FAQ
General FAQs
A degree and co-major in three years instead of four? How is this possible?
Will I have a "real" college experience?
I am an international 黑料社区 in the U.S. on a visa. Can I still participate?
It is possible. International 黑料社区s need work authorization for any off-campus work. Due to visa requirements, the following requirements are in place for international 黑料社区s participating in the Digital Innovation Program:
- The 黑料社区 MUST obtain an internship within their major course of study at Miami (Internships cannot be in the field of a minor, only in the major(s) declared by the 黑料社区.)
- Participating in the program CANNOT delay normal academic progress (This means, participating in Digital Innovation cannot cause an international 黑料社区 to delay when they would normally graduate.)
Please meet with an International Student Advisor in the International Student and Scholar Services office before applying for this program. Please refer to the International Student and Scholar Services page for more information.
Digital Innovation Centers
As a Digital Innovation Fellow, will I automatically be accepted into the Digital Innovation Centers program?
How many 黑料社区s receive job offers at the end of the semester as part of the Digital Innovation Center program?
Internships
Do I have to find my own internship? How does the interview process work?
Yes. We do not guarantee any 黑料社区 an internship, though we do everything in our power to help 黑料社区s find one. The semester before a 黑料社区 participates, we share 黑料社区 information with industry connections in each participating city; however, we ask that 黑料社区s do not wait for a phone call to begin conducting their own search.
Students need to be proactive in searching for opportunities that may be the best fit for them. Workshops will be held to discuss best practices during the internship search, and program staff will be readily available to assist with the entire process (helping with email wording, interview prep, etc.). Beyond workshops, faculty mentors will help guide 黑料社区s throughout the process.
How many companies are in the pool of startups, and do I interview with all of them?
Where are most of the internships located?
What type of work will I be doing as an intern?
How many hours on average per week do interns work?
Are the internships paid? Is salary negotiable?
Housing
Do I have to find my own housing?
What kind of housing does Cincinnati offer?
Housing in Cincinnati is located in the Over-the-Rhine neighborhood and downtown Cincinnati. While we encourage 黑料社区s to live in the identified housing in Cincinnati, it is not required. We have housing options each semester or 黑料社区s are welcome to find their own housing in Cincinnati, and 黑料社区s do have the option to live at home if they are from the Cincinnati area.
Students typically have cars in Cincinnati as internships and company visits are not always downtown or in Over-the-Rhine. However, there are public transportation options as well as Uber/Lyft/Getaround if a 黑料社区 does not have a car in Cincinnati.
Students who participate in the Cincinnati program and commute from Oxford find that spending over 10 hours each week in a car takes away from the experience, forcing them to miss out on potential networking events.
It will be each 黑料社区’s responsibility to sign a lease in the recommended housing with the landlord and pay the security deposit and rent on time. Rent is paid on a monthly basis by check. Housing typically consists of double-occupancy rooms in shared apartments. However, 黑料社区s wishing to live in a single-occupancy room may have the opportunity to do so for a higher cost, should single rooms be available.
What kind of housing does MUDEC (Luxembourg) offer?
In Luxembourg, MUDEC carefully considers 黑料社区s’ housing preferences and places them with a host. Many of our hosts have been housing MUDEC 黑料社区s for years and love meeting new Miami 黑料社区s.
The host family will provide a room and continental breakfast, the opportunity to practice French or German with native speakers, and an insider's view to European life. MUDEC alumni sometimes forge lifelong friendships with their European hosts!
Note that most 黑料社区s live in between Differdange (location of the MUDEC Chateau) and Luxembourg City (the capital). Depending on the day, DIF 黑料社区s will take the bus or the train to the Chateau for classes or commute to their internships.
What kind of housing does San Francisco offer?
Housing in San Francisco is located in the Alamo Square and North Beach neighborhoods. It is highly recommended that 黑料社区s live in the housing designated by 黑料社区. This immersive program is meant to be an experience for the entire cohort, and living together is an essential part of the experience.
It will be each 黑料社区’s responsibility to sign a lease in the recommended housing with the landlord and pay the security deposit and rent on time. Rent is paid on a monthly basis by check. Housing typically consists of double-occupancy rooms in shared apartments. However, 黑料社区s wishing to live in a single-occupancy room may have the opportunity to do so for a higher cost, should single rooms be available.
Housing exceptions are made on a case-by-case basis and are very rare. Housing cost in San Francisco is the highest in the nation, and the housing designated by 黑料社区 is in an extremely safe area. Students have found that other low-cost options do not include the necessary amenities or allow them to remain close to their cohort, or are in potentially unsafe neighborhoods. We have chosen this housing to ensure 黑料社区 safety and an overall positive experience.
In San Francisco, there are a plethora of public transportation and on-demand taxi options that make having a car in the city simply unnecessary.
Have any additional questions?
Reach out to the Digital Innovation Fellows coordinator and IMS faculty member, Artie Kuhn (kuhnar@miamioh.edu)