Internships: Frequently Asked Questions

Start and complete the Internship Pathway on the Berklee Career Manager. Once completed, this will give you access to apply to internships posted on the Career Manager.

For internships outside of the Career Manager, as long as you know you are eligible to intern for credit, you may apply at any time.

College and Conservatory undergraduate students with a cumulative GPA of 2.5 or higher are eligible for IN-299 after completing two full-time semesters at Berklee.

The major-specific 495 internship courses are for college undergraduate students who have a 2.7 cumulative GPA or higher, have fifth semester standing, and have met prerequisites specific to their major. Registration in a 495 course requires the approval of the major department chair.

College and Conservatory graduate students are eligible to register for GS-595 after two semesters at Berklee or for two-year programs after the first year.

Follow the internship guide (login required) to learn more and get started.

Yes. Eligible students from the College and Conservatory may register for an internship course during the fall, spring, or summer semester. 

No. You may not register for IN-299 and IN-399 during the same semester. Passing IN-299 with a grade of B or higher is a prerequisite for enrollment in IN-399.

No. IN-299 and IN-399 are not prerequisites for the 495 internship courses.

Berklee does not place students into internships. All students apply to and secure internships based on professional interests, skills, and career objectives. There are many tools available to search for internships, including the Berklee Career Manager.

An internship site supervisor will interview and hire a student based on qualifications outlined in the internship position description.

Congratulations on securing an internship. Enter your internship in the Career Manager to have it reviewed by the Career Center. You will be contacted by the Career Center if additional information is needed. The Career Center will have the internship course added to your schedule for the upcoming semester. 

No. Berklee does not offer retroactive credit. If you interned in the past, you may not earn credit for it in a subsequent semester.

Yes. When setting your internship schedule, be mindful of other obligations including other academic courses, student employment, and rehearsals. Manage your time in a way that is healthy for you.

Once you set a schedule with your internship supervisor, they will be counting on you. If you find that you need to adjust your schedule, discuss it with your supervisor and come to a solution that is reasonable for all parties.

Students enrolled in the undergraduate internship courses earn a letter grade of A through F. The GS-595 course for graduate students is graded pass/fail. The academic requirements for each course are outlined in the syllabus, which is provided at the start of the semester.

No. Students are responsible for securing their own housing during an internship semester.

Yes. Students registered for an internship course may intern at two different places during the same semester. The total number of hours must meet the minimum requirement, and both internships will last the duration of the semester.

No. There are not certain internship sites reserved for IN-299, IN-399, or any of the 495 internship courses. This means that a student registered for IN-299 might be interning next to a student registered for MB-495 or PM-495.

An internship site supervisor will interview and hire a student based on qualifications.

When deciding which internship course makes sense, first determine your eligibility. If you are eligible for both IN-299 and the 495 in your major (e.g., EP-495, MB-495, PM-495) consider the following questions:

• Do you need the two credits to complete your major?
• Will you meet the minimum number of hours required for the course? Also ask yourself, how many hours per week can you dedicate to an internship, and how many hours does a company offer or require?

The main differences between the courses include the number of credits, the cost of tuition, the minimum number of hours required, and the academic assignments.

Conservatory students are able to register for IN-299 and IN-399. GS-595 is for graduate students. 

Yes. However, non-U.S. students must receive curricular practical training (CPT) authorization for all internship experiences, paid or unpaid, and can only intern in the U.S. with authorization and by enrolling in an internship course administered by the Career Center. 

Non-U.S. students are not eligible to intern for CPT until they have completed two semesters at Berklee.

Yes. While some internships are unpaid, if you secure a paid internship, you may also register for an internship course for credit.

International students in F-1 status are able to do paid internships with proper authorization.

There are no additional costs associated with internship courses.

If a student is only registered for IN-299 or IN-399 and no other classes, the tuition cost has been reduced to $100.

The cost of the two-credit, 495 major-specific internship courses follows the cost structure of other two-credit courses on campus.  

If a graduate student is only registered for GS-595 and no other classes, the tuition is $250. 

Yes. Apply for a fellowship. Fellowship applications are accepted on a rolling basis, and funds are awarded during the semester to selected applicants who are enrolled in an internship course. 

The Career Center will provide a credit eligibility letter to students who have done the requisite steps to qualify for an internship course. If an internship is secured, follow-up credit verification documents are provided to registered students after the check-in period for the internship semester.

After the check-in period for the internship semester, the Career Center will provide a credit verification letter to students registered for an internship course. If a student withdraws from an internship course, the internship supervisor is notified that the student is no longer earning credit for the internship.

Yes. If you feel as though you are able to expand on your learning during a subsequent semester, it can be rewarding to spend an extended period of time at a particular company or organization.

Consider whether there are other experiences where you can meet new people and make new connections, however, if you are asked to stay on as an unpaid intern for more than two semesters.

International students must have valid authorization to intern during each semester of the internship.

Berklee undergraduate alumni who have obtained their diploma or bachelor’s degree from the college's Boston campus and who are not currently attending another college or university are eligible to enroll in the IN-299: Internship in Arts and Entertainment 1 course within 12 months of their graduation date. The Career Center reserves the right to accept or deny the application of any internship course or program participant.