Most MBA students complete a full-time internship in a business field of interest in the summer between their first and second years. Internships allow MBA students to apply their learnings in a real world setting and introduce them to companies that may become their post-graduation employers. The Career Development Office supports all aspects of students’ internship and career search.
Internships are discouraged during the fall and spring terms. Students should carefully evaluate the trade-offs that will be required when undertaking employment during their academic terms. The MBA program is full-time and demanding, and extracurricular opportunities such as clubs and conferences are important to the experience.
Internship considerations for international students
For full and current information on visa work authorization, please carefully review the International Student’s Office’s website and specifically the information on F-1 Curricular Practical Training or J-1 Academic Training.
Of special note:
- International MBA students are typically ineligible under their visas to work off-campus during their first year and become eligible at the completion of one full academic year (the summer between the first and second years of the program.)
- International MBA students are not permitted to work more than 20 hours/week (including both on- and off-campus work) during the fall and spring semesters.
- International MBA students involved in start-ups should review the FAQ document HERE and consult ISO regarding visa work authorization policies for start-ups.
To apply for F-1 visa work authorization, MBA students should
- request an Academic Department Support Letter on SES’s MySloan site under “Letter and Transcript Requests”. Contact SES with questions.
- Take the required ISO CPT Canvas eCourse and submit your CPT request on iMIT. Contact the ISO with questions.
- Register for 15.999 Internship Section A. Contact the MBA Program Office with questions.
Course: 15.999 Internship
This one-unit course provides a structured way to apply academic frameworks and reflect on personal growth in the internship. 15.999 requires a written deliverable. It is open to all MBA students and fulfills the requirement that international students requesting visa work authorization be enrolled in a credit-granting internship course.
The internship course 15.999 and corresponding one academic unit count toward term minimum and maximum unit limits. The course must count towards the minimum number of elective units required for the degree. International students exceeding the 144 elective unit requirement in any term would be ineligible in that term for visa work authorization.