WORK and STUDY In the U.S.A.

Full-Time Jobs Available While You Study

• Assured Employment with American companies at American wages.

• Work during the day and take classes in the evenings.

• Earn and Learn: Pay Tuition Fees after getting visa while earning.

• Work/study programs currently available in California, Utah and Minnesota.

• Master degrees in MBA, Health Care, IT, Nursing Management & others.

• Work for entire 2 years of the Master degree program.

• No visa No Fee policy

• No investment / payment before Visa.

Co-op Program Overview

The Co-op Program is a unique opportunity to earn your degree, gain valuable experience and achieve your lifetime dream.

The option of Curricular Practical Training (CPT) to students enrolled in any of its Master's degree programs is authorized by the U.S. Homeland Security Department for F-1 international students and is equivalent to the co-op option for American students.

This option is designed to give students practical work experience in curriculum-related employment with local corporations and businesses. For those who select this option paid internship employment is mandatory, beginning in the first academic year of the student's program. Along with the mandatory internship employment, students will need to take a total of 15 to 18 courses, depending on the program you enroll into.

Immigration Service regulations allow international graduate students who are enrolled in an "internship" or "co-op" program to work in internship positions for as many months as the duration of the program will allow. Through the co-op program, international students may work up to 40 hours per week.

F-1 students wishing to participate in an off-campus training program that is “an integral part of an established curriculum” must first obtain work authorization for Curricular Practical Training (CPT). The training, which must be directly related to the student’s major field of study, is defined as ”alternate work/study, internship, cooperative education, or any other type of required internship or practicum, which is offered by sponsoring employers through cooperative agreements with the school” (Title 8, Code of Federal Regulations, Part 214.2 (f)(10).

The purpose of a CPT program is to integrate real-life training with a student's education.
At most universities the applicant can not start their CPT until he/she has been in school for at least one academic year (9 months).

There are a few schools that have curriculum set up so that the internships are mandatory and therefore, a student must begin his/her curricular training immediately upon registration and securing his/her social security number.

The practical training that students receive by working in an American Company gives them skills and experience that cannot be obtained in a normal classroom-only education format, thus giving an advantage in achieving life goals after graduation.

The wages that are paid to the students for their CPT employment are equal to the wages paid to American employees in the same kind of employment. Net earnings are retained by the students and used for their personal or educational needs.
Students can choose either part-time (20 hours or less per week) or full-time (20 to 40 hours per week) employment. This can continue for the entire duration of the master's program, as each student may choose.
Where possible, class schedules will be arranged so as to facilitate this option. The co-op program offers daytime, evening, and weekend courses.

The master's co-op program consists of 15 to 18 courses over a period of two to two and 1/2 years, depending on the students course load. The internship employment is required for at least eleven months of a student's master's degree program. However, if the student chooses to be employed for longer than eleven months, he/she may continue CPT employment for as long as he/she chooses. Please note, that if full-time CPT employment lasts more than twelve months, the student may lose the right to the Optional Practical Training (OPT), which is allowed to students after graduation.

Students are allowed to obtain any employment which is related to an integral part of the curriculum in the student's major field of study. The wages paid for the internship employment depends upon the kind of position found

SUMMARY OF CO-OP “WORK-STUDY” PROGRAMS CURRENTLY AVAILABLE

PROCEDURES FOR PROCESSING CO-OP APPLICATIONS

(1) Program Awareness: Review the websites of each co-op program

(2) Applicants Sign the Placement Agreement: All applicants must sign and date a copy of the Placement Agreement at the time of application.

(3) Selecting a School:

(a) Applicant may choose to apply to just one of the co-op schools and fill out that school’s application form, or

(b) Applicant may choose to fill out the application forms of several of the schools that he or she is willing to attend, and then request that HeadStart make the decision about which of the schools to send the application to (based on the educational and work history of the candidate, and the best employment possibilities at the various schools, and the beginning dates preferred by the applicant, etc.).

(4) Send Complete Application Packets to HeadStart: Send to HeadStart the signed Placement Agreement, and the school application forms and the required document for the school selected. (If the applicant chooses to apply for two, three or four of the co-op schools, then two complete sets of documents are required).

(5) Visa Interview Training:

(a) First, all applicants will be required to complete the new on-line Visa Interview Training Course which deals with Immigration Law issues, in preparation for their visa interviews at the U.S. consulate. A student ID and password shall be provided by us to each applicant in order to have access to the on-line course material. All applicants must take this course, and pass the final examination, before the I-20 will be given to the student. (The tuition fee for this on-line course shall be waived for all our co-op applicants).

