Internships for Credit What You Need to Know

Internships for Credit What You Need to Know Photo: Pexels How do you know if a company offers college credit? When you are viewing an internship posting, it will usually say whether or not the company offers college credit. If its an unpaid position, they usually do offer college credits for their interns. If it is a paid position, you may be able to switch it out for college credit instead of getting financial compensation. Dont be afraid to ask! Usually, you will have to coordinate with the company you are looking to intern at and an academic/faculty member that will ultimately sponsor/monitor your internship. Make sure you fill out all necessary registration and any paperwork before beginning your internship to get the college credit you want. Keep track of all the steps necessary so that you know what needs to be done and what deadlines to meet. How do you know if you are eligible to get college credit for an internship? Ultimately, it is actually up to your school whether or not you are eligible for college credit. Its not just whether or not the company offers it to begin with, but if your school deems you eligible. You can be denied eligibility for a number of reasons. Maybe you have already taken an internship for college credits and reached the universitys cap for college credits given by an internship. The internship you are pursuing has to tie into your major or field of study in some way, so if it is completely unrelated to your studies, you will most likely not be able to get college credit for the internship. If you are able to find a way to connect your internship to your education, you can see if there is a way for you to submit a petition to get your internship to qualify for college credit. Your ability to be eligible for an internship for college credit also may depend on what year you are in. You may only be able to get an internship for college credit if you are an upperclassman with junior or senior standing in terms of college credits. Also, some majors and minors will require you to complete an internship or field study as part of your requirement for classes. As such, you will get college credit for completing the internship rather than financial compensation. How do you know if an internship for college credits is the right choice for you?   As nice as it is to get out of the classroom and still get college credit, it definitely is not the right choice for everyone. If you are getting an internship for college credit, you will most likely not be getting paid for it as it is usually one or the other. Sometimes you may be looking at multiple internship opportunities and be left completely unsure as to which one to pick. Lay out your options and see which one best advances your career path and gives you the most helpful experience and networking, it may not necessarily be the internship granting you the most college credit. If you are stretched tight financially, you may not be able to have an internship for college credit. Rather, a paid internship may be the better move for you. Dont be afraid to weigh your options. Hopefully, with this guide, your decision will be a bit easier and well-informed.