F/T Unpaid Internship F-1

[sunshine10]

Hi,

I was accepted for a Full-Time, Unpaid Internship and have an F-1 status. In addition, I am an international student. Fall 07 semester will be my second semester in F-1 status. Before that I was in J-1 status (cultural exchange) for a year.
My question is this: I am not allowed to start a full-time internship during my second semester because of F-1 visa regulations?

Is there a way to get this approval as I have been in the country for almost two years now...

Thnak you in advance!

 

[Sarah749]

I was sort of in the same situation! I was working part-time on campus as a GA while I got an opportunity to work as an intern (part time). I could not leave my job as a GA as it pays for my tuition. I also could not work more than 20 hours being an F1.

What I found was, if it`s an unpaid internship and as long as u r not displacing any US worker (which means u r working for free in a position for which they usually pay people) - u r free to 'volunteer' ur hours. That`s a whole big gray area though and ur ISO might not give u anything in black and white.

What I did was I requested my career service people in my school (or may be u can go to ur academic advisor) to write a letter addressing my internship supervisor that I`m a student in good standing and I am free to volunteer as many hours as I want as long as I keep good grades and abide by the university regulations.

Volunteering is the key word here and make best use of it since it`s just an unpaid internship !!

Hope this helps!