SIPA Internship Program

The CAC highly recommends that all International students at SIPA review and read everything on this website about how to ensure your internship work authorization is in compliance when pursuing an internship off-campus whether paid/unpaid in the United States for your internship course requirement.

Please review this resource to learn more about international student work authorization.

All international students on F-1 visas are required to file for Curricular Practical Training (CPT) in order to pursue an internship off-campus in the United States whether it is paid or unpaid. See here for more information: F-1 CPT (Curricular Practical Training)

• CPT processing timeline: Allow 7–10 business days for CAC review and up to 10 additional business days for ISSO review. Requests are processed first-come, first-served. CAC does not expedite CPT requests based on employer deadlines or requested start dates. Students should communicate this timeline to their employer before submitting their CPT request.
• Please keep in mind that F-1 international students CANNOT begin internship work until their CPT Request Form has been approved by both CAC and ISSO with provided necessary paperwork.

All international students on J-1 visas are required to file for Academic Training (AT), in order to pursue an internship off-campus in the United States whether it is paid or unpaid. 

• Academic Training (AT) may be available only to J-1 students as it is dependent on your program requirements and degree options. We recommend you check in with your Program Director or Advising Dean to ensure this is an option for J-1 students. Please refer to the How to apply for Academic Training (AT) section below to read more about Academic Training.

Please note: Due to the high level of inquiries the CAC receives related to visa status, we also recommend scheduling an advising session with the ISSO team as they are experts in visa and permissions per each individual student's status. Appointments can be booked via this link.

SIPA students in the four-semester MIA and MPA programs are required to complete an internship as part of their degree program. 

• Students in these programs must fulfill their internship requirement after completing two semesters of full-time enrollment at SIPA.
  • For J-term students, this means the internship is completed during the second summer or during the fall and spring terms if you are on the accelerated track.
• Students who started in the Fall will be able to complete their internship requirements their first summer, following Fall or Spring semesters.
• Students in the 5 year or 4+1 dual degree programs with Columbia College, School of General Studies, and Barnard College should complete their internship in their 5th year/1st year matriculated at SIPA.

Students who are required to complete an internship as part of their degree program must register for and complete the internship course applicable to their matriculated curriculum and program requirements. Students should register for course  SIPA 9015 at 0 credits.

Please see the “How to Register for an Internship Course” section below for more details.

Students are responsible for reviewing and understanding the details below regarding internship eligibility, course registration, and internship course requirements. 

If you have any questions about the internship requirement or internship program, email [email protected].

Prior to registering for the internship course, students should ensure that their internship meets the minimum criteria for what constitutes an internship.

Qualifying internship criteria:

• The internship is related to your program, concentration, and/or specialization
• The work is substantive and professional in nature (perhaps with some administrative tasks, but mostly field related work depending on the organization and the nature of the position).
  • Please note that the following opportunities are ineligible to be counted as an internship:
    • Casual worker (on-campus) positions
      • Such as: PA (Program Assistant), TA (Teaching Assistant), Reader Positions (On campus) or Student Worker
    • Language training
    • Language studies, or other coursework
• The internship is not conducted in a family-owned organization/business or one’s own organization/business/foundation/start-up, etc.
• The internship is completed during your degree program (internships completed before matriculation into SIPA are ineligible)
• The internship must meet the minimum number of hours required by the student’s internship course registration: a 0-credit or 1.5-credit internship course requires a minimum of 120 internship hours; a 3-credit internship course requires a minimum of 240 internship hours. The CAC does not set a maximum number of internship hours. Questions about maximum hours should be discussed with your employer and, for international students, with ISSO by scheduling an appointment.

Students fulfilling the SIPA internship degree requirement must register for the internship course applicable to their matriculated curriculum and program requirements. Eligible students permitted to pursue elective internship coursework must register for the appropriate elective internship course only after satisfying the required internship course. Students should consult with the CAC and ISSO (if applicable) when making a course selection.

The required internship course will be offered at 0 credits only and will fulfill the internship degree requirement at SIPA.

• The 0-credit internship course is SIPA 9015 section 001 (Fall/Spring internships) or section 002 (Summer internships). Students in this course must complete a minimum of 120 internship hours.
• Once the 0-credit option is used, it can no longer be used again.

Elective internship courses are offered at 1.5 or 3 credits and may be pursued by eligible students after completing the required 0-credit internship course.

• The 1.5-credit internship course is SIPA 9020 section 001. Students in this course must complete a minimum of 120 internship hours.
• The 3-credit internship course is SIPA 9020 section 002. Students in this course must complete a minimum of 240 internship hours.
• Most students may receive a maximum of three (3) credits total throughout the duration of their degree program.

