Engineering Practicum (Internships) - ENGR 495 and 595

Announcements

Engineering Practicum (Internship) Registration

The Practicum courses (ENGR 495 & 595) for Spring 2027 will open in Mid-November 2026. Students will receive an update via Handshake email when registration is available. 

    In-Person Learning Requirements 

    All International Students must adhere to In-Person Learning Requirements.

    Please review the In-Person Learning Requirements for Viterbi Students Participating in CPT. Viterbi will approve fall or spring CPT applications for out-of-area internship opportunities only after students agree to the conditions outlined in the memo linked above.

    In addition, internship offers for out-of-area full-time internships must state remote or hybrid to get approval. Offer letters must indicate a minimum of one remote day for out-of-the-area internships.

    Internship opportunities located in-person outside Los Angeles, Orange, or Ventura Counties will not be approved.

    Engineering Practicum Drop-In Advisement

    Do you have quick questions about one of our Practicum Courses 495 or 595? We offer drop-in advisement two days per week on Zoom.

    Register for Virtual Advising on the following dates/times below.

    • Monday (3:30 pm - 4:30 pm) PST
    • Thursday (11 am - 12 pm) PST

    You can also email engrinternshipcourses@usc.edu  your question - however, they may re-direct you to attend a drop-in session.

    Drop-In will NOT be available:

    • November 9, 2026
    • November 26, 2026 (Thanksgiving Holiday)

    Dates & Deadlines

    Fall 2026

    		 Spring 2027

    Summer 2027
    Application Opens

    July 13, 2026

    TBD: Nov 2026

    TBD: April 2027
    Application Deadline

    Oct. 9, 2026

    February 16, 2027

    TBD: June 2027

    Internship duration: (If it is your final semester)

    Aug. 24 - Dec. 16

    Jan. 11 - May 14

    May 17 - Aug. 10
    Internship duration: (If it is NOT your final semester)

    Aug. 24 - Jan. 8

    Jan. 11 - May 14

    May 17 - Aug. 20

    *Application Deadline - Students must submit their Internship Course Request (ICR) Application in myViterbi by this deadline. You will not be able to submit a new application in myViterbi after this date. *

    Engineering Practicum (Internship) Courses

    Please click on the appropriate section below to obtain information based on your academic level.

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    International Student Resources

    CPT/OPT & Work Authorization

    Curricular Practical Training (CPT) is a type of work authorization that allows F-1 international students to participate in paid off-campus academic internships during their degree program. The purpose of CPT is academic, not just for employment purposes, and the internship must be considered an integral part of a student’s degree program. For more information about CPT please visit the website for the Office of International Students (OIS).

    Optional Practical Training (OPT) is a type of work authorization that permits F-1 students to gain work experience in their field of study while in the United States (US). OPT is not a visa; rather, it is a type of employment benefit for F-1 students who are maintaining their visa status. For more information about OPT please visit the website for the Office of International Students (OIS).

    Work Authorization
    U.S. employers must check to make sure all employees, regardless of citizenship or national origin, are allowed to work in the United States. Having an Employment Authorization Document (EAD) is one way to prove that you are allowed to work in the United States for a specific time period. For more information about work authorization please visit the F-1 Student Employment Page.

    Department Support

    Viterbi Career Connections (VCC) Office assists with:
    • Career & Internship Advising
    • Navigating the US Job Search
    • Interview Preparation
    • Internship Course Management (Offer Letter Review, D-Clearance, Grading)

    Website

    Viterbi Student & Academic Services Office assists with:
    • General USC or Viterbi-wide questions
    • DEN D-clearance
    • Ph.D. Exam/Defense
    • Grad School Fellowship
    • Leave of Absence (domestic and international)
    • Academic Eligibility for: Internship Courses for Credit (Curricular Practical Training (CPT))
    • Optional Practical Training (OPT)
    • Program Extension (PE)
    • Academic Difficulty Reduced Course Load (RCL)
    • Leave of Absence (LOA)

    Website 

    The Office of International Services assists with:
    • Immigration Services & Advising
    • Providing Resources Related to Visa Status
    • Obtaining US Work Authorization
    • Providing Final Approval for CPT/OPT
    • Issuing I-20 Documents

    Website

    Career Resources

    Finding Jobs/Internships

    Handshake - Handshake is a career-related resource that allows you to search for engineering internship/co-op and full-time jobs and gives you access to information about Viterbi-specific events and resources.

    Job & Internship Tool Kit - Use the online toolkit for job search quick tips and additional internship and career resources.

    Career Advising - Not sure how to answer questions about your status during an interview? Attend Drop-in Advising by joining the waitlist or log in to Viterbi Gateway to make an appointment.

    Interstride  - It is an interactive career platform for international students to enhance their career exploration and job-search experience. Students can access Interstride through by logging in with their USC NetID and password.

    USCIS H-1B Employer Data Hub - Provides information to the public on employers petitioning for H-1B workers. The data hub allows the public to search for H-1B petitioners by fiscal year (back to FY 2009), NAICS code, employer name, city, state, or ZIP code.

    Online Resources

    Accessible through Handshake

    • Going Global
    • Career Beam
    • Candid Career
    • Career Access Resource Library (CARL)
    • Versatile Ph.D.
    • Viterbi Link

    External Resources:

    Check Out Where Viterbi Students Interned Over Summer…

    Published on March 7th, 2024Last updated on October 29th, 2026