notaclue

Hi all,

Just a quickie.

I'm about go get my I-20 and go for my interview with the intention of starting college in 1st May. I don't foresee any issues so let's hypothetically pretend I have been granted.

I have been offered an unpaid internship with no renumeration whatsoever which could, in effect start immediately.

My understanding is that if it is unpaid then USCIS isn't interested. Do I need to tell them at all if this is the case?

I'm trying to juggle dates in regard to giving up my tenancy and so forth. I know that I may enter 30 days prior to the course starting, for arguments sake that would be April 1.

Could I, in theory travel today under the VWP, start the unpaid internship tomorrow (whilst living off savings) and then do a trip around the flagpole and re-enter on April 1st as an F1?

Obviously this isn't going to happen, I'm just thinking out loud should I have to hand the house back to my landlord 10 or 15 days before I can enter on the 30 day early F1 rule.

Noorah101

Is this unpaid internship something that NO ONE EVER gets paid for? Or is it something someone normally gets paid for, but you are doing it for free?

Offhand, I'm going to say it's not allowed, because "unpaid internship" doesn't really sound like true volunteer work.

Rene

notaclue

It's a totally unpaid internship with a volunteer fire department. You could call it volunteering that you are expected to commit a certain number of hours to per month. No one gets paid for it.

I give them my time and skills, they give me ride time on the truck, extra training, the real life stuff on the street that college can't give me.


FYI I'm studying for a degree in fire fighting.

Noorah101

If it's true volunteer work, you should be OK, and you don't need to notify anyone. I would call it volunteering, then, not an unpaid internship.

Rene

notaclue

Thank you. I'm popping over to do some of the formal testing (Just in case I need extra help) in a couple of weeks. I've asked that my I-20 be left for me to collect and as soon as I get back I can do this interview!

notaclue

As a slight twist, I have also been offered $12,000 scholarship.

Now I understand this will win me points at interview but im a little unsure whether I may say the wrong thing.

My school works with several different departments. The arrangement is the school allocates us each a fire department to ride along with for 2 years and see how training is put into practice. (One day every three)

Some departments are privately funded and in an attempt to encourage fresh blood will waive the money they would charge the college to look after a student for 2 years. This then means the college has no need to charge me as much and waives a lot of my tuition costs ($12,000 worth).

Again, no money to me and no money for my time or work. The department simply doesn't charge the college for their services and then the college don't need to charge as much in tuition.

Hence, they consider it a scholarship.

Are there any rules tied in with a typical scholarship that I need to consider at interview? Obviously I'll explain I have been offered a scholarship but I'm not sure what else to say?

AdobePinon

Scholarships on F1 are not unusual. Just be clear on the details, as it may lower your financial burden of proof.