Course Registration Processes:

• International students should register only for the internship course required by their degree program (not SIPA 9020). If you’re unsure which required course applies to your curriculum, contact [email protected] before registering. 
• Students are responsible for reaching out to the CAC to ensure that their internship course planning and registration best suits the students academic and professional pursuits.
• Once registered to an internship course, students are responsible for reading the provided Internship Syllabus on CourseWorks, and check in with the CAC if they have any questions. Students are expected to follow SIPA Connect Instructions for submitting course paperwork, and ensure all items are submitted by provided deadlines on the syllabus.
• Students may register for SIPA internship courses via Vergil SSOL during the open registration periods. More information about internship course registration can be found in this document: How to Register for the Internship Course.
• Summer Internship Notes:
  • Students completing summer internships must be registered for the correct SIPA internship course in the preceding spring semester. SIPA does not offer summer internship course registration.
  • CAC will work with OSA to register students who secure internships after the spring registration period has closed.
• Students should review the SIPA Student Course Registration webpage for more information.
• No changes can be made to registration retro-actively. Once a student commits to a registration credit amount for their internship course, changes cannot be made.

Internship courses at SIPA are graded as Pass/Fail.

In order to secure a passing grade, students must ensure that they meet all of the course requirements outlined below (detailed instructions can be found in this document):

• Complete the minimum required hours of internship work (120 for 0 and 1.5 credit courses; 240 for the 3 credit course)
• Reporting of basic internship information
• Complete the “Internship Report/Reflection” in SIPA Connect
• Retrieve the “Supervisor Evaluation Survey of Student” from the internship supervisor in SIPA Connect

Students who fail to meet all of the above course requirements will receive a placeholder grade “AR” until they complete the necessary steps to successfully pass the course.

Failure to successfully complete the internship course may result in a delay of degree conferral and internship grading. Students are responsible for tracking their course progress and communicating with their internship supervisor to ensure the timely completion of all required internship paperwork.

Students are responsible for reviewing the Internship Course Syllabus on CourseWorks and the SIPA Connect - Experiential Learning Instructions document to ensure an understanding of how the internship course works and the submission deadlines for all required internship items.

Students should complete their internship paperwork in SIPA Connect using these instructions. The internship paperwork consists of the following:

• Reporting of basic internship information – Students can complete this step as soon as the internship is approved and registered by the CAC Team
• “Internship Report/Reflection” – Students must answer each question with a minimum of three sentences, maintaining a professional tone
• “Supervisor Evaluation Survey of Student” – Students must share this with their supervisor’s email address and ensure that their supervisor completes it

Please note:

• No edits will be accepted once the Supervisor Evaluation Survey is submitted and the Experiential Learning submission is marked as “Completed” by the CAC.
• If more than one internship was conducted in a single semester, internship paperwork will need to be completed separately for each internship conducted.
• Internship paperwork must be completed near the end of the student’s internship experience and before the following deadlines:
  • Summer internships: September 30
  • Fall internships: November 30
  • Spring internships: April 15

Instructions for providing the internship supervisor with the required “Supervisor Evaluation Survey of Student” can be found here.

IMPORTANT: Please notify your supervisor that the email with the link to the survey will be sent by 12Twenty SIPA Connect. Providing your supervisor with your UNI and degree may assist in the completion process. It is the student’s responsibility to remind their supervisors to complete this survey.

Please also keep in mind the following:

1. Students must provide their supervisor’s official work email address when filling out their internship paperwork.
2. Surveys from personal email addresses (Gmail, Yahoo, Hotmail, etc.) will not be accepted.
3. Students are advised to notify their supervisor about the incoming survey so that the supervisor is not caught off guard.
4. On occasion, the survey may be marked as “spam” by the supervisor’s email system, so students should also remind their supervisor to check their spam folder if they do not receive the survey email.
5. Internship paperwork must be completed near the end of the student’s internship experience and before the following deadlines:
   • Summer internships: September 30
   • Fall internships: November 30
   • Spring internships: April 15

Internships are important, high-impact practices that can significantly enhance career and educational outcomes. Professional Development (PD) seminars and workshops promote proactive career management and advancement. However, some students may opt to waive the internship and/or PD requirements depending on their individual circumstances.

Students who want to waive the internship and/or PD requirement must complete the:

• Internship and Professional Development Waiver Request Form
• Provide supporting documents noted in the request form
• Students planning to waive the PD requirement must do so within their first year of study.
• Students planning to waive the internship requirement can do so as late as their second-to-last semester at SIPA.

