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Build Real U.S. Nonprofit Experience – Without CPT or OPT
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A selective, remote volunteer program for international students who want stronger résumés, meaningful impact, and flexible 4–8 hours per week.
“Why this matters” section
American employers overwhemingly want to hire applicants whose resumes show:
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- Substantive experience in a U.S.-based organization
- A record of volunteering and a clear commitment to making a difference
- Concrete examples of projects, collaboration, and responsibility—not just class assignments
This program, run by our U.S. 501(c)(3) charitable nonprofit, helps you build that story while you are still a student—even in your first year—in as little as 4 flexible, remote hours per week. It is unique in combining structured volunteer roles, real responsibility, and flexible hours that fit around your studies. You will have real work to describe in interviews, specific achievements you can point to, and a clear way to show your commitment to education and social impact.
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U.S. government guidance from the Department of Labor (on volunteers under the Fair Labor Standards Act) and from the Department of Homeland Security (on F-1 students), as reflected in many university international-student resources, explains that F-1 students may engage in volunteer service for charitable or humanitarian nonprofit organizations in the United States, provided the following conditions are met:
- The service is performed for civic, charitable, or humanitarian reasons
- The activities are the kind normally done by volunteers rather than paid staff
- The student receives no compensation (no wages, stipends, or other financial rewards)
- There is no promise or expectation that the volunteer work will lead to a paid position
- The volunteer does not displace a regular paid position
This program, offered by our U.S. 501(c)(3) charitable nonprofit, is structured as unpaid volunteer service, and the roles are designed to satisfy those conditions.
In practice, volunteer service of this kind is typically part-time. In our program, we ask students to commit between 4 and 8 volunteer hours per week, with flexible scheduling to fit around your classes and exams.
Many university international offices also explain that F-1 students (and, in many cases, J-1 students) may engage in this type of volunteer service without CPT or OPT work authorization when these conditions are met.
Your university’s International Student Office is responsible for advising you on how these federal rules apply to your specific situation, and U.S. immigration agencies have the final authority over your status. We strongly encourage you to share this page (and our one-page ISO summary) with your International Student Office and follow their guidance. Please let us know if they have any questions or objections, or if they would like any additional information from us.
If you are an international student who wants stronger experience for future internships and jobs—and to make a real, positive impact at the same time—keep reading to see the volunteer roles and how to apply.
This program is offered through ChangingThePresent.org, which helps people support schools, teachers, and nonprofits in more meaningful ways.
Changing The Present is an initiative of ImportantGifts, Inc., a U.S. 501(c)(3) public charity.
The New York Times has described Changing The Present as “an Amazon.com of the nonprofit world.”
We also have internships for student who are eager to gain experience and enhance their resume. This includes:
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- students on CPT, including summer/winter internships,
- students on OPT, who also want to stop their EAD unemployment clock.
Please share all these opportunities with friends and classmates.
What Employers Say About U.S. Experience
Talk to career services staff, hiring managers, or recent graduates and you’ll hear the same message: having meaningful experience in a U.S.-based organization makes a big difference when you compete for internships and full-time jobs. Here is how they describe it:
Career Services at Harvard University
"Gaining practical experience through internships can make a significant difference in the job search process for international students. It not only strengthens their resumes but also builds critical professional networks."
Institute of International Education (IIE)
"Employers increasingly prioritize work experience gained in the U.S. as it demonstrates a candidate's ability to navigate the local job market and cultural nuances."
Duke University Career Center
"Internships provide international students with the practical experience that employers are looking for, helping them stand out in the job application process."
Cornell University Career Services
"Having internship experience in the U.S. is often seen as a significant advantage by employers. It shows that candidates are familiar with American work culture and expectations"
Click to see more quotes on the importance of US work experience
National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE)
"Internship experience is the best predictor of future employment success, especially when that experience is directly tied to the job candidates are applying for."
Stanford University Career Education
"Employers appreciate candidates who can demonstrate adaptability and familiarity with the American work environment, which U.S. internships can provide."
University of California, Berkeley Career Center
"Internships in the U.S. are essential for international students to gain relevant work experience that employers value, enhancing their job prospects."
Texas A&M University Career Center
"Internships are critical for international students, offering them valuable experience and helping them understand the nuances of the American job market."
University of Michigan Career Center
"International students with U.S. internship experience often have a better understanding of employer expectations and workplace culture, giving them an edge in the job market."
