical
Training (CPT)
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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? Temporary employment in
the students 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
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Eligibility 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
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Time limitations 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
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Full Time CPT 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
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Part Time CPT 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
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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 Advisors 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.
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Your work authorization Employer specific: must obtain new
authorization forms from Career Services/Intl Center for each
employer Time specific: valid for a specific duration, typically
for the duration of the academic term, part-time or full- time.
Must respect work authorization dates and renew prior to
expiration.
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Special Topics on CPT 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 dont have a SSN, b ring the CPT I-20 with your
passport to the Social Security office at 77 W. Jackson, Chicago
(IC Letter is NOT required)
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Loss of Immigration Status 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.
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Questions? Thank You! Career Services Illinois Institute of
Technology