The LSA Opportunity Hub supports and encourages students in their pursuit of experiential learning opportunities, including internships. In some cases, internship hosts request that the University of Michigan sign academic affiliation agreements, internship agreements, or other legally binding documents/forms prior to the start of an internship.
Questions regarding internship agreements can always be sent to lsa-opphub@umich.edu but before doing so, we encourage you to first check our FAQ below as you may find the answers to your questions.
Important information for students
In the overwhelming majority of cases, neither the University of Michigan and by extension, the Opportunity Hub, can sign or enter into academic affiliation agreements, internship agreements, or other types of legally binding documents with employers for internships undertaken by LSA undergraduate students. This is due to the lack of university involvement, control, and oversight of the employer’s internship
If you are enrolled in ALA 225 (Undergraduate Internship Course), the LSA Opportunity Hub can, with your written permission, confirm to a third party that you are enrolled in ALA 225 at the time of writing. ALA 225 is a mini-course where students receive credit for reflective coursework completed during their internship.
Under federal law and university policy, the Opportunity Hub cannot discuss specific student cases with parents without the written permission of the student.
The earlier that students identify whether they need to enroll in an internship course or pursue an academic affiliation agreement, internship agreement, or other legally binding document, the better prepared students can be. If an academic affiliation agreement or internship agreement is requested, it’s a good idea to come to the Opportunity Hub to explore potential options.
Students for whom the Opportunity Hub signs any sort of document in connection with the internship, with or without legally binding clauses, must first register their internship opportunity in LSA Engage. This creates a formal record with the University that documentation was reviewed.
When in doubt, please email the Opportunity Hub (lsa-opphub@umich.edu) to set up an appointment to have your documentation reviewed. You must be an LSA undergraduate student to have any documentation reviewed by the Opportunity Hub.
Important information for internship hosts/employers
In the overwhelming majority of cases, neither the U-M, and by extension the Opportunity Hub, can sign or enter into academic affiliation agreements, internship agreements, or other types of legally binding documents for internships being undertaken by LSA undergraduate students. If you intend to accept an LSA undergraduate student as an intern, please reach out directly to the Opportunity Hub regarding any documentation requests.
- If the student is enrolled in ALA 225 (Undergraduate Internship Course), the Opportunity Hub can, with the student's written permission, confirm to a third party that the student is indeed enrolled in ALA 225 at the time of writing. The university grants credit for that course based on coursework completed rather than for work performed for an employer.