Georgia Institute of Technology Career Center
"U.S. internships help international students develop essential skills and cultural competencies that are highly valued by employers."
University of Minnesota Career Services
"Employers often seek candidates with relevant U.S. experience. Internships help international students demonstrate their capabilities and adaptability in the American job market."
CareerBuilder
"Candidates with U.S. internship experience are often preferred by employers, as they have firsthand knowledge of workplace dynamics and expectations."
University of Southern California Career Center
"International students often find that U.S. work experience sets them apart in a competitive job market. It demonstrates not only technical skills but also cultural competency."
University of California, San Diego Career Services
"Employers in the U.S. frequently look for candidates with local experience, making internships an invaluable asset for international students."
University of Illinois Career Center
"Gaining internship experience in the United States is often a key factor in successfully transitioning into the job market after graduation. Employers value this experience highly.
Career Services at University of Southern California Marshall School of Business
"Having a U.S. internship on your resume demonstrates your ability to adapt to American workplace culture, which is highly valued by employers."
Monster.com
"Candidates with U.S. internship experience often find it easier to navigate the job search process and understand employer expectations."
University of Virginia Career Center
"Having a U.S. internship on your resume demonstrates your ability to adapt and succeed in the local work environment, which many employers prioritize."
University of Florida Career Connections Center
"For international students, internships are critical not only for resume-building but also for understanding the U.S. job landscape and employer expectations."
Purdue University Center for Career Opportunities
"Internships are invaluable for international students to gain firsthand experience in American business practices, significantly boosting their employability."
National Career Development Association (NCDA)
"Understanding the U.S. workplace culture is crucial for international students. Internships provide the necessary context and experience to succeed in their job searches."
Volunteer Experience: Good for the World, Good for Your Career
U.S. employers don’t just look at grades and technical skills. They also pay close attention to whether you have taken initiative, contributed to something bigger than yourself, and followed through on real commitments. Well-documented volunteer experience is one of the clearest ways to show that. Here is what major employers, researchers, and career experts say:
Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS)
"Volunteering as a Pathway to Employment:
After controlling for demographic variables, we found that volunteering was associated with a 27% higher odds of employment, statistically significant at the 99.9% confidence level."
"41% of LinkedIn members surveyed consider volunteer work equally as valuable as paid work experience when evaluating candidates."
Deloitte
"82% of hiring managers are more likely to choose a candidate with volunteer experience, and 85% of those are willing to overlook other CV flaws when a candidate includes volunteer work."
U.S. News
"Including volunteer work on your resume can complement your experience, highlight your skill set and give employers a sense of your values."
Click to see more quotes on the value of volunteering
Forbes
"Include volunteer experience on your resume when it helps add perspective and richness to your professional story and sheds important light on what matters to you as a person, as well as additional skills that your paid work may not demonstrate."
"1 of 5 hiring managers in the U.S. agree they have hired a candidate because of their volunteer work experience, based on a survey of LinkedIn members."
Indeed
"Volunteer placements can set you apart from other candidates applying for paid positions or a place in an academic institution like a university. Voluntary work communicates your values, interests and work ethic to potential employers."
University of Houston Career Center
"You should absolutely include volunteer experience on your resume. It’ll help you stand out, make you seem like a real-life, three-dimensional person, and give the hiring manager a better idea of what makes you tick. Plus, as more and more companies begin to embrace social responsibility, job seekers with demonstrated interest and experience in community involvement are even more valuable."
Morehead College Career Development and Engagement
"Including volunteer work on your early-career resume is essential."
Monster.com
"Employers love seeing that you've volunteered. . . You may have altruistic reasons for volunteering, but giving your time has career-enhancing power, too. A hiring manager absolutely loves to see candidates who have volunteer work on a resume."
Kickresume
"About 20% of hiring managers in the U.S. hired a candidate based on their volunteer experience."
Rosterfy
"Volunteer work is often just as valuable and important for your career as paid work. Listing volunteer work on your resume can demonstrate to potential employers that you are community minded, experienced in working with people from diverse backgrounds, and have a range of transferable skills."
Campus Groups
"Make your resume stand out among other candidates! Volunteer work can help make finding that first entry-level job easier for college students and recent grads. . . Students who are doing volunteer work set themselves apart in a stack of applicants.."
Resume Genius
"Listing volunteer experience on your resume is a great way to demonstrate to employers that you’re hard working and involved in your community."
