Registering an Internship for Credit

Registration for all internships and co-ops starts with submitting an Experiential Learning Request in SPIRE.  These are the key terms to know when registering your experience: 

• Internship: As defined by UMass, a professional experience often completed for academic credit. For a full definition, review the Field Experience Definitions page.

• Intern: This is you! You are person responsible for bringing together all of this information to everyone involved in this process, ensuring that all parts of the registration process are completed by all parties, and confirming that your plans will comply with the requirements of your major.

• SPIRE: for the internship process, this is where all information about your experience is entered and stored though the Experiential Learning Request. Information you provide on SPIRE is shared with your faculty sponsor for approval.

• Experiential Learning Request: the form you will fill out to register your experience. You will find it in SPIRE.

• Faculty Sponsor: a UMass professor that ensures that an internship has an academic component and connects with your program of study. For credited internships, they will provide course material, evaluate your academic work, and provide you with your grade.

• Site Supervisor: the person who agrees to directly supervise you at their place of business.  Your supervisor cannot be another student or a family member.

Most Experiential Learnings Requests will need one or more forms to be filled out and attached. Review the forms carefully to see which you will need for your experience.

1. While filling out your Experiential Learning Request in SPIRE, you will need to attach your files before the final submission. 

2. Complete the form, and at the bottom of the page, click Attach Document to attach any forms required.

1. Login in to your student account on SPIRE.

2. Click on the Academics tile.

3. Under the Forms and Academic Requests tab, choose Experiential Learning Request.

4. Click the Create a New Request button.

5. Fill out all the information. 

A comprehensive guide for this process can be found in the SPIRE Knowledge Base.

Once you submit your Experiential Learning Request and it is approved by your faculty sponsor, you will receive an e-mail from SPIRE indicating your approval. From there, the Field Experience Office will help you enroll in your internship credit. Note that review and approval may take up to five business days.

• Once you complete and submit your Experiential Learning Request, SPIRE will email a link to your faculty sponsor for approval.

• Your faculty sponsor will review your request and approve or deny the experience. You will be notified through your UMass e-mail once your faculty sponsor submits their response. Important: Your internship will not be official until your faculty sponsor approves your contract, so politely remind them if necessary.

• After your faculty sponsor has approved the request, the Field Experience Office will help you get enrolled in your internship credit.

If you are below 45 credits or a GPA of 2.0:

Attach a signed Dean's Approval Form to your Experiential Learning Request.  IMPORTANT: When filling out your Experiential Learning Request, you should Save As Draft until you have attached the signed Dean's Approval Form. 

If your internship takes you away from the UMass Amherst campus during the Fall or Spring semester: 

Attach a signed Placements Requirements Form and Department Permission Form (signed by someone in your department) to your Experiential Learning Request.  IMPORTANT: When filling out your Experiential Learning Request, you should Save As Draft until you have attached the signed Dean's Approval Form. 

If you are an undergraduate student and your internship is outside of the United States:

You must contact the Office of Global Affairs (OGA) at least six months in advance of your internship to seek OGA approval.  This applies to both domestic and international undergraduates. 

If you are an international student, and this is a paid internship in the United States:

Check with the Office of Global Affairs (OGA) regarding work authorization allowed under your specific immigration status; please review the OGA Guidelines for CPT Approval. Undergraduate students must attach a pdf copy of their offer letter to their Experiential Learning Request, and then attach a new CPT/I-20 pdf copy to their contract after they receive CPT approval. You can e-mail @email if you have any issues attaching a document after submitting your form.

Most Experiential Learnings Requests will need one or more forms to be filled out and attached. Review the forms carefully to see which you will need for your experience.

1. While filling out your Experiential Learning Request in SPIRE, you will need to attach your files before the final submission. 

2. Complete the form, and at the bottom of the page, click Attach Document to attach any forms required.