Paid vs. Unpaid Internship Criteria

• The U.S. Department of Labor's Fair Labor Standards should be referred to when determining program guidelines.  A fact sheet outlining the Fair Labor Standards Act criteria for unpaid internships can be found on their website.
• Providing some type of compensation often raises the size and quality of the applicant pool.
• Students in paid positions are able to stay longer, and may be trained to undertake more advanced tasks.
• Paid interns are less likely to have competing job demands and can often work more hours.