Hiring International Students

There are more than 150 international students in our program. They are among the top scholars in their home countries and they come to us with an average of five years of work experience. Their strong business skills and global outlook are an asset to our program and to the firms that hire them.

Summer Internship

International students in F-1 or J-1 visa status may work in the U.S. as summer interns without company sponsorship. There are no costs to the employer and little paperwork. Please follow the steps below:

• Send an offer letter on company letterhead to the Kenan-Flagler MBA International Student Advisor. It should state employment dates, hours, location, and job duties. A letter template is available.
• Submit the student’s work application along with the letter of employment.
• The student’s visa eligibility document must be approved prior to their start date.

Full-time Employment

Most international students in F-1 or J-1 status may accept short-term employment for up to 12 months. There are no costs to the employer for this process.

• The employment must be for “practical training” purposes.
• The student must get prior approval from the MBA International Student Advisor.
• Students must also get an Employment Authorization Document prior to the start of employment.

International students may also qualify for an H-1B visa. This allows them to work in the U.S. for up to six years.

• The employer must submit the visa petition and pay filing fees.
• Processing times for H-1B visas vary. “Premium Processing” is an option if the position and em-ployee qualify. For timely processing, this option is strongly encouraged.
• Many employers choose to engage an attorney to help with H-1B visa or permanent residency petitions.

Visit the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services Web site at http://www.uscis.gov and choose “For Employers.”

If you have further questions, please contact Amanda King, MBA International Student Advisor, at 919.962.0923 or . You can also visit International Student and Scholar Services on the Web at http://global.unc.edu/isss.