Important Considerations for the Internship/PD Waiver Process

• Please allow 2-3 weeks for processing time.
• The CAC will follow up with students if any follow up information is needed for the waiver request.
• The CAC will notify students via email once their waiver has been processed and will be reflected on their Stellic system.
• The internship waiver will result in bypassing the mandatory 0-credit first internship requirement. If you still choose to pursue an internship after waiving the internship requirement, it must be registered for-credit.
• Once a requirement is waived, the waiver cannot be retracted.
• If you do not hear from the CAC after the 2-3 week period, you may follow up with the CAC after that processing time.
• Students considering an internship waiver should understand that the waiver changes how future internship coursework may be treated. Eligible students who are permitted to take elective internship coursework should consult CAC regarding any later internship-course registration.
• International students should consult CAC and ISSO before waiving the internship requirement if they anticipate needing CPT for a U.S.-based internship.

Students who meet any of the following criteria may be eligible to waive the internship requirement:

• Students who are on leave from a job. Must include required documentation with waiver request.
• Students who were employed on a full-time, permanent, professional basis for a minimum of four years (internships not included) in a field relevant to student’s concentration and career goals prior to enrolling in SIPA. Must include required documentation with waiver request.
• Dual-degree students who have completed an internship for credit in another program. Must include transcript showing course completion and (for internship) report/evaluation from another program with waiver request.

SIPA Research Internships provide a valuable opportunity for students to prepare for doctoral studies or a research-intensive career by conducting research on public affairs or policy‐related topics with a full‐time faculty member from SIPA or other Columbia University schools. With permission of the SIPA Assistant Dean for Academic Affairs, students also may conduct a research project with a current part-time faculty member from SIPA. A research internship fulfills the MIA/MPA internship requirement, and it can be taken for credits (see below). Interested students are responsible for identifying a full‐time faculty member who is willing to supervise the research internship and for fulfilling steps below. Research internships are approved on a rolling basis, but approval is required before the beginning of the internship.

The CAC does not manage the research internship process. Students with questions about research internships should contact the Office of Academic Affairs at [email protected].

Students participating in Columbia-related international travel, including internships, fellowships, etc., must comply with Columbia's International Travel Planning Policy (ITPP).

Please visit Global Travel: Planning Columbia-Related International Travel for pre-departure requirements.

Additionally, all Columbia-related international travel must be registered in ISOS MyTrips.

Current students can obtain enrollment and graduation certifications via Vergil. See here for more information: Academic Certifications

Students are responsible for communicating with their supervisor to ensure completion of the Supervisor Evaluation Survey. If you are experiencing difficulty communicating with your supervisor, you may contact the CAC to ask for assistance by emailing [email protected].

As a matter of policy and respect for students’ relationships with their supervisors, the CAC will not email supervisors to remind them to complete the Supervisor Evaluation Survey without the consent of the student.

Students who are unable to complete the minimum required number of hours for their internship should email [email protected] as soon as possible so they can discuss their options with the Associate Director.

While reports of internship difficulties are rare, there are times when students experience challenges during their internships. Students facing difficulties with their internship may speak to the Associate Director by emailing [email protected].

Students considering early termination of an internship should consult with the Associate Director to discuss options for course completion and possible impacts on their degree progress or stipend award(s).

International students working under CPT should also consult with an ISSO advisor to discuss possible visa implications. To set up a consultation with the Associate Director, students should email [email protected]. To consult with ISSO, students should email [email protected] or set up a virtual appointment.

Students are expected to complete the Internship Report and Supervisor Evaluation Survey of Student towards the end of their internship experience. They can review the Internship Course Syllabus on CourseWorks to ensure they understand internship paperwork deadlines, and any other internship program related items.

All internship paperwork must be completed by the deadline outlined in the internship course and academic calendar. Students with questions about the deadlines or the completion process should contact [email protected].

Students who are eligible to register for an additional internship course and continue an internship into a new semester must complete the required internship paperwork for each semester in which they are enrolled in an internship course.

Before agreeing to an internship extension that would require work authorization in a new semester, international students must consult both CAC and ISSO.

Depending on a student’s academic need and internship options, the CAC may approve of a student combining internships. Students wishing to combine internships must receive approval from the Associate Director by emailing [email protected].

Students should note that not every request will be approved and exceptions are considered on a case-by-case basis.

It is a very rare occurrence that a student is unable to find a suitable internship during their time at SIPA. If a student is worried that they may not be able to secure an appropriate internship, they should consult with the Associate Director to discuss their situation and options for satisfying the degree requirement.

Students with concerns about their ability to fulfill the internship requirement should email [email protected].

It is the students responsibility to ensure they meet their internship requirement in order to graduate on time, and discuss with the CAC how to best fulfill this requirement in a timely manner.

Students can pursue internships after graduation if they wish. There are fellowships and internships opportunities that are offered for recent graduates to continue learning skills and engage in fieldwork.

Limitations:

• Recent graduates cannot register internship course after completion of a degree.

You can email [email protected] with any additional questions regarding the SIPA internship program. 

To help us best support you, please review this webpage and the four additional internship program resources above, and note in your email that you have reviewed them.