UC Berkeley suspends some international internships after threats from feds

BERKELEY, Calif. - International students at UC Berkeley might struggle to find internships after the school announced its suspending work programs after threats from the federal government. 

Pausing internship

What we know:

The university is pausing its Curricular Practical Training, a pathway administered by Berkeley's International Office that allows international students to gain hands-on, off-campus work experience.

The move comes after a memo from a Department of Homeland Security agency that regulates international students at state universities. 

Mandatory requirement

Why you should care:

Federal officials warned that international students are only permitted to engage in off-campus work if it is a mandatory requirement for their degree or graduation. Universities that allow students to work solely for general experience risk losing their accreditation to participate in international student programs.

UC Berkeley leaders said they suspended the program to protect students and advisors from potential risks. The suspension applies only to new applications; students with existing work approvals will not be affected.

Tightening immigration regulations

Big picture view:

Experts noted the policy reflects a broader push by federal authorities to tighten immigration regulations, which could harm both students and university recruitment efforts.

"You get a lot of students to come in and participate in a lot of these programs, usually as part of their degree or research in the bio field or engineering field, for example, practical experience in health sciences," said David McCuan, a professor at Sonoma State University. "They fill the gap. That's going to become problematic, much more difficult to do in the near term and the next couple of years, as there are some reverberations around the world in recruiting and getting students into the pipeline."

In a statement, the university characterized the federal guidance as "narrow in nature."

The suspension remains in effect until further notice. University officials said they are actively consulting with legal teams to evaluate options, including possible legal challenges to reinstate the program.

UC Berkeley