Individuals seeking to visit Purdue as a Visiting Student Intern must provide a signed letter, on their home institution letterhead, that addresses specific elements as required by US law. Common questions about Student Internship / Visiting Undergraduate Student opportunities are answered below.

 

Template Home Institution Letter

The template letter may be accessed here. Questions about this template may be directed to pisa@purdue.edu.

 

Benefit to the Student

  • The home institution letter must confirm how, specifically, the Purdue activities will contribute to the student's current degree program at their non-US home institution. The required elements are
  • The student's degree program requires or authorizes the student to engage in one of the following kinds of activities-
    • complete a specific research project
    • participate in a meaningful way in the daily activities of a research laboratory 
    • complete a work-based program 
  • The activity must be undertaken either any university other than their home institution, or specifically a US university
  • The student will be supervised by a Purdue faculty member, either independently or in collaboration with a faculty member from the student's home institution

 

Graduation

The law has specific requirements with respect to the connection between the Purdue activity and the student's graduation from their home institution degree program. The letter therefore must confirm one of the following options-

  • The home institution will award the student credit hours for their time at Purdue, and those credit hours are required for the student's eventual graduation.
    • If a student has already fulfilled the credit hour requirements for their degree, independent of the Purdue activities, then it would not appear that the Purdue activities are not contributing to the student's advancement toward graduation. Students in these situations should raise this issue with their assigned International Scholar Services Counselor or email intlscholars@purdue.edu 
  • The specific activity undertaken by the student at Purdue is a core requirement for graduation from the student's degree program. Examples of this situation include degree programs that require residencies or practicums in order to graduate