Pratt Institute prepares talented students with strong creative problem-solving skills, disciplinary fluency, and a commitment to justice, sustainability, and global citizenship — making them valuable contributors across industries.
As an employer, you have the opportunity to collaborate with these emerging professionals by hiring them as interns. An internship allows students to gain hands-on real-world work experience under the supervision of an experienced professional in the industry of the student’s area of study.
The Center for Career & Professional Development (CCPD) at Pratt works to connect you with students and support you throughout the internship creation and hiring process.
How To Hire A Pratt Intern
Access Handshake
To begin the process of hiring a Pratt intern, please register in Handshake. Create an account and select Pratt Institute in your list of schools or if you are already on Handshake just add Pratt to your account.
If you need help creating an account or posting a job in Handshake, visit the Handshake Help Center or contact the CCPD team for support.
Once your request has been approved you can start listing. It typically takes us one to two business days to approve new employers and listing.
Handshake is free to you and Pratt’s students and alumni. By posting your internship opportunities in Handshake, your listing will reach Pratt students who best match your criteria
Post Jobs and Internships
To create a job or internship posting in Handshake, you can follow step-by-step instructions or simply log in and complete the required fields as prompted.
In the job description, we recommend that you:
Provide a clear and compelling overview of the position
Outline key responsibilities and expected learning outcomes
Highlight any training, mentorship, or tools offered
Indicate compensation (strongly encouraged)
Use keywords relevant to creative industries
Post early and be responsive during recruitment
Pratt uses the NACE Career Readiness Competencies as a framework for student career development. You are welcome to reference these nationally recognized competencies when describing the skills students will gain through the internship.
NACE stands for the National Association of Colleges and Employers.
If your internship is eligible for academic credit, please include that information in the job description. See below for more details about for-credit internships.
Once your posting is submitted, it will be reviewed by CCPD staff to ensure alignment with Pratt’s academic standards and internship guidelines.
Once approved, your posting becomes visible to Pratt students in Handshake. Students will apply directly through Handshake unless you’ve provided alternate instructions.
Offering Internships for Academic Credit
If you offer an internship for academic credit, the student you hire must enroll in an internship course where they will receive guidance from Pratt faculty.
Internship timing aligns with Pratt’s academic calendar and includes the following:
Spring Semester: Late January to mid-May
Summer Semester: Late May to early August
Fall Semester: Late August to mid-December
Winter Semester: Mid-December to late January
Students have until the drop/add deadline – typically two weeks from the semester start – to register for internship courses.
We recommend aligning internship dates with Pratt’s academic calendar when possible.
You will be asked to develop and adhere to an offer letter at the beginning of the internship period, which will establish the expected outcomes set by the student, faculty, and you, the employer.
Offer letters must be on company letterhead and include:
Internship start and end dates
Hours per week
Total hours to be worked
Description of duties
Compensation details (paid or unpaid)
Employer contact information and signature
Student’s name and signature
Students must have a finalized offer letter in order to register for the internship course, and may not begin work until registration is complete.
Should you require proof of enrollment in an internship course from your Pratt intern, the student must obtain and fill out a proper request form from CCPD. Only CCPD is authorized to issue official enrollment verification. Please do not contact academic departments directly for this information.
At Pratt, internships taken for academic credit require students to meet a minimum number of total hours:
Credits
Minimum Required Hours
Eligibility
0-credit
80 hours
Winter & Summer only
1 credit
120 hours
Fall, Spring, Winter, Summer
2 credits
180 hours
Fall, Spring, Winter, Summer
3 credits
240 hours
Fall, Spring, Summer
Zero-credit internships allow students to gain hands-on experience without earning academic credit, while still being formally registered and supported by the institution.
At Pratt, internships are considered structured learning experiences that support students’ academic and career development. To ensure a successful experience for both you and the student, we ask that internships include:
Supervision by a professional in the student’s field or area of study
Training, feedback, and meaningful assignments that contribute to the student’s learning
Regular check-ins or mentoring, which may be formal or informal
Students who are earning academic credit will also complete reflective assignments (such as journal entries or written reports) for their faculty coordinator. These assignments are part of the student’s coursework and do not require your involvement.
Some departments may ask employers to complete a brief final evaluation or confirm hours worked. The student will let you know if any documentation is needed at the end of the internship.
