FAQs

Eligibility depends on your program. Generally, College of Business and Law students must have completed their foundation courses and have an available elective/business option or Professional Practice course remaining in their program. If you're unsure, contact Business Connect or the WIL Team.

If you would like to undertake a credit-bearing internship, your internship must take place during the teaching period of the term or semester in which you are enrolled in the internship course.

• Semester 1 
• Semester 2 
• November Flex 
• January Flex 
  

Internship courses are credit-bearing electives and are charged the same as any other course of the same credit point value. 

For more information about fees, visit Fees, loans and payments or contact Student Connect.

Business Internship

• BUSM4471 & BUSM2634 — 120 hrs 
• BUSM4608 & BUSM2635 — 240 hrs 
• BUSM4483 — 120 hrs (PG) 
• BUSM4609 — 240 hrs (PG)

Professional Practice

• BUSM2631 — 480 hrs 
• BUSM2632 — 480 hrs
  

From 1 July 2023, student visa holders will not be allowed to work more than 48 hours a fortnight whilst their course is in session. This cap of 48 hours a fortnight is estimated to be equivalent to working approximately two-to-three days per week. For more information, refer here.

Students must know and adhere to the conditions of their visa whilst studying in Australia. Different visa types have varying work requirements and restrictions, which may be impacted by the course level and/or the visa held when applying for a student visa. Therefore, it is important to check the work conditions for your visa to ensure you adhere to the individual requirements of your student visa. To view the work hours cap specific to your type of student visa, go to the Australian Government’s Department of Home Affairs (DHA) website and use the system: ​Visa Entitlement Verification Online (VEVO) to check your visa conditions. 

Students must hold a valid elective enrolment for a Business Internship course in a study period that runs concurrently with the dates of their internship and complete the full amount of minimum work hours as stipulated by the course within the official semester dates. This means that whenever a student holds an active enrolment in a Business Internship elective, their university studies will be considered ‘in-session’ for the full duration of the academic semester in which their course is being run. International students seeking enrolment for a Business Internship elective during the Flexible semester are therefore advised to refer here to review the relevant academic semester start and end dates as published for their desired course and consider whether the fortnightly working hours cap restriction will suit their individual circumstances, given their student visa will be subject to the work hours cap for the full duration that flexible semester is considered ‘in session’.

For additional resources on finding work in Australia as an international student, refer here: Working in Australia - RMIT University.

 

Yes. You can enrol in additional courses alongside your internship provided your total study load does not exceed the standard full-time load (48 credit points), unless approved by your School.

Studying more than the standard 48 credit points (a four-course load) is considered overloading and is strongly discouraged. Taking additional courses often creates unnecessary pressure for both the student and the employer.

Only extreme or exceptional circumstances will be considered. You must obtain written approval from both your workplace supervisor and your school. With these approvals and your strong justification for overloading, your request will then be forwarded to the Director of Undergraduate Programs for final approval.

We encourage students to come and speak to us about Work Integrated Learning (WIL) opportunities and how you may incorporate these experiences into the structure of your study program. 

Drop-in to RMIT City Campus to visit us at the new Internship Hub, Building 80, Level 2, POP-UP 2 where the WIL Team will be available throughout the standard teaching periods.

SStudents are responsible for securing their own internship; however, you'll receive support throughout the process.

The WIL Team advertises internship opportunities, provides advice on finding and securing placements, and guides students through the approval, enrolment and internship process.

Our Career Connect team complements this by providing career support, including resume and cover letter reviews, interview coaching, career consultations and employability workshops.

New internship opportunities are advertised throughout the year. We recommend regularly checking the following websites:

• Career Centre – RMIT's job board featuring internships, graduate roles and casual opportunities. Search "WIL Internship" to view internship opportunities sourced specifically for College of Business and Law students.
• SEEK  & Seek Grad - Australia's largest job board for internships and graduate programs.
• LinkedIn Jobs – Search internship opportunities and connect with employers.
• Company Careers Pages – Many organisations advertise internships exclusively on their own websites (e.g. Deloitte, EY, KPMG, PwC, ANZ, NAB, Toyota, GSK).

Search keywords: Internship, Intern, Vacation Program, Graduate Program, or your discipline (e.g. Marketing, Finance, Human Resources, Business Analyst).

