for Career Exploration, Career Planning & Employment Services

Students, Job Seekers & Faculty
About Us | Overview of Student Services | Register | Log-In
Alumni | Career Fairs | Faculty | International Students | Internships | Job Search Assistance | Majors | On-Campus Recruiting
Cover Letters | Graduate School Resources | Interviewing | Part-Time Job Database | Résumés | References
Corporate Sponsors | Quick Links | Report a Hire | Feedback Survey | Trends & Topics

UNO Counseling & Career Center Home

INSCOPE Information for Employers

• Introduction
• Required Documentation
• Guidelines for INSCOPE Approval
• INSCOPE Submission Process
• Sample Job Description
• Sample Offer Letter
  

Introduction
Employers who wish to hire international students as part of INSCOPE should submit documentation of the work opportunity to the UNO Counseling and Career Center. Although most opportunities will be approved, please keep in mind that the INSCOPE program was developed as an opportunity for international students to gain PRACTICAL experience in their field of study. All new INSCOPE work authorizations are subject to approval and may be denied if there is little or no evidence of a learning opportunity involved in the work assignment. Students may not begin work until they receive written authorization from the Office of International Students and Scholars.

Required Documentation
The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Service (USCIS) allows students in the United States on a student visa the opportunity to gain practical experience in a given field of employment while enrolled in an academic program. The experience is defined by USCIS as "alternate workstudy, internships, cooperative education, or any other type of required internship or practicum which is offered by sponsoring employers through cooperative agreements with the institution."

The UNO Counseling and Career Center is required to certify that all work opportunities meet the guidelines listed above before a student is given permission to work. Students working in a capacity that does not meet the above guidelines are in violation of federal regulations and could have their work permit revoked and/or be denied continuance of a student visa which could result in deportation.

Guidelines for INSCOPE Approval
The UNO Counseling and Career Center will qualify INSCOPE opportunities for approval if they meet the following guidelines:

1. The company presents itself as a legitimate, registered business within the United States and its image meets normal business practices expected of sites providing a learning atmosphere for University of New Orleans students.
2. There is clear evidence that the opportunity is in fact an internship and that learning will take place.
3. The student is not being hired to be a contract worker or a fill-in employee.
4. The student will not be providing a significant, substantial enhancement to the company by way of intellectual, physical or service-related labor that would result in the student being held accountable for their outcome if not completed.
5. The opportunity will allow for learning errors and the student will take more from the opportunity than the company will take from the student.
6. The pay scale for the opportunity is within normal pay expectations related to an internship at similar companies.

If in fact the UNO Counseling and Career Center deems that the opportunity does not meet the minimum set of requirements related to the criteria listed above, the internship will not be eligible for INSCOPE.

INSCOPE Submission Process
Employers wishing to hire an international student from the University of New Orleans using the INSCOPE program are asked to do the following:

1. Notify the UNO Counseling and Career Center of your intent to hire a UNO student for INSCOPE via email at unocd@uno.edu. Your email should include all pertinent contact information including company name, your name, email address, phone numbers, fax number, company website address, and any specific contacts that will be working with the student to secure the internship opportunity.
2. Submit a job description by email. Please create an MS Word document and include the following information: title of position, supervisor, location of employment (i.e. City and State), listing of at least 5 learning outcomes (e.g. "Student will learn how to...."), criteria necessary for student to be eligible for this internship.
3. Submit a copy of the Offer Letter on company letterhead. Your Offer Letter must include the following information: specific dates of internship (e.g. January 30, 2006 - May 1, 2006), amount of compensation (e.g. $8.00 per hour), number of hours per week student will work with your organization. (Please note that students are limited to 20 hours of work per week while classes are iun session, but may work full-time during vacation periods between semesters.) Please email the offer letter as indicated to the UNO Counseling and Career Center. If you are unable to scan and email the offer letter, please send an email to discuss faxing options. You may also ask your potential student intern to bring a copy of the Offer Letter to the Office of International Students and Scholars in their temporary location in the Milneburg Hall, room 159 (Campus Map #24). The Offer Letter should follow the sample here:

Sample Job Description

Sample Job Description on Official Company Letterhead   Title: Computer Programming Intern Supervisor: Mr. John Diaz, IT Systems, Manager, jdiaz@xyz.com, (000)123-4567 Location: IT Plant Operations - Metairie, Louisiana Learning Outcomes: At the end of this internship, student should understand the following: Advanced theories and methods of database development for enterprise-level deployment Implementation of database methodology for end-user flexibility Basic work-flow modeling for optimum database development Advanced managerial theories applied to a multi-leveled IT company Creative solutions to real-world db development problems Selection Criteria: Computer Science, Information Technology and Management Information Systems Bachelor's or Master's At least a 2.5 overall GPA Experience/classes taken in database development, C++, Visual Basic or similar

Sample Offer Letter

Sample Employer Offer Letter on Official Company Letterhead   Date Dr. Jane Doe Director, Office of International Students and Scholars University of New Orleans 2000 Lakeshore Dr.   UC 260 New Orleans, LA  70148 Dear Jane Doe: RE:         (student name) The above named student has been offered temporary employment as (job title – i.e. intern). Job duties include (briefly describe duties).  (Name of student) is expected to work (# of hours) per week.  This employment will begin on (date) and end on (date). Should additional information be required, please contact me at… Sincerely yours,   cc: Dr. Joe Smith, UNO Counseling and Career Center

Once the requested information has been submitted, you will be provided with additional information including the status of your submission (i.e., if it has been approved for INSCOPE). If approved, you will be required to sign a company/student agreement and return the original to the UNO Counseling and Career Center.

Back to Top