(b) Secondly, before the I-20 is given to the applicant, we will arrange mock interview sessions based on our own experience and knowledge of the particular requirements and practices of the visa officials in the area where the students will go to apply for their visas so as to ensure maximum success rate.

(6) The I-20 Forms: All I-20 forms will be given to the applicants only after the completing of the visa training requirements as set forth above and only after the applicants have made a deposit of the $3,500 placement fee, which will be held by us according to the Placement Agreement.

HeadStart / HTIR Services:

• Assistance in selecting the appropriate college or university for the candidate which offers full-time paid CPT

• Assistance in preparing application documents and submitting required documents to the selected university

• Advocacy with Admission Department regarding acceptance of candidate’s application and rapid I-20 issuance

• Free tuition to an on-line course for applicants preparing for visa interview (value $1,000)

• Assistance with SEVIS registration, embassy visa reservations and consultancy on all related co-op issues

• Assistance with travel bookings, as necessary

• Assistance with housing issues upon arrival, as needed

• Guarantee of legal right to paid employment if candidate is accepted into a co-op program.

• Assistance in obtaining a Social Security number granting candidate legal employment status

• Guarantee of at least an entry level job which will pay wages equal to what is paid to others at the same level

• Guarantee that candidate will have the right to move from an entry level job to a higher paying job at any time

• Free IELTS/ TOEFL Training

Documents Required for Admission:

1. Completed and signed school application forms

2. Copy of Passport

3. Bank statement (between $10,000 and $19,000 US dollars)

4. Sponsor letter and financial form: if you are using a sponsor, the university will need a signed letter from the sponsor stating, "I am the sponsor for _______ and I intend to provide him/her with financial assistance during his/her first year at SIU up to the amount of $_____."

5.Two letters of recommendation. The recommendation letters must be one each from a supervisor and from a co-worker. The letters should support in detail the writer’s assessment of the applicant’s ability to successfully complete graduate studies

6.Resume: The resume needs to include personal information (name, address, date of birth), work history, educational history, any research or publications in your field, any honors or awards received, and any organizations to which you belong.

7. Evidence of English proficiency : TOEFL score of 550 (213 computer base) or 6.0 on IELTS. or documentation showing you have taken at least two years of classes taught in English.

8. Certificate/diploma/proof of Bachelor's degree awarded in original language as well as an English translation, officially done with translator's seal and signature.

9. Official or attested TRANSCRIPTS in original language as well as an English translation, sealed in an university envelope. Transcripts need show every year that you studied at the university level. It is important that the transcripts show all subjects taken and all grades or marks earned for each subject. It also is very helpful if the grading system of the university is shown on each record. You should show they have the equivalent of a 2.75 GPA or greater.

10. GRE/ GMAT (recommended but not mandatory)

11. Caution Deposit : Rs. 5,000 (Refundable after visa) to be paid by a demand draft in the name of ‘HeadStart’ payable at Jaipur (Rajasthan).

Frequently Asked Questions

Q:  Will the university find an internship job for me?
A:  Because the internship is mandatory, applicants must be placed in an entry level position.  It is then the applicant's responsibility to obtain a higher, paying employment position.  However, we will help the student in this endeavor by assisting with the preparation of a resume, introductions to companies looking for employees and showing students how to search for employment through the newspapers, the internet, job fairs or other placement services.

Q: What is the likelihood that I will find my internship employment?
A: Internship positions are available for all students.  However, the type of internship position will depend on your skills, your experience, and your English ability.  The co-op program is a mandatory program so every co-op student will be employed.
  
Q: How long will it take for me to obtain my internship employment?
A: Most students will obtain employment in the first month at the campus.  For those with limited skills, it may take a little longer to find a suitable internship position.

Q. Will my internship job be arranged before I come to the U.S.?
A. No.  It is very difficult to have a job arranged for students prior to their arrival due to the fact that employers almost always want to interview the candidates personally.  However, the university has contacts with companies that will hire students for a temporary entry level job, so they can be employed as soon as possible.   While working in the entry level position, the student can simultaneously be searching for a more suitable job, and still fulfill the requirement of being in an internship.

Q: How much can I earn in an internship job?
A:  Some entry level jobs will pay approximately $7.00 per hour, but more highly skilled positions may pay up to $10 or more per hour.   Students are allowed to work up to 40 hours per week, with overtime also possible, depending on the job. 
 
