Hire a UMSI intern

100% of internship partners say they would hire a UMSI intern again.

“I have always found the experience of working with UMSI students a positive one. In general, I appreciate the interdisciplinary, user-centered, big-picture perspective they bring and the skill sets to back it up.” —Ryan Gourley, Director, Tech Arb

Internships are an excellent way to hire motivated, professional and diverse students who are eager to apply their learning to your organization. Internships provide a short-term, low-cost recruiting strategy that can result in a valuable impact to any organization. Hiring a UMSI intern can be the first step to engaging with students and increasing your company’s visibility on campus.

How to hire a UMSI intern

Create a job description. Include overview of position, skills required, location, hours and compensation (hourly or stipend), and application requirements.
Post your internship to our online recruitment system.
Select candidates the same way you would hire a new employee.

If you would like to discuss developing an internship opportunity within your organization or help in promoting it, contact our office at [email protected].

Internship credit

Several UMSI degree programs require internships or provide the ability for students to earn credit through our UMSI Internship Program. If you hire a UMSI intern hoping to fulfill a degree requirement and/or earn credit, they will work directly with our office to propose their internship for approval. There are minimum requirements we look for in order to approve an internship:

The internship is related to what is taught and researched at UMSI and connects to the student’s coursework and future career goals.
The internship provides hands-on professional work that helps the student develop new learning, skills and abilities.
The student has a professional supervisor with three or more years of experience who provides mentoring for a successful internship experience.

For additional information about the UMSI Internship Program requirements and processes, please refer to our Internship Program Overview for Employers.

Frequently asked questions

When are students available for internships?

The majority of UMSI students seek full-time summer internships that occur between May-August. Students also seek part-time internships that offer local or remote work during fall (September-December) or winter (January-April) terms.

How many hours can a student work?

An intern’s hours and work schedule should be decided between the employer and student. Students may be seeking to work a certain amount of hours in a semester to earn credit or fulfill a degree requirement. Be clear with the student how many hours they’ll be able to work so they can plan for other opportunities if need be. Additional information about hour requirements can be found in the Internship Program Overview for Employers.

Are internships paid?

Pay is not required but is important in a competitive environment and is a critical factor for most students’ acceptance of internships. Students may be paid while also earning credit or fulfilling a degree requirement for their internship. If the work is unpaid, please let the student know early in the recruiting process. We encourage employers to review the U.S. Department of Labor’s fact sheet on unpaid internships.

Do international students require sponsorship for internships?

No, international students do not require sponsorship to complete an internship. If you hire an international student intern, they will work directly with our office and the U-M International Center to receive Curricular Practical Training (CPT) work authorization. The student will need an offer letter/detailed training description on their employer’s letterhead in order to apply for CPT. We recommend all employers use this sample detailed training description to make sure all required information is included.

UMSI internship salaries

Pay rates vary greatly by industry, company type, skills required and geography.

BSI Average Rate: $20-$25/hr

MHI Average Rate: $22-$27/hr

MSI Average Rate: $25-$30/hr

For more salary information as well as detailed internship outcomes of UMSI students, view our most recent internship report.

Contact us

For more information or for a recruiting consultation, contact [email protected].

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