Singapore University of Technology and Design: Career Development

WHAT IS THE INTERNSHIP TIMELINE/PERIOD?

The undergraduate internship spans a minimum of 16 weeks across 3 periods each year. Spring internship from January to June, Summer internship from May to August and Fall internship from September to December.

It is a graduation requirement for students to successfully complete at least one internship. An internship briefing will be conducted approximately 1 month before internship commences for students who have been accepted into internships.

HOW MANY ROUNDS OF APPLICATIONS WILL THERE BE?

The number of rounds will be subjected to the number of available jobs and applications.

MAY I APPLY TO A COMPANY THAT IS NOT REPRESENTED ON THE PORTAL?

Yes, you are free to source for your own internship with a company of your choosing. However, for an internship to be recognized, it will need to be approved by the Career Development Centre.
If you are applying for an internship on your own (without using the portal.), you will need to write to us at careers@sutd.edu.sg and provide the following details:

Name of the organization
Contact person of the organization
Contact details of the company

For an internship to be officially recognised, it will need to at least meet the following criteria:

Duration of the internship (must be 16 weeks)
Relevance of the field of work to your pillar of study
The Career Development Centre must be informed at least 1 month before the official starting date

Please note that the above criteria are just the basic guidelines, and any internship may still be rejected on other grounds.

WHAT CRITERIA DO I NEED TO MEET BEFORE APPLYING FOR THE INTERNSHIP?

You will need to complete either Term 5 or Term 6 of your course. You will also need to have completed the Undergraduate Practice Opportunities Programme (UPOP), a set of work-readiness modules which are conducted in Term 2 and during IAP.

WHO CAN I SPEAK TO IF I HAVE FEEDBACK REGARDING THE INTERNSHIP?

Members of the Career Development Centre will conduct at least one visit to your company in the course of your internship. During which, they will arrange for an opportunity to speak with you personally, as well as your supervisor and the relevant HR personnel. The visit will function as a general feedback session regarding the internship. Should you have pressing issues that require voicing out urgently, please drop us an e-mail at careers@sutd.edu.sg.

AM I ENTITLED TO LEAVE/MEDICAL BENEFITS DURING THE INTERNSHIP?

No, it is not mandated that the company provides you with leave or any other employee benefit during the internship. If a company chooses to do so, it will be according to the company’s HR policy. In the event that you require a leave of absence, please inform your supervisor and let us know via e-mail at careers@sutd.edu.sg and studentadmin@sutd.edu.sg once you have obtained their approval. If the leave taken is on medical grounds, please have your medical certificate/appointment card endorsed by your supervisor (via certified photocopy if necessary), and send a scanned copy of the endorsed document to us.

WHAT IF I AM REQUIRED TO ATTEND IN-CAMP TRAINING (ICT) DURING MY INTERNSHIP?

You must inform your company about your ICT during the interview. If approved, please send a copy of your ICT letter or SAF100 to both the company and SUTD Career Development Centre (careers@sutd.edu.sg). The company is not required to pay you for the duration of the ICT.

DO INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS NEED TO APPLY FOR A TRAINING EMPLOYMENT PASS (TEP) FOR THE INTERNSHIP?

No, international students need not apply for a TEP for the internship.

WOULD OUR INTERNSHIP STIPEND BE SUBJECTED TO CPF DEDUCTIONS/WOULD THE COMPANY HAVE TO CONTRIBUTE TO OUR CPF?

No, all matriculated or registered students with SUTD on official internships endorsed by SUTD are exempted from the provisions of the CPF act.

WILL I BE INSURED DURING THE INTERNSHIP?

Yes, SUTD’s insurance scheme will cover you during the internship. If the company provides any additional coverage, it would be a direct arrangement between you and the company, and it should be made known to you during the interview or during contract signing.

IF THIS IS MY SECOND INTERNSHIP (OR IF I HAVE COMPLETED AN EXCHANGE PROGRAMME WITH MIT/ZJU BEFORE), IS IT MANDATORY FOR IT TO BE OFFICIAL?

If you applied for your internship through SUTD’s Career Development Centre (via SUTD MyPortal or through a Career Development Centre staff), it will be considered an official internship, and you will be required to submit the necessary reports and posters, and will be covered under the relevant clauses. If internship was procured by your own means, you have the option of either having the internship officially endorsed, or for it to remain unofficial. This would have to be made known to us via careers@sutd.edu.sg at least one month prior to the start of the internship. The official guidelines will be sent to you when the internship portal opens. Please note that the instructions in the official guidelines will supersede this FAQ.