Q: Can I find an internship job only in the field related to my major or is any field O.K?
A:  The employment needs to be related to an integral part of the curriculum.  Consequently, a job which is related to concepts and principles that you may be learning in any of your classes will be acceptable.
      
Q: How many working hours will I probably work each week?
A: Your employment can be as a regular full time employee with the same benefits as are granted to all other employees.  Most employees work 40 hours per week and receive a one week vacation per year.  However, part-time employment is also available, as you may choose. 

Q: Do I have to work overtime?  Can I keep the overtime bonus?
A: Some companies want the interns to work overtime, while others do not have overtime available.  However, you may keep for your own use all overtime income that you may earn.
    
Q. What if I can't find employment?
A.  Because there are many minimum wage jobs available, it is highly unlikely that an intern would not be able to find some type of employment.
 
Q: Do I have to have a social security card and a work permit?
A: The procedure for obtaining a Social Security card and permission to work begins with obtaining a job offer letter from a prospective employer.   Once an employer agrees to hire a student, such a letter will be issued by that employer.   The letter is to be taken to the University for a Signature on the student’s original I-20 form where Curricular Practical Training is authorized.   This signature by the university official on the I-20 serves as the co-op student’s “work permit”.   The next step is to take the job offer letter and the signed I-20 to the Social Security office where application is made for a Social Security Number.
 
Q: Will I have to pay taxes?
A: Your employer may be required to hold back from your monthly earnings a little bit of money to cover any taxes that you might owe.   However, after April 15th of each year most international students find that they get a refund for some of this withheld amount.
   
Q: Is there a way for me to work before actually starting to attend classes in order for me to save more money and add it to my current savings?
A:  Students must first be registered and attending their first semester classes before they can legally start working.  They also need to have received their social security card.  this process can take up to two weeks.  However, students can start looking for employment as soon as they are registered for classes.

Q: Could the work authorization be possibly converted into a full time work permit upon completion of the Masters program?
A:  Converting the internship job into a full time job, such as under an H1-b, is possible.   But, it all depends upon whether the company you find to work for during the internship is willing to sponsor you for an H1-b.

Q: What is Curricular Practical Training?
A:  Curricular Practical Training (CPT) is the legal description for the paid internship employment that students engage in while in a co-op program.  The purpose of CPT is to give students practical experience in the workplace to augment what they are learning in the classroom.

Q: What is Optional Practical Training?
A:  Optional Practical Training (OPT) is the legal description for the one year employment that you are allowed to engage in after you graduate from your Master's program.  The purpose of OPT is to give you further practical experience in the workplace relating to your Master's major.   

Q: Am I allowed to engage in both CPT and OPT? 
A:  Yes.  However, if you work for more than one year of CPT, then you may not be allowed to do the one year of OPT.  

Q: If I choose to work in CPT for the entire length of time I am in the Master's program, will I be allowed to do so?
A:  Yes, you are allowed to engage in CPT for as long as you are a student in the Master's program, even if that is for 2 1/2 years or more.   However, as indicated above, if, in fact, you do work for more than a year you may not be allowed to do the additional one year of OPT after you graduate

Q: How can I go to school and work at the same time?
A: All Co-op courses will be offered in the executive MBA format.  That is, classes will be offered in the evenings and on weekends.

Q: Can I take on-line courses?
A:  Yes.  Each course offered in the Master degree programs is available on-line.  Students will be able to take one on-line course per semester along with their on-site classes.  

Q: Can I transfer my credits from another school?
A. The university may give credit for courses already taken at the Master's level at another school, if the other school is accredited and if the course content being transferred is basically the same as one of the courses in the university's requirement for that major.  The Registrar will make this decision when you arrive for your first class.

Q: What if I decide to transfer to a different university?
A:  If you enroll at the university and complete your course work for one semester and choose to transfer to another university you are free to do so, so long as your bills at the university are all paid in full up to that date.

Q: Is there any financial aid available?
A:  The financial aid that we can offer at the university is the legal right to obtain full time employment from an American company for the entire time you are in the graduate school.  Thus, students have the potential of earning in internship employment much more often than what they might obtain in a scholarship from a different university.  

Questions about Visas


Q. Do I have to apply for a visa in my own country?  
A:   The American consulates in each country of the world make the decision about whether or not a visa applicant must be in his/her own country in order to apply for a visa.  However, the general custom is that an international student will be allowed to apply for a visa in countries other than his/her own.

