Complete My Application

Completing your internship application takes three steps:

1. Initiate Handshake Application
2. Upload Required Documents
3. Check Application Status

This page walks you through each one. Each step is explained in more detail below.

To apply for your internship, you will create an account on Handshake and submit your internship as an experience.

Start by setting up your Handshake account using the link provided.

Once you are logged in, select Career Center > Experiences > Submit an Experience. Then:

• Choose the template that best matches your situation.
• Select the correct term, which is the semester and year you plan to complete your internship.
• Complete the rest of the form as thoroughly as possible.
• When you are ready, click the "Submit an Experience" button to proceed.

If you are missing any information, you may leave those sections blank and return later to update your application with assistance from one of Career Services' internship specialists.

Once you submit the application, it will be assigned to one of Career Services' internship specialists. They will follow up with an email confirmation and provide further assistance.

You do not need to have all the required documents to complete Step 1. You can submit the application as long as you know the semester or month you plan to leave.

Generally, there are four documents required for internship applications:

• Memorandum of Understanding (MOU)
• Offer letter
• Learning Objectives
• J-1 Pre-Completion Academic Training Recommendation Letter

Download the Internship MOU (PDF): To be signed by your internship provider
Download the J-1 Academic Training Recommendation Letter template (PDF): Completed and signed by your academic advisor or dean.

Important Notice
Depending on your major and the organization you are interning in, the following are the specific required documents:

The specific documents required depend on your major and the organization you are interning with.

*You are not required to submit an MOU if you are interning with any of the following, or if you are a Social Work or Education major who obtained your internship through your academic program:

• Brigham Young University-Hawaii
• The Polynesian Cultural Center
• Khan Bank of Mongolia
• Hope Squad
• The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (including its affiliated organizations)

For Social Work and Education students, your offer letter or internship contract serves as both the offer letter and the MOU.

The MOU is an agreement between the internship provider and BYU-Hawaii that states the responsibilities each organization has to you during this experience. Download the MOU using the link provided, then ask your internship provider to read and sign it.

The offer letter comes from your internship provider. It must be on the organization's official letterhead and must include key pieces of information: 11 for international students and 9 for domestic students. See the link provided for the full list of required information.

Learning objectives are a required part of the application, but you do not need them to begin the approval process. If you have not yet written them, meet with your internship coordinator to write your three learning objectives, then upload them to your Handshake Experience.

Please relay these requirements to your employers early to prevent delays caused by missing information or unsigned MOUs. The MOU and offer letter are necessary to start your internship approval process, so as soon as you receive them, upload them to your Handshake application. Follow the upload instructions linked on this page.
Once you have uploaded the MOU and the offer letter, email the Career Services internship specialist assigned to you, or email careerservices@byuh.edu, so we can ensure your application gets timely attention.

If your internship is in the U.S., please ensure it is compliant with federal regulations. See the federal regulations under "Requirements and Parameters" using the link provided.

You will receive an email from Career Services once your application is fully approved.

You can also check your approval status by logging in to Handshake. Go to Career Center (on the left side of the screen) > Experiences > View Details > Details, then scroll down.

Each internship approver has three business days from the time they receive the application to approve it. If it takes longer, you may follow up directly with the approver.

If the approved internship application needs to be cancelled, please contact Career Services at careerservices@byuh.edu or (808) 675-3533.