Jobscan
"Sharing your volunteer work on a resume has numerous benefits for job candidates. It shows that you are a responsible, charitable, and caring person. Also, it aligns you with organizations that will garner attention from hiring managers. When you are against stiff competition for a job, volunteer work will make you stand out against other candidates.
University of Denver
"Employers like their teams to be well-rounded individuals. Your voluntary work shows your employer that you have an interest in that cause or field, and can serve as experience for a career change as well."
Seek Research
"SEEK research found that 95% of employers agreed that volunteering can be a credible way of gaining real-work experience to add to your resume."
Zety
"What will help your resume stand out? Your volunteer work."
MIT Sloan Management Review
"Employers have begun to view skills-based volunteering as a “win-win-win” opportunity for all parties involved — the nonprofit, the employer, and the volunteer."
Statista
"A survey revealed that 76% of human resources executives believe that skills and experience acquired through volunteering make a job candidate more desirable."
How this Program Helps with Internships & Jobs
Get the U.S. Work Credential and Volunteer Experience that Employers Value
Improve your prospects for getting a great summer internship and a fantastic job after you graduate. Enhance your resume with American work experience and volunteer experience, while you also make a positive impact in the world. Complete the application below to join our renowned nonprofit. Do it now.
No Work Authorization Needed; First-Year Students are Eligible, too
All F-1 students are allowed to volunteer for a charitable nonprofit, and no CPT or OPT work authorization is required. Our program meets all those requirements.
The University of Massachusetts describes the regulations especially well:
"International students may serve off-campus in a volunteer capacity. You are not required to obtain special permission for volunteer service as long as it meets the following criteria:
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- The service is charitable or humanitarian in nature.
- The service is performed for a non-profit organization.
- Volunteers will not receive any form of compensation.
- Volunteers perform the service without the expectation of future employment or benefit.
- Volunteers can't displace genuine employees."
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Our program meets all those requirements.
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Flexible and Convenient (as Little as 4 Hours per Week)
We know you are busy, so we designed this program to accommodate your schedule:-
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- You can choose how many hours you want to work each week (the minimum is just 4 hours).
- Because the program is entirely virtual (online), you can participate anywhere and at any time.
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Recognition of Your Role Here
We will provide you with:
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- an offer letter upon completion of your onboarding process.
- a confirmation letter at any time you request after the beginning of your second month here.
- a Certificate of Achievement at any time you request after the beginning of your third month here.
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Unpaid
Please note that we only have unpaid positions. Further, there is a small monthly fee ($29/month, which is less than a dollar a day) to help us cover our expenses. This is discussed further in the application form, which appears at the bottom of this page.
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This volunteer program is designed to give you the kind of experience employers actually ask about in interviews—not just grades or classroom projects. By participating, you will:
- Take on real responsibilities in a U.S.-based charitable organization
- Work on concrete projects and outcomes you can describe clearly in internship and job interviews
- Show evidence of initiative, follow-through, and commitment to education and social impact
For many international students, this becomes one of the strongest stories on their résumé—especially when they are applying for early internships and their first full-time roles.
Documentation and recognition for your volunteer service
Because this is a structured volunteer program, we can document your participation in ways that are useful for employers and, if needed, your university. Subject to satisfactory participation, we can provide:
- Offer letter – after you complete our onboarding process and your volunteer role is confirmed
- Confirmation letter – available on request any time after the beginning of your second month, summarizing your role, typical hours, and responsibilities
- Certificate of Achievement – available on request any time after the beginning of your third month, recognizing your sustained volunteer service
The offer and confirmation letters are issued on our nonprofit letterhead. The Certificate of Achievement is a formal certificate suitable for sharing with employers, attaching to applications, or including in a portfolio. If your International Student Office or another university office asks for documentation of your volunteer service, these materials can help demonstrate the nature and duration of your work here.
Program fee
All of these roles are unpaid volunteer positions with our U.S. 501(c)(3) charitable nonprofit.
To help cover the costs of running and supervising the program, there is a small monthly program fee of $29. This fee is paid by participating students and is separate from any tuition or university charges. We expect this fee may increase for future applicants, but once you are accepted and enrolled, your monthly rate will not increase as long as you remain continuously in the program.
