international student for practicum between universities?

[singasongofjoy]

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Hi, I am waiting for additional info from my university, but... that's going slowly (my initial inquiry sent me to someone else who sent me to someone else and so on) so I appreciate any additional from folks who might have experience with this one. I have no experience working with non-US citizen trainees and really want to know that this scenario can work.

Situation: 2 separate state-funded schools.

Outpatient clinic associated with School A (part of their academic medical center) accepts psych practicum student (obviously an unpaid position) from psychology program at School B both state funded, but separate schools).

Student is an international student, non-citizen so presumably here on student visa.


Is this generally allowed? I know there may be restrictions for international students about getting paid work off-campus (based on experience of a classmate when i was in school) but idk about unpaid clinical work, and don't know how much it matters if student is from a different university for any reason related to visa, background checks? Are there other pertinent factors here?

Thanks much!

 

[psych.meout]

There shouldn't be any issue unless there's some kind of remuneration for the position that isn't allowed for international students on visas.

There were multiple international students in my program from various countries around the world and all of them were able to do practica through the local AMC, including in departments that were part of or partially funded by the public medical school. None of them did practica at the VA, but that's about the only difference I saw.

 

[PsyDr]

I know that the IRS requirements for unpaid internships include:
1) The position is part of an educational program. (I don't know if an international educational program would satisfy this requirement. I suspect it would not be kosher for the University of Azerbaijan to require their culinary students to move to the USA and work in our kitchens. But I don't know. )
2) The position does not replace a compensated job.