International Students

BULA is proud to host students from around the world. In fact, an average of 25% of our students are F1 visa holders.

While international students have access to the same resources as domestic US students, there are some additional challenges and processes that international students should familiarize themselves with in order to fully prepare for the BULA experience.

INTERNSHIPS

Unlike some other Study Abroad sites, internships in Los Angeles are viewed as professional opportunities, more so than academic ones. Because of that, internships in LA can be very competitive, and students must apply to many positions in order to get interviews at a small percentage of those companies.

For students with limited job experience, there can be additional challenges to the internship search process. Students should take advantage of our application resources and check-in with BULA staff with any concerns about resumes, cover letters, and the kind of internships available. It’s important to remain open-minded and realistic about your internship search process.

International students coming to LA in the Fall and Spring semesters are limited to interning a maximum of 20 hours per week. Internship hours for students in BULA Summer programs are unrestricted.

CURRICULAR PRACTICAL TRAINING (CPT)

All international students must apply for CPT after receiving an internship offer and before starting to work. Read through the CPT Application Process carefully and check-in with ISSO or BULA staff if you have any questions.

SOCIAL SECURITY

Students with paid internships must have a Social Security Number (SSN) in order to work. If you have had any previous paid employment  in the United States (including on-campus) then you should already have a SSN. If you do not already have a SSN then you will need to apply for one after you have accepted an internship and filed for CPT. This process can take several weeks, so you’ll want to get started on it as quickly as possible. Read through the process for applying for SSN here.

OPTIONAL PRACTICAL TRAINING (OPT)

Graduating international students are eligible for a period of work authorization in the US, following the completion of their degree. OPT is coordinated directly through ISSO, so students are encouraged to schedule an appointment with ISSO in Boston to discuss the OPT application process.