A number of faculty members have expressed interest in the mechanics of accepting an intern from another country (in particular one of the IIT campuses). Here is what I have found out.

* Internships are not paid positions. They are visiting students. We can pay their travel expenses and living expenses.

* Apparently Applied Science (or ECE) has a mechanism under which interns are enrolled in a special course that was created for that purpose. Computer Science does not have such a course.

* IndiaIntern.doc: Sample letter offering an internship

* The sample letter is careful to not offer a salary, only to pay expenses, and it leaves all of the immigration issues on the student. The letter is intended to be used by the student for this purpose.

* The letter is sent c/o a faculty member who has written a letter of reference for the student. (Presumably this is to ensure that the internship is part of the student's academic program.)

* The amounts given in the letter are based on previous internships within the department. The airfare is based on a current estimate of actual airfare.