Frequently Asked Questions 

1. Locate an internship
2. Meet with your internship coordinator
3. Complete the UVU internship Orientation
4. Apply for academic credit
5. Complete assignments in your internship course
6. Complete other tasks specific to your internship course including the Internship Completion Assessment and Supervisor Evaluation near the end of your internship experience.

View and Download a full list of tasks

Deadlines vary by academic department.  Students can review department-specific application pages or contact their appropriate Internship Coordinator to find out more information.  Applications and Internship Coordinators

Students can contact their college's Internship Coordinator for department-specific information.  General questions not related to your major can also be answered by contacting the Internship Services department at 801-863-6589.

Yes! As an F1 student, you must have an employment authorization on your I-20 before beginning an internship.   Full time students and/or students graduating in the semester of their internship can only work up to 20 hours per week.  International students cannot begin working at their place of internship without first having an I-20 authorization.   After you have completed your internship application, your  information will automatically be forwarded to the International Student Services Office for review.   Please refer to the following page for more information. https://www.uvu.edu/iss/immigration/

Yes! There are some addtional considerations and restictions, however, depending on individual circumstances. Please refer to the following page for more information. https://www.uvu.edu/studentaffairs/initiatives/

Yes. An internship course is like any other course and is based upon the UVU Tuition scale.

It depends.  If students are willing to take on additional responsibilities and additional learning objectives at their job, it may be approved if the internship is determined to have has academic merit and applies to the student's course of study.  This merit is determined by the Internship Coordinator within a particular UVU college.

Suggestions:

Faculty Tips

Advisor Tips

There are a few ways in which faculty and advisors can obtain a list of internships:

1. Search the UVU Handshake system by job type (internship), major, industry, and/or keyword to see a relevant list.
2. Visit one of our College-Specific Internship Pages.  
3. Contact your department Internship Coordinator.

Each department has three options for structuring faculty supervisor pay:

1. Adjunct Instructor
2. Faculty member overload
3. Faculty member regular load

Refer to the information below:

• Adjunct faculty will be paid by the contact hour as outlined in Internship Services policy. For internship courses, contact hours = credit hours.
• Faculty workload will be determined by the standard USHE formula for a remote education course. This is factored as students x credit hours/20
• That calculation will then be multiplied by .6 to represent the division of workload among the faculty supervisor and the internship coordinator. Note that the internship coordinator does not receive 40% of the compensation, this is merely a representation of the division of workload. The multiplier can be variable depending on the unique division of workload for each department.
• Departments are responsible to ensure the course catalog lists contact hours that are equal to credit hours, not hours the student will be working during the internship.
• Departments are responsible to ensure the internship coordinator for their college is listed each semester as a co-teacher.
• Course enrollment should not exceed 30 students (the maximum enrollment for an adjunct instructor)

1. Assess the needs of your organization
2. Create a plan
3. Complete the UVU Internship Agreement
4. Recruit an Intern/Post a position on UVU Handshake
5. Hire the Intern
6. Manage and mentor the Intern
7. Evaluate the Intern

One of the best ways to recruit a UVU intern is to post your position/s on UVU Handshake.  The system is easy to use and is free to employers. 

To get started:

1. Visit the following website https://app.joinhandshake.com and create your company profile.
2. Create your user account and join an existing company or create a new company account.
3. Select Utah Valley University as your school of choice.
4. Register for events, post jobs, etc. 

After submitting a job description electronically, it will be reviewed for approval. After approval students will then be able to view your position and apply.

More information can be found on the UVU Internship Services Posting an Internship Page

1. Develop a structured plan outlining what the intern will be doing over the course of their internship with defined expectations, qualifications, and responsibilities.
2. Avoid being vague in the wording of your internship posting. Specific information regarding desired qualifications, job responsibilities, wage, and work schedule can go a long way to attracting a student.
3. Make the internship a paid opportunity. As an example, an internship in fields like marketing, graphic design, computer science, and finance will nearly always be paid. To ensure interest in your positions, we recommend that you offer compensation.
4. Participate in events such as the Career and Internship Fair or STEM Fair. See the recruiting section, to learn more.
5. Connect with one of our Internship Coordinators. There is a coordinator for every major at UVU and depending on your field of interest, we want to connect you with the best coordinator for your specific needs. If you have any questions regarding UVU schools and/or majors offered at our university, please contact Martin Overly at martin.overly@uvu.edu

Paid interns make ideal workers — hungry to learn, eager to make a good impression and willing to perform a multitude of tasks. The relatively small amount of money employers spend on intern wages and benefits is a good investment. If pay is not possible, unpaid internships must comply with the U.S. Fair Labor Standards Act ( FLSA ). This law has determined that you don’t have to pay interns who qualify as learners/trainees.

The U.S. Department of Labor has outlined seven criteria for determining trainee status. The FLSA does not limit an employer’s ability to hire paid interns or restrict a paid employee’s ability to receive college credit for their work. It also does not limit unpaid internships for non-profits who rely on volunteers for their labor. Please reference the U.S. Department of Labor Fact Sheet #71: www.dol.gov/whd/regs/compliance/whdfs71.htm

Unpaid Interns: Utah Valley University requires unpaid interns to receive academic credit. Unpaid interns are covered with workers’ compensation and liability insurance by the university only if they are receiving college credit.

Paid Interns: For paid internships, the employer is required to provide workers’ compensation benefits along with any other benefits required by law. A stipend is considered a paid position and the employer is responsible for providing workers’ compensation. See the Master Internship Agreement (page 19) that a site provider signs prior to hiring an intern.