International students in F-1 status are not permitted to accept off-campus employment without special authorization. F-1 students may be eligible to apply for Curricular Practical Training (CPT) to pursue a summer internship while enrolled as an MBA student, or Optional Practical Training (OPT) to engage in employment for up to 12 months after completing the MBA.  Before a student can be approved for CPT or OPT, he or she must meet certain eligibility requirements. For more information about these requirements, please contact International Student and Scholar Services (ISSS) at 217-333-1303, or visit www.ips.uiuc.edu/ISSS.

Curricular Practical Training: Once a student has received an offer for an internship, the student must obtain a letter from his/her employer stating the job title, nature of the work to be performed, beginning and ending dates of employment, and the number of hours of work per week. The student should then contact MBA Student Affairs at MBAStudentAffairs@uiuc.edu to request a Curricular Practical Training letter. This letter must be submitted to ISSS. After the letter is reviewed and approved by an ISSS advisor, the student will be issued a new Form I-20; the student must have this new document in hand before beginning his/her employment. Click here for more information about CPT.