International Students

Current increased scrutiny of work authorization requests necessitates all international students stay informed by visiting visit the International Student Services (ISS) website.

To participate off-campus internships, international students must obtain Curricular Practical Training (CPT) work authorization. Our program is your first step in the process.

Start with us. All international students in the School of Management must start their CPT process by reporting their internship in BizLink. 

Not sure how to begin? Contact: mgt-internships@buffalo.edu.

Ready to Report Your Internship? 

1.    Log in to BizLink. From your home page, find and click the Experiential Learning tile then click the blue "Add New" button.

2.    On the report form, select "Credit Bearing Internship" for your Experience Type. Be sure to choose the same semester (work term) as your participation in the internship. Complete the form in full, and then click submit. Please note: we do not process forms left in draft mode.

3.    Our internship team will review your report. After your internship is approved, we will email you and your internship supervisor with detailed instructions for next steps.

• To be eligible for CPT, you must be current in your F-1 visa status and have been enrolled full-time for at least one academic year (two full-semesters).
• You must be registered by our program for course credits specifically designed for a practical training experience.
• You are permitted to begin an internship only after CPT is fully authorized and a new I-20 has been issued. 
• Participation in internships must align directly with the CPT start and end dates for the semester in which the internship occurs.
• CPT limits internship participation to a maximum of 20 hours per week during fall and spring semesters, and 20+ hours per week during the summer. Please note that many employers limit summer hours per week to a maximum of 35 - 40 hours (full-time).
• Once you have accepted an internship offer, stop interviewing with other employers. As per UB ISS policy, we are unable to switch your CPT unless there are serious circumstances that occur beyond your (or our) control.  

International students are able to earn both money and academic credit during a paid internship as offered by the employer. In addition to CPT, you must also secure a Social Security number (SSN) before your paid internship begins.