If you’re new to hosting interns, we’re happy to provide guidance on creating a successful internship experience.
Should any issues arise during the internship, please reach out to the Center for Career and Professional Development at career-internships@pratt.edu.
Hiring International Students for Internships
Pratt welcomes employers to host international students for internships. Many of our international students hold F-1 visas and are eligible to intern in the U.S. through Curricular Practical Training (CPT) — a type of work authorization that allows them to gain experience related to their field of study.
To qualify for CPT, the student must:
Have completed one academic year of full-time study
Be enrolled in an internship course during the term of the internship (including zero-credit options)
Receive and submit a formal internship offer letter
CPT Authorization Limits:
Part-time (up to 20 hours/week) — Fall and Spring
Full-time (over 20 hours/week) — Summer and Winter
Before beginning the internship, the student must receive CPT approval from Pratt’s Office of International Affairs. This includes submitting a signed offer letter outlining internship details.
No additional paperwork is required on your end beyond providing the offer letter. International students are responsible for securing CPT approval and will not begin work until all authorization is in place.
Important Legal Considerations
It is in the best interest of companies hiring any interns to be informed of all applicable federal and state legal requirements. For your benefit, we are providing the following summary of labor laws pertaining to intern hiring practices. If you have any questions regarding internships, please email career-internships@pratt.edu.
The FLSA applies primarily to for-profit, private sector internships and training programs that are unpaid. Companies and organizations that fit this description must either pay interns or offer clear structure for the experience to be centered on the education of the student with learning goals and outcomes.
Students at Pratt can both be paid and receive academic credit. Credit for internships is elective at Pratt Institute, which means that enrolling for credit is an individual student’s choice.
An internship cannot require or depend on the use of an intern’s personal equipment or software (i.e. sewing machines, Adobe Creative Suite, laptops, Pratt Institute facilities, etc.).
To be considered a paid internship, a stipend or scholarship in lieu of payment must be the equivalent of minimum hourly wage. If the scholarship or stipend does not meet this minimum requirement the internship is considered unpaid.
Interns must be supervised by an industry professional at the internship site (i.e. if you are hiring a graphic design intern, then a professional graphic designer on staff must oversee and guide the intern’s learning process).
Internship sites are advised to enroll all interns, regardless of pay, on their Workers’ Compensation coverage. Employers are required by New York State to provide Workers’ Compensation insurance coverage for interns, both paid and unpaid. Workers’ Compensation laws vary from state to state. Therefore, you should contact your local Worker’s Compensation Office to find out how to enroll for coverage. Once you have enrolled for coverage, you can begin to add interns as they are hired.
Please be considerate of your intern’s intellectual property rights. We discourage the commercial use of students’ art work without the transfer of rights and remuneration.
Paid interns (meeting the minimum wage compensation for the state) are considered employees for purposes of federal discrimination laws. An employer should assume that its paid interns are employees and comply with applicable discrimination statutes. It is sound practice to ensure that all interns, paid or unpaid, are treated fairly and in accordance with discrimination laws.
Can students be paid and receive credit for an internship?
Yes. Students can be paid and earn academic credit at the same time. Students are responsible for paying tuition for the internship course regardless of compensation.
Can a student receive funding from Pratt while interning at my organization?
Yes. If your internship is unpaid or underpaid, the student may be eligible to apply for the Nord Internship Fund to help offset living expenses. This support is managed by Pratt and does not require any additional action from employers beyond providing a formal offer letter.
What are the insurance or liability policies for student interns?
Pratt does not provide liability or workers’ compensation insurance for students. Employers are responsible for ensuring appropriate coverage based on their organization’s policies.
Can internships be remote or hybrid?
Yes. Remote and hybrid internships are allowed. Employers must ensure clear expectations, regular supervision, and an educational structure regardless of the internship’s format.
What if I want to extend a student’s internship beyond one semester?
Students may extend internships into a new semester, but must re-register for an internship course (if applicable) and submit a new offer letter. International students must also obtain new CPT approval.
What is Winter Semester?
The Winter Semester is a short academic term between the fall and spring semesters. Some academic departments allow internships during this time for either credit or zero-credit. Employers should confirm student eligibility with the student or the Center for Career and Professional Development.
