Colleges charge big bucks for ‘internship credits’

ap file photoCollege students are charged semester credits for fulfilling required internships.

WHAT: Sixty percent of college students are required to take an internship in order to graduate, which is supposed to help them get jobs in a tough economy. Half those internships are unpaid, but the college also charges the students for semester credits.

HOW MUCH: Georgetown University charges $1,705 per credit hour. Out of state students at William & Mary must pay $985. A single course is usually three or four credit hours. And those hefty fees don’t include housing and transportation expenses.

WHY: Under federal law, unpaid internships at for-profit companies must be “similar to training … given in an educational environment.” That has been conveniently interpreted to mean unpaid internships are legal if students receive academic credit.

 

Daily OutrageOpinionOther OpinionSFExaminer

If you find our journalism valuable and relevant, please consider joining our Examiner membership program.
Find out more at www.sfexaminer.com/join/
Previous story
Copper thieves go after Lincoln statue
Next story
Proposition 13 still fuels division on property tax, public funding

Just Posted

Fare inspectors returning to Muni with new uniform, different approach

Absent thus far during the pandemic, Muni fare operators will be back… Continue reading

Limited indoor dining, church services to begin in SF

San Francisco will move ahead Wednesday with indoor dining and church services… Continue reading

Program busing homeless out of SF sees sharp decline

City to reopen in-person Homeward Bound office to boost participation

New law makes sustainable transit easier, faster and cheaper to implement

SB 288 will add a number of climate-friendly infrastructure projects to CEQA exemption list

Nearly 50,000 facing evacuations as fires besiege California wine country

By Luke Money, Anita Chabria, Rong-Gong Lin II and Hayley Smith Los… Continue reading

Most Read