Frequently Asked Questions

• Access to internship postings in BizLink is based on academic performance. As soon as grades become available each semester, GPA's are uploaded into BizLink and access to internship postings is confirmed. Undergraduates must carry a minimum 2.5 GPA and graduates, a 3.0 GPA to be eligible to apply to internships posted in BizLink.  

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• There is a very good chance your internship will qualify for academic credit, but we need to review a detailed description first.*
• Present the internship description to our staff for evaluation. You may choose to refer your supervisor to our director. Internship descriptions must follow the format outlined in our Internship Description Guide.

*We retain the right to reject an internship site or experience when the internship does not meet our standards of academic integrity or poses an unsafe or unethical work environment.

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• Yes, if your employer has created a paid internship for which you are also earning academic credit, we allow both. Some employers are under the impression this is not allowed. You may need to refer them to us for assistance. 
• We encourage employers to pay although we cannot require it. We suggest an average pay for undergraduates as $15 -$20 per hour, and for graduate students, $20-$35 per hour. Although we suggest certain rates of pay, employers ultimately control rates of pay.
  
• Interns cannot be paid less than minimum wage per hour. Consult the DOL website for more information. 

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We complete academic registrations for approved internships. After you accept an internship offer, follow these steps. If you are confused, simply contact us at mgt-internships@buffalo.edu.  

• Yes, a credit-bearing internship is linked to actual academic credits. Full time students participating in fall or spring internships will not incur additional tuition charges; however summer and/or winter session internships result in a tuition bill. Please reach out to us with any questions or concerns. Current tuition rates can be found on the Student Accounts website.

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• Undergraduate students are allowed to apply a maximum of six credits toward the total number of credits needed to graduate. HR internships can be counted directly toward the concentration area; all other internship registrations are considered elective credit.
• Graduate students are allowed a maximum of three credits to count toward the total number of hours needed to graduate. Any other internship credits will be considered above and beyond what is necessary.
• Students in F-1 visa status in the UB School of Management are permitted a second internship/second CPT under special circumstances. If continuation of a work project is requested by the employer for a second semester, a new internship description must be submitted and reviewed by staff for approval. 

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• There is no retroactive credit granted for past internships.

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• Full-time MBA students are required to complete a credit-bearing internship before graduation. An incoming experience waiver may be granted if you already possess one year of post-bachelor, full-time professional experience in a relevant setting. This experience must be at a managerial or leadership level and must involve management activities. Waiver decisions are usually communicated in October of each year. Students are allowed to "void" their waivers if and when an actual internship offer has been accepted.
  
• Students waived from the internship requirement are still responsible for staying on track with the proper number of MBA credits needed to graduate. Meeting with your academic advisor is highly recommended.

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• Please contact the internship team to schedule an appointment. Often, with a bit of coaching, you are able to manage the problem or open up more productive lines of communication with your supervisor. Only when we feel there is dire need would we intervene for you, and your concerns are treated with the utmost respect.
• Students unable to complete their required internship hours due to illness, an accident or any other issues must let us know as soon as possible to discuss available options. 
• Students who have been terminated from an internship by the employer are required to contact us immediately to discuss next steps. Failure to do so could result in severe consequences.

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• Domestic students participating in paid internships are not required to register for credit, but have the option if desired. 
• International students must be registered for credit to request CPT work authorization, regardless of paid or unpaid status.  
• Legally, for-profit companies can offer unpaid internships only when they are educational experiences offered for academic credit. If you are working as an intern in a for-profit company and are not paid, you must register for academic credit. 
• Nonprofit organizations are approved by the Department of Labor to "employ" unpaid volunteers because of the nature of their status. However, nonprofits usually prefer students to be registered for credit as well.

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