Your internship should:

• relate to your degree or career goals; 
• provide meaningful professional learning; 
• include appropriate supervision; 
• meet the required internship hours; and 

Every internship is reviewed by the Course Coordinator before approval.

Search for an email, inbox or send a message via LinkedIn and write a professional and brief message. For example:

“I’m a 2nd year student at RMIT University studying the Bachelor of Business. As part of my degree, I’d love to do a short term internship at your company especially in your Marketing department. I’m especially interested in digital marketing and social media. Is there a person or team I can please be referred to?”

Looking up relevant contacts via LinkedIn and sending them direct messages is acceptable.

Other ways include calling to ask the best person to speak to or dropping in if they’re a local business. 

Absolutely! Consider maximising the experience and seek opportunities outside Melbourne, Victoria or even Australia! Roles based in another country will also go through an extra check by our team so keep us informed if you're keen on interning abroad. Check out Overseas programs for possible opportunities.

Please note there may be funding available for certain rural and international placements. Check with the Global or WIL team for more information. 

If you are having difficulty with your InPlace submission, please see here for a video on how to make a submission and here for a quick reference guide (PDF).

Visit Career Connect where you can make an appointment for resume and cover letter support. You should also regularly check out RMIT Career Centre for workshops about preparing your resume. 

For a downloadable template, check out our Resources page.

Visit Career Connect where you can make an appointment for interviewing support. You should also regularly check out RMIT Career Centre for workshops about interviewing. 

Current employment may be approved if the internship provides new learning opportunities or substantially different responsibilities from your existing role. Additional documentation may be required.

Yes. There are assessment tasks that need to be completed and these count toward your total grade point average (GPA). You must read your respective course guides for further information and ensure you check the course Canvas site regularly when semester starts.

There are no classes or lectures for the Law, Business Internship and Professional Apprentice courses. You need to check Canvas and ensure you complete your assessments on time.

There are no exams for the Law, Business Internship or Professional Apprentice courses. Ensure you stay on top of your assessments in Canvas and submit in time.

Business Internship opportunities may be paid or unpaid, provided they comply with applicable workplace legislation, including the Fair Work Act 2009 (Cth).

As a general principle, RMIT strongly encourages host organisations to offer paid internships where possible, particularly for longer-term placements (480hours and more). This recommendation aligns with RMIT's commitment to supporting students and promoting fair workplace practices in accordance with Fair Work guidance.

Whether an internship is paid or unpaid will be assessed as part of the WIL approval process and must meet the requirements of your internship course.

For more information about vocational placements and workplace rights, visit the Fair Work Ombudsman website.

You can find your Course Coordinator’s details in your course Canvas shell. If you’re unable to locate this information, please contact Business Connect and they can help you find the right contact.

Yes - in many circumstances, students are offered on-going part-time or casual work upon completion of their placement. However, we advise to consider the implications for your studies. If your employer wishes you to continue full-time employment you need to consider the impact on the completion date of your degree as many courses are only offered during the day.

Please note as an international onshore student you only have the option of working the maximum number of part-time hours according to your visa and continuing your studies full-time.

If you are no longer receiving academic credit for undertaking the work, the role should be paid in accordance with Fair Work.

Concerns about any issues should be addressed at the earliest opportunity. You may withdraw early from your placement or project if you feel unsafe or uncomfortable.

Contact the WIL Team for support and guidance.

Your WIL Coordinator should be advised of these concerns either by you or your partner organisation.

RMIT has the right to withdraw a student from a WIL activity for issues such as:

• consistent failure by the student to perform after guidance has been given.
• a health condition which significantly restricts the ability of a student to comply with the partner organisation’s OHS requirements.
• breaches of legal, professional or ethical codes by the student or partner organisation.

You must not withdraw from your placement or project without sufficient reason. This includes not un-enrolling in your WIL course and not turning up to your placement/agreed project time. You must contact your WIL Coordinator as soon as possible if you have any concerns.

You can also read your WIL Agreement for more information.

Contact the WIL Team as soon as possible.

Whether your concern relates to supervision, workplace safety, workload or another issue, we are here to support you throughout your placement.