Q. What is SEVIS?
A. SEVIS is the Homeland Security Database.  Homeland Security is now requiring F-1 students to pay a $100 SEVIS fee before the student can apply for the visa.  Students will need a receipt showing payment of the fee before they can go to the visa interview.

Q. How do I pay the Sevis fee?
A. Students can go to www.fmjfee.com and apply on line using a credit card which is the fastest way to make this payment. Students will receive an e-mail receipt which they will take to the consulate office at the time of their visa interviews. They also may pay at a local Western Union Office.
 
Q. Can my spouse or children accompany me to the US?  
A:   A spouse will be allowed to apply for a visa to accompany the student.  The spouse (with children) may apply at the same time the student applies, or may wait for several months to apply until after the student arrives in the U.S. and gets settled.   The spouse will need to show additional financial support or a bank statement with sufficient additional money to support him/herself (and children) when accompanying the student spouse to the U.S. 
 
Q: Will I be able to obtain a student (F) visa to go to the U.S. to study if I have already applied for a B (visitor) visa or for an Immigrant (lottery) visa and have been denied?
A:  A student visa (F) is a temporary visa in which the applicant must prove his/her intent to return to the home country after graduation.  Anything in the student's background that suggests that the student's real intent is not to return to his/her home country may cause the application to be rejected.  So, especially in the case of an applicant who has previously applied for the "lottery" immigrant visa, the visa officer may view that application as an absolute indication of the intent to immigrate (rather than to study).   Consequently, getting an F visa may be much more difficult for such a person. 

Q. Do I need permission from Immigration Services in order to work off campus?  A. Students will have an F-1 student visa and, by the nature of the university's "co-op" program (which requires internship employment) no further permission is required by the Immigration Service.   Once the student finds employment that is certified to be "curriculum related", the university will issue the appropriate authorization signature allowing the student to begin working.

Q: Can I take a break during summer quarter to return to my country then return back to school for fall quarter?
A:   Students must attend school full time for 2 consecutive semesters (9 months) before they are eligible to take a vacation from their studies.
   
Q: What is required in order to bring my spouse and family?
A:  In order for your spouse and/or children to accompany you, the university must issue a separate I-20 form.  Your family can apply for an F2 (dependant) visa. The university will need the following information for each family member (including spouse):  full name, date of birth, country of birth, and country of citizenship.
 
Q: If my visa is valid for only 2 years, will I need to get it extended before it expires?
A:   Having a 2 year visa does not mean that you have to go back to your home country at the end of two years.  Rather, you can stay for as long as you like beyond the two years to finish your education in the U.S.   The length of the visa just limits how long you have to cross the border into the U.S.  That is, if, during those two years you want to go home to visit a number of times you can use that visa (permission to cross the border into the U.S.) as often as the visa permits.   But, after the two years are over, you need to renew your visa so that, if you leave the U.S. and come back, you will have a valid visa to do so.   All visas can generally be renewed for students who are legally in the U.S. and want a longer time to leave the country for a visit to their home countries.
 
Q: I am already in the US on a B-1 visa.  Can I change to F-1?
A:  If you are going to change to F-1, which you need to do in order to get into the paid internship program at the university, it is much better to do that while in your home country.    If you come to the U.S. and then apply for a change of status to F-1 it can take up to several months of waiting while the immigration service processes your application.    But if you take your I-20 form from the university to the consulate in your home country and apply for an F visa, the decision can me made immediately by the visa officials there. Then there will be no delay in your starting school and getting a paid internship job. 

FOOTNOTE

HeadStart, an ISO 9001 company operational since 1999 as a leading Study Abroad Consultancy, India, in alliance with Hi-Tech International Resources, Inc (HTIR) USA, represents the following colleges and universities where the CPT program is available. Hi-Tech International Resources, Inc  (HTIR), an American firm owned and operated by a U.S. immigration lawyer, will assist in  getting visas and finding employment in the U.S. for qualified candidates.  HTIR Specializes in helping those applicants who do not want to wait for the H-1b to open up again or can not find an H-1b job invitation.

Coleman College www.coleman-co-op.com
(located in San Diego, California, Voted best Vocational/ Business school  since 5 years in a row)
Globe University www.htirglobe-co-op.com
(located in the Twin Cities metropolitan area of  Minnesota,  existing since 130 years)

Stevens Henager College www.shc-co-op.com
(oldest college in Utah, founded in 1891)

Lincoln University www.lincoln-co-op.com
(located in Oakland, California)

All  Co-op schools are Accredited by the Accrediting Council for Independent Colleges and Schools wwww.acics.org