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Four Great Opportunities
This volunteer program, run by our U.S. 501(c)(3) charitable nonprofit, is open to undergraduate and graduate international students in any field of study who are enrolled at U.S. colleges and universities. The primary purpose of the program is civic, charitable, and humanitarian: supporting schools, teachers, students, and nonprofits.
If you are serious about volunteering to make a real, positive impact (and strengthening your skills and résumé at the same time), we encourage you to apply.
When you apply, you’ll be able to indicate which volunteer role best fits your strengths and interests. The role does not need to match your major. Instead, each role is designed to build broadly useful, transferable skills—such as research, data handling, communication, and collaboration—that can benefit students from any major.
Digital Research
Ideal for: Diligent students in any major who are comfortable working online and appreciate structured tasks.
In this role, you will use Google and AI tools to help our 501(c)(3) nonprofit map the education and charitable landscape in the United States, so we can better support schools, teachers, students, and nonprofits nationwide.
Click to learn more about this role
You will:
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Research and compile publicly available contact information and other relevant details for:
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Schools and school districts
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Teachers and school leaders
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Nonprofits across a wide range of causes, including education, health, poverty and hunger relief, youth and family services, environmental protection, support for veterans, disaster relief, and more
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Student organizations and academic departments
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Thought leaders in education and philanthropy
Submit your findings through our structured online forms, so the data can be used to:-
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Help schools highlight their needs and secure resources for their students.
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Help nonprofits attract more support for their programs
- Build better directories and resources for educators and students, so they can collaborate more effectively and quickly find opportunities, partners, and tools that match their needs
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How this will strengthen your résumé and applications:
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- Experience conducting systematic online research for a U.S. 501(c)(3) charitable organization
- Ability to work with structured data that directly supports schools and nonprofits
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Contribution to large-scale projects that expand access to resources to educational and community resources nationwide
- Build better directories and resources for educators and students, so they can quickly find opportunities, partners, and tools that match their needs and collaborate more effectively.
Community Engagement
Ideal for: Proactive students who enjoy communication, outreach, and leadership.
In this role, you will help create the country’s largest nonprofit networks of Campus Ambassadors (for colleges and universities) and Student Ambassadors (for high schools), promoting community service and charitable giving that supports schools, teachers, and nonprofits.
Click to learn more about this role
You will:
- Reach out (primarily by email and online forms) to:
- Student organizations
- Teachers and school leaders
- High school and college administrators
- Nonprofits that partner with schools and youth programs
- Share clear, ready-to-use opportunities for them to:
- Showcase their needs and charitable projects
- Join free programs that support their students and communities
- Involve their students in meaningful community service and social-impact activities
- Help Ambassadors:
- Understand how they can promote charitable giving that supports schools, teachers, and nonprofits
- Encourage community service and involvement among students at their schools
- Connect educators and students with opportunities to work together on impact-focused initiatives
How this will strengthen your résumé and applications:
- Experience in professional outreach and relationship-building with U.S. schools, student organizations, and nonprofits
- A track record of helping to grow Ambassador networks that promote community service and charitable giving
- Concrete examples of communications and initiatives you can describe in interviews when discussing leadership, collaboration, and social impact
You will:
Reach out (primarily by email and online forms) to:
- Student organizations
- Teachers and school leaders
- High school and college administrators
- Nonprofits that partner with schools and youth programs
Share clear, ready-to-use opportunities for them to:
- Showcase their needs and charitable projects
- Join free programs that support their students and communities
- Involve their students in meaningful community service and social-impact activities
Help Ambassadors:
- Understand how they can promote charitable giving that supports schools, teachers, and nonprofits
- Encourage community service and involvement among students at their schools
- Connect educators and students with opportunities to work together on impact-focused initiatives
How this will strengthen your résumé and applications:
- Experience in professional outreach and relationship-building with U.S. schools, student organizations, and nonprofits
- A track record of helping to grow Ambassador networks that promote community service and charitable giving
- Concrete examples of communications and initiatives you can describe in interviews when discussing leadership, collaboration, and social impact
Data Cleaning & Quality
Ideal for: Detail-oriented students who are comfortable working with spreadsheets.
In this role, you will help our nonprofit clean and organize Google Sheets datasets of schools, nonprofits, teachers, and student organizations into accurate, reliable data that supports our charitable work in education and other causes.
