NU StEP: Northeastern Student-Employer Projects

Students and recent graduates from all majors can gain real-world experience by completing short-term, paid, typically-remote, professional projects. NU StEP allows you to build and demonstrate skills while exploring potential career paths—all on your schedule.

These opportunities are available year-round and are offered by companies of all sizes across the U.S., from Fortune 100 corporations to emerging startups.

NU StEP is facilitated via the Parker Dewey platform, connecting you with organizations in need of your skills.

After creating your free account on Parker Dewey, you'll not only get access to NU StEP but also to tutorials, tips on landing projects, and resources to help you succeed.

Eligibility

Q. Who can do an NU StEP?

NU StEP is open to Northeastern students and recent graduates who meet the following criteria:

18 or older
Currently attending or have recently graduated from a US-based higher education institution
Authorized to work in the United States or have a valid ITIN number

Q. Is there a cutoff for recent graduates?

There is no official cutoff, but projects on Parker Dewey is designed to help early career professionals launch their careers. For this reason, established professionals likely won’t find the projects as valuable as current students or more recent graduates do.

Because most companies are using the platform intentionally to engage early career talent, established professionals are also less likely to be selected for an NU StEP unless their profile makes it clear that they’re transitioning into a new career field.

Q. Can international students do an NU StEP?

Projects completed through Parker Dewey are available to international students who are either affiliated with one of our partner programs, or those attending a US-based college or university. In both cases, the student must have approved Curricular Practical Training (CPT), Optional Practical Training (OPT), or other work authorization.

If you are a current F-1/J1 international student, contact international student support staff at your institution to confirm your eligibility before applying to projects.

