Academic Credit & Letters of Support

Once you secure your experience, you may find the employer needs additional information to finalize your employment or, if applicable, secure your work visa. See below for how OCS can help when an employer requests details about academic credit or a letter of support for a U.S. based or international internship.

NOTE: If you need verification of your enrollment, that must go through the University Registrar’s Office. The process is simple, visit the Registrar’s website and click the “Verifications” link on the right for instructions. Please plan ahead and allow up to 5 business days for processing.


Academic Credit Letters

In some instances, organizations may ask that interns receive academic credit as a form of compensation for their work. Yale College has a policy that may allow a student to apply their summer experience toward credit for independent study at Yale. Upon request, the Office of Career Strategy is able to provide a letter explaining this policy to an employer. The majority of organizations have accepted this policy letter without reservation.

This policy is not unique to Yale; it is shared by many other institutions and broadly accepted across multiple industries.

This letter states that a Yale College sophomore, junior, or senior whose previous academic record is satisfactory may be eligible to undertake an Independent Study for course credit, for which the student’s internship experience serves as a foundation for research, higher level course discussion, and relevant term projects. Students who participate in an internship during the summer or while on leave of absence from Yale College may subsequently enroll in an Independent Study course. That course must be approved by the relevant DUS, must be taken during the very next term of enrollment in Yale College, and cannot exceed the number of independent study courses allowed within that term or during their time at Yale.

Furthermore, the letter clarifies expectations that students and internship sponsors understand that certain criteria must apply in order for the intern to not be considered an employee under the Fair Labor Standards Act and therefore not required to be compensated for the hours worked.

Click here to Request a Credit Letter


PRAC 471/472 (Fieldwork Practicum Analysis)

Yale College recognizes that experiential learning is a valued and integral part of the Yale College academic experience, enabling students to transition from the classroom into their post-graduate professional careers. This experience is acquired through a variety of means, including but not limited to internships, volunteer opportunities, independent projects, and research opportunities. Some employers require students to demonstrate that the work or internship experience is related to their academic major, and some students want to demonstrate to future employers that they have done field work. PRAC 471/472 are graded pass/fail courses that allow a student to receive credit for the application of summer experience toward this structured curricular engagement.

  • All Yale College students who wish to enroll in one of the PRAC courses must have completed the Project Proposal Form.
  • Qualifying fieldwork experiences must last a minimum of four consecutive weeks.
  • PRAC 471 is offered for the Fall term; PRAC 472 is offered in the Spring. Interested students should enroll in the PRAC course most nearly following their fieldwork experience.
  • U.S. Citizens or U.S. Permanent Residents: Your Project Proposal Form will be reviewed by both DUS and Practicum faculty for approval and acceptance into the next available Practicum.
  • International Students: Once you complete the project proposal, please submit the Yale College Student CPT Request Form.
  • Students on leave of absence: term-time fieldwork experience can be associated with a PRAC course pursued within the first term of re-enrollment.

International Internships: Letters of Support

International employers may ask the intern for a letter of support from their school stating that the student has an internship with the organization during the summer academic holiday. Others are more specific; for example, employers in France ask interns for a convention de stage signed by the employer, the intern, and Yale. If any of these documents are required of you, please contact OCS.

NOTE: If you need verification of your enrollment that must go through the University Registrar’s Office. The process is simple, visit the Registrar’s website and click the “Verifications” link on the right for instructions. Please plan ahead and allow up to 5 business days for processing.

By Yale Office of Career Strategy
Yale Office of Career Strategy