Volunteering & Internships

This is defined as donating time with an organization whose primary purpose is charitable or humanitarian nature, without remuneration or any other type of compensation.

To be considered a volunteer, the work performed by the individual should meet the following criteria:

• No expectation of compensation

• The volunteer cannot displace a genuine employee

• The services provided by the volunteer should not be the same services for which they were previously paid and/or expects to be hired and paid in the future

• Services are performed for a non-profit organization for public service, religious or humanitarian objective

Please note that there is a difference between volunteering and engaging in an unpaid internship.

As stated above, volunteering refers to donating time with an organization whose primary purpose is charitable or humanitarian nature, without remuneration or any other type of compensation. For example, a local homeless shelter, charitable food pantry, or a library.

Unpaid internships do not usually qualify as volunteer activity, as they take place at for profit entities or as part of a training/internship program for a non-profit entity. Internships, both paid and unpaid, are primarily offered by the private sector and related to the intern's major field of study. Such internships require Curricular Practical Training (CPT) authorization.