Career Opportunities : International Students

Securing employment in the United States can be a challenge for an international student due to recent immigration laws and quotas.

Therefore, we encourage our international students — students who possess a student visa and no authorization to work in the United States — to expand their career search and utilize their network to identify career options in their home country or outside of the United States. If you work for a multinational, you can then position yourself for an assignment in the U.S. or elsewhere around the globe.

Career search information specific to Eller MBA international students includes:

• Web Resources
• Curricular Practical Training and Optional Practical Training Overview
• Curricular Practical Training (CPT)
• Optional Practical Training (OPT)
• J-1 Visa Holders
    

Web Resources

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Curricular Practical Training and Optional Practical Training Overview

As an international student, you will need to secure authorization to work in the U.S. This authorization is vital to maintain compliance with your immigration status.

To work while you are enrolled in the MBA program, you must apply for Curricular Practical Training (CPT).

To work in the U.S. upon graduation, you must apply for Optional Practical Training (OPT). OPT allows you to work in the U.S. for up to one year upon graduation without sponsorship from your employer and conversion to another visa type. You must apply for OPT no later than 90 days prior to your graduation date.

For more information about CPT, OPT, or any other issue related to your status as an international student, please contact the Office of International Student Programs and Services (ISPS).

Notice to Prospective International Students

Important information about your Summer Internship

As you know, the Eller MBA program is very focused on providing real world experiential learning opportunities for all our full time MBA students. These opportunities take the form of both required curricular courses, and other additional recommended activities. One of the most important of these recommended, but not required activities is the summer internship between the first and second years.

This internship provides for 3 months of actual career‐related experience which also allows the student to create a very relevant and useful resume citation.

The securing of the internship is the ultimate responsibility of each student. While the Office of Career Development engages with companies to come and interview students, no guarantees of internship offer can be made. In many cases the individual student utilizes their network to obtain an internship.

Full support in terms of resume writing, interview coaching and guidance is provided by the office.

There is one very specific issue regarding internship which applies to international students. In order to meet the requirements of your student (F1) visa under US Immigration Law, you need to apply for Curricular Practical Training (CPT) authorization from the United States Government. This is a fairly routine procedure for which the Office of Career Development provides guidance. However, CPT authorization requires you to register for a 1 credit summer course, BNAD 593 which has a fee currently set at $857 by the University of Arizona. Please be fully aware that you are completely responsible for the payment of this fee, and it is not covered by any scholarships or assistantships.

If you have any questions, please contact either Marisa Cox, Director of Admissions or Sylvia Munoz, Associate Director of Career Development.

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Applying for Curricular Practical Training (CPT)

International students who are eligible for CPT must follow the steps below to complete the CPT process:

1. Obtain an offer letter from the company
2. Register for BNAD 593 — you must be registered in a course to qpply for CPT
3. Input the data to complete an automatically generated

    CPT letter from the MBA Program
4. Email OCD in reference to pending CPT letter
5. Collect signed CPT letter from the Director of OCD

6. Please read the notice about Internship credit expenditures
7. Obtain a social security number if you do not already have one
8. Take the following to ISPS:

• Signed CPT letter from Faculty Advisor (talk to your program department for contact)
• Offer letter from Employer (must describe employment or training with name of company and company address, number of hours per week, and begin date and end date of internship)
• Original, current I-20 Form

NOTE: Do NOT submit paperwork later than two (2) weeks prior to proposed start date as ISPS requires that time for processing and the authorization cannot be backdated. Students must also be careful not to continue employment beyond the date authorized on their I-20.

Submit information for your Curricular Practical Training Letter.

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Applying for Optional Practical Training (OPT)

International students who are eligible for CPT must follow the steps below to complete the OPT process:

1. Download and complete form I-765
2. Photocopy your I-94 admission card
3. Input the data to complete an automatically generated

    OPT letter from the MBA Program
4. Email OCD in reference to pending OPT letter
5. Collect signed OPT letter from the Director of Career

    Development
6. Obtain a social security number if you do not already

    have one
7. Take the following to ISPS:

• Signed OPT letter
• Completed I-765
• Original I-20 Form
• Photocopy of I-94 card

Submit information for your Optional Practical Training Letter.

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Applying for Work Authorization: J-1 Visa

As a J-1 Visa holder, your summer work is classified as academic training and you are eligible to work in the United States for a total of 18 months. The work must be related to your academic field but you are not required to register for academic credit.

J-1 visa holders must follow the steps below to apply for Academic Training:

1.  Obtain a letter from your academic or faculty advisor stating the following:

• Job title
• Goals and objectives of employment
• Dates and location of employment
• Number of hours and weeks you will work
• Name and address of your supervisor
• Why it is an integral part of the academic program
• How it relates to the major field of study

2. Present your letter to your J-1 officer in International  Student Programs & Services (ISPS)
3. Obtain a social security number if you do not already have one
4. Take your photo ID and I-20 to your employer and complete the I-9 form

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For more information, please contact us.