What is an Internship?
The NDSU Career and Advising Center defines an internship as a form of experiential learning that integrates knowledge and theory learned in the classroom with practical application and skill development provided in a professional workplace setting (NACE, 2024).
Why participate in an Internship Experience?
- Internships are one of the main recruiting tools employers use to recruit their early talent positions
- Test a career decision before graduation and explore
- Gain a competitive edge in the professional job market
- Gain “real life” experience and understand workplace culture
- Develop social capital through networking, experiencing new things, and learning in a professional setting
- Earn money to help with college expenses
- Network with professionals and make industry connections
- Improve resume writing, job searching, and interviewing skills
What kind of employers or work sites might I find?
You will find a broad range of opportunities. Some are large corporations representing a wide scope of career fields, while other opportunities could be with small businesses, nonprofits, or startup companies. Many government agencies also offer a wide variety of positions for all majors.
Will other students be working there?
It depends on the employer. Smaller businesses are less likely to have multiple interns, while larger companies may employ large numbers of students each term from all over the US.
How can I maintain my full-time status while off campus working in a full-time internship/co-op?
By registering for 3 credits through the NDSU Career and Advising Center (or work 300+ hours in a given semester), students maintain a full-time student status with the University, even if they are not taking any additional credits. (*International students may need to be enrolled in additional credits, depending on their visa type.)
Maintaining your full-time status can ensure student loans do not enter repayment, scholarships requiring full-time registration are still valid, students maintain access to all NDSU services and amenities, and are able to register for courses and return to campus easily once finished with their internship.
How does an internship fit into my schedule?
Internship experiences may be completed during any semester. Options include:
- Parallel: Students work part-time with an employer and still take classes at NDSU
- Alternating: Students alternate between attending classes on campus full-time for a semester and working full-time on an internship assignment for a semester
- One Semester: Students work on an internship assignment for one semester only
- Consecutive: Students work 2 or 3 semesters in a row
How do I find an internship?
There are always many internship opportunities posted on Handshake. All students have access to this system and can search for job and internship opportunities, research employers in desired industries, stay up-to-date on salary trends, and much more! NDSU students have access to this tool for life! You can also check out our How to Find and Internship resource page for more ideas.
How many credits can I earn?
Credits earned based on the number of hours worked per semester.
- 100-199 hours per semester = 1 credit
- 200-299 hours per semester = 2 credits
- 300+ hours per semester = 3 credits
*Please note that some departments have different hour/credit requirements.
Students can register up to 12 credits with the Internship Program during the course of their program at NDSU.
Are there enrollment requirements?
- Minimum cumulative 2.0 GPA prior to internship registration
- Internship or co-op is directly related to a student’s academic major and/or career goals
- Duties and responsibilities are defined at the professional or paraprofessional level
- The employer can be verified as a valid organization
- Must have a designated supervisor who will provide guidance and mentorship throughout the experience
- The supervisor must be willing to provide feedback to you, as the intern, and work with NDSU to fulfill additional requirements requested of them
- Internships can be paid or unpaid. If paid, pay must meet the location’s minimum wage laws. If unpaid, and the employer is a for-profit organization, the employer and student must abide by the FLSA’s “Primary Beneficiary” test for unpaid internships.
How do I register for internship credits?
Steps to apply for credit through the Internship Program:
1. Submit your information to the Career and Advising Center’s Internship Program Registration Portal.
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- Sign in with your NDSU credentials.
- Complete your online profile.
- To submit your internship/co-op record, follow these directions.
2. Schedule an appointment with your faculty advisor or internship advisor.
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- Ensure your internship meets department requirements.
- Receive details for any additional assignments you may need to complete during the course of your internship.
3. Wait to receive confirmation from the Career and Advising Center’s Internship Program Team.
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- A member of the Internship Program Team will process your record and contact your site supervisor and faculty advisor.
- The Internship Program will also enroll you for the correct internship course on Campus Connection. **Students cannot enroll themselves for courses associated with the Internship Program.
- You will receive confirmations and updates about your internship and the Internship Program via your NDSU email account.
What is the cost?
All credits earned through the Internship Program are included in the tuition cap and billed at students’ residency rate. Differential tuition applies according to students’ major.
See update tuition charts here:
• Undergraduate
• Graduate
A growing number of employers are making the investment in NDSU students by paying the cost of the student’s credits, through tuition reimbursement programs. This is not a requirement of the employer, but something students should be aware of and ask about within their organization.
How does an internship fit into graduation requirements?
Every program recognizes internship credits differently, so it is important for students to discuss where these credits will be applied to their curriculum with their faculty advisor. Most commonly, students use the internship credits in the following areas:
- Fulfill a curriculum requirement
- Major elective credits
- Free elective credits
How are internship experiences graded?
- Undergraduate students are graded Pass/Fail and Graduate students are graded Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory.
- “Pass”grades do not affect students’ GPA; “Fail” grades are calculated into students’ GPA
- Graduate students’ GPA is not affected unless the internship is part of a student’s course plan
- If all required items are not returned on time, students will receive an incomplete grade. An incomplete grade must be resolved by mid-term of the following semester or it will be converted into a failing grade.
- Credits are not given a letter grade intentionally. Internship experiences are intended to give students the opportunity to test a career path, not to impact their GPA.
What is needed to earn a Passing or Satisfactory grade?
All students are required to:
- Complete a Student Internship Record with the Career and Advising Center
- Complete a Midterm Self-Evaluation (distributed via students’ NDSU email)
- Complete a Final Self-Evaluation (distributed to students’ NDSU email)
- Ensure their site supervisor completes an Employer Final Evaluation (sent to the email provided for the internship supervisor).
- Complete any additional assignments required by a student’s internship faculty advisor (students should check with their faculty advisors for details on assignment requirements). Once the advisor reviews the assignment(s), the advisor will notify the Career and Advising Center of their completion.
Under what circumstances would I receive a Failing or Unsatisfactory grade?
- The student does not return required documentation by midterm of the following semester
- The student is terminated from employment for unprofessional conduct
Is financial aid available?
Yes. NDSU Financial Aid & Scholarship Office will evaluate a student’s eligibility for federal financial aid based on their number of enrolled credits. If the student is enrolled for credits in addition to their internship experience, they will count toward total enrollment for financial aid awarding purposes. Students working 300+ hours in a co-op or internship in a given semester will qualify for full-time student status for financial aid purposes if they are enrolled in the Internship Program.
Types of federal aid that students may be awarded include the Pell Grant, Direct Loans, and SEOG. Federal Work-Study is not awarded since the student is already employed. Students who graduate from a North Dakota high school will also receive consideration for the North Dakota State Grant. Eligibility for federal and state aid can only be determined after the student has completed the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) at www.fafsa.ed.gov.
Students with additional costs associated with an internship such as dual housing (maintaining housing both locally and in the city of the internship), commuting costs, required uniforms or clothing for a specific dress code, etc., may be eligible for additional loans. For consideration, a Budget Adjustment Form must be submitted at http://www.ndsu.edu/bisonconnection/finaid/other/budget_increase_request/. For more information about financial aid, contact One Stop at (701).231.6200.
Does an incomplete grade affect financial aid for the following semester?
Yes. Incomplete grades are treated as unsuccessfully completed courses for financial aid purposes during the evaluation of Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP). If a student’s financial aid is affected, the student will receive an email from the financial aid office alerting them of their SAP status of either financial aid warning or financial aid disqualification. When an incomplete grade is changed, the Career and Advising Center will contact Financial Aid & Scholarships to notify them of the grade change and the student’s SAP status will be recalculated. For more information on SAP, contact One Stop at (701).231.6200.
Are there additional requirements for international students?
F-1 students must complete a full academic year (2 semesters – fall and spring, excluding summer) at NDSU prior to participating in an off-campus experience.
Prior to registering for internship credits, students need to contact the International Students and Study Abroad Services to complete the CPT application.
For more information, contact the International Students and Study Abroad Services at (701).231.7895.
How do I drop or change internship credits?
Please contact the Internship Program Team to discuss the process: 701-231-7112.