Click to learn more about this role
You will:
Work in Google Sheets on datasets of:
- Nonprofits
- College and university organizations, offices, and departments
- Schools, school districts, teachers, and school leaders
Apply our data-quality rules to standardize formats, correct errors, and populate missing fields
- Identify and merge duplicate records
- Prepare cleaned datasets so they can be loaded into our internal databases and used in tools that support charitable outreach, analysis, and reporting
- Help turn inconsistent raw data into clean, reliable information that supports our charitable programs for schools, nonprofits, and other causes nationwide
How this will strengthen your résumé and applications:
- Hands-on experience with data cleaning and quality control for a U.S. 501(c)(3) charitable nonprofit
- Practical use of Google Sheets on real datasets (not just classroom examples)
- Contribution to datasets that feed internal databases and tools used for charitable and educational outreach and partnerships nationwide
You will:
Work in Google Sheets on datasets of:
- Nonprofits
- College and university organizations, offices, and departments
- Schools, school districts, teachers, and school leaders
Apply our data-quality rules to standardize formats, correct errors, and populate missing fields where appropriate
- Identify and merge duplicate records
- Prepare cleaned datasets so they can be loaded into our internal databases and used in tools that support charitable outreach, analysis, and reporting
- Help turn inconsistent raw data into clean, reliable information that supports our charitable programs for schools, nonprofits, and other causes nationwide
How this will strengthen your résumé and applications:
- Hands-on experience with data cleaning and quality control for a U.S. 501(c)(3) charitable nonprofit
- Practical use of Google Sheets on real datasets (not just classroom examples)
- Contribution to datasets that feed internal databases and tools used for charitable and educational outreach and partnerships nationwide
Web Data & Automation (Python)
Selective Role - approval required
Ideal for: Technically strong students with solid experience in Python.
In this role, you will use Python and relevant libraries to collect and process publicly available data on schools and nonprofits, following our data-use guidelines. Your work will directly support our mission by helping us build accurate data on the schools and nonprofits we support.
Click to learn more about this role
You will:
- Use Python to work with web and API data about schools, nonprofits, and education programs (for example, sometimes using libraries such as BeautifulSoup or Selenium)
- Apply our data-use guidelines in practice, including respecting website terms and rate limits, and following our documentation and logging standards
- Maintain and refine internal Python scripts so our education- and charity-related datasets can reliably power the outreach, analysis, and tools we use to support schools and nonprofits
How this will strengthen your résumé and applications:
- Experience using Python on real data projects for a U.S. 501(c)(3) charitable nonprofit
- Evidence that you can handle web data responsibly, respecting data-use rules and technical constraints
- Concrete technical contributions you can describe in detail in interviews (for internships, jobs, or further study)
Entry requirements:
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Note: To be approved for this role, you must either (1) have completed a university-level Python course with a grade of B (or 80%) or higher, or (2) complete a brief Python screening section in the application form.
About Our 501(c)(3) Nonprofit Organization
Changing The Present channels to nonprofits and schools some of the $450 billion that Americans spend each year on birthday, wedding, and holiday presents. We do that by making the experience of a donation, which you give in a friend's name, feel like a rewarding gift and a great alternative to buying yet more "stuff."
Imagine how much good we will all do together as we channel more of that fortune to nonprofits and schools. Your work with us will help make that happen.
We will expand our program to other countries, including Canada, UK, and India.
Everyone Raves About the Experience
We may have hosted the largest number of international interns and volunteers of any nonprofit in the U.S., and they have come from about 100 countries, as shown below. The largest numbers have been the hundreds of wonderful students from India and China.
Here are just a few of them. Please see their rave reviews of their experience working with us.
Spread the Word!
Help your classmates and friends (including those at other colleges) succeed and make a difference.
We made it easy for you to share these opportunities.
Click to Share
(1) Please copy and paste this text and banner into an email. Send it to friends, classmates, advisors, and professors.
(2) Then post it to the Facebook and WhatsApp groups for your student organizations.
The New York Times called Changing The Present, "an Amazon.com of the nonprofit world."
This prestigious nonprofit offers flexible virtual internships that let you make a difference, enhance your resume, and accelerate your career. Among the many opportunities are:
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- Data Analytics, Research, and Engagement Roles for current students, incluuding first-year. Each requires just 4 hours per week to make a difference and add an important American work credential to your resume. See this
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- OPT internships in a wide range of fields. to gain experience and stop the unemployment clock. See this
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- Summer internships for international students. See this
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- CPT internships for international students. See this
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Have questions before you apply?
See this page for our FAQ and a form to submit any questions.