WHAT ARE THE REQUIREMENTS FOR A SUPERVISOR OF AN SUTD INTERN?

You will be required to provide your approval for two internship reports, via the internship portal. The reports will be submitted on the 1st day of the 6th week of the internship, as well as 2 weeks before the end of the internship. The interns will also be required to produce a poster two weeks before the end of the internship, and you will be required to vet it for confidential content prior to their submission. Unlike the reports, the vetting and approval is verbally issued to the interns instead of through the portal.

HOW DO I CREATE AN ACCOUNT FOR THE INTERNSHIP PORTAL?

You may e-mail us at employers@sutd.edu.sg to request for the creation of a supervisor account.

WHAT IS THE DEADLINE FOR THE APPROVING OF THE REPORT?

The deadline to approve the report is usually one week from the submission of the intern’s report (on week 6 and 2 weeks before the end of internship).

I AM ENCOUNTERING LOGIN ISSUES, WHAT ARE THE POSSIBLE CAUSES?

Please ensure that there are no spaces before and after the user ID and password. Particularly if you copied and pasted them.
If you have forgotten your password, or if your account is locked out, drop us an e-mail at employers@sutd.edu.sg with your user ID for a reset.

HOW DO I VIEW THE REPORT ON THE INTERNSHIP PORTAL?

Please refer to the user guide which has been emailed to you or drop us an e-mail at employers@sutd.edu.sg.

I AM RECEIVING AN ERROR PROMPT WHEN I ATTEMPT TO APPROVE THE REPORT.

Please send us an e-mail at employers@sutd.edu.sg with a screenshot or description of the error that you encountered.

WHAT IS THE INTERNSHIP TIMELINE/PERIOD?

The undergraduate internship spans a minimum of 16 weeks across 3 cycles each year. Spring internship from January to June, Summer internship from May to August and Fall internship from September to December. Submission of job positions via the internship portal will be done approximately 6 months prior to the start of each internship cycle.

HOW DO I CREATE AN ACCOUNT ON THE INTERNSHIP PORTAL?

If your company is participating in the internship programme for the first time, new account creation has to be done by the SUTD Career Development Centre. If you would like to take part in the internship programme, kindly drop us an e-mail at employers@sutd.edu.sg.

HOW DO I RESET A LOST PASSWORD/LOCKED ACCOUNT?

If you have forgotten your password or if your account has been locked out, you may request for a password/account reset via e-mail at employers@sutd.edu.sg.

HOW MANY ROUNDS OF INTERNSHIP APPLICATIONS WILL THERE BE?

There may be multiple rounds of applications, which would be subjected to the number of available jobs and students.

WHAT CRITERIA MUST THE STUDENTS MEET BEFORE APPLYING FOR THE INTERNSHIP?

The students would have completed Term 5 or Term 6 of their course. The students will also need to have completed the Undergraduate Practice Opportunities Programme (UPOP), an in-house set of modules designed to prepare them for a professional working environment.

WOULD WE NEED TO PROVIDE INSURANCE TO THE STUDENTS?

The students are covered under SUTD’s insurance scheme. Further insurance would only be required if the student faces significant risks in their line of work. This additional cost will be borne by the company.

IS IT NECESSARY TO PROVIDE LEAVE ENTITLEMENT/MEDICAL BENEFITS TO THE STUDENTS?

No, it is not necessary to provide company benefits (Annual leave, medical benefits etc.) to the interns. However, companies may provide the benefits on their own terms.

DO INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS NEED TO APPLY FOR A TRAINING EMPLOYMENT PASS (TEP) FOR THE INTERNSHIP?

No, international students need not apply for a TEP for the internship.

WOULD WE NEED TO PAY OUT CPF CONTRIBUTIONS FOR THE INTERNS?

No, all matriculated or registered students with SUTD on official internships are exempted from the provisions of the CPF act.

CAN STUDENTS CONTINUE WORKING FOR THE COMPANY AFTER THE OFFICIAL INTERNSHIP PERIOD?

SUTD Students may continue working for the company after the official internship period, either as interns or company hires. This would be a direct arrangement between the company and the students. However, students will need to prioritise and ensure that the employment period does not coincide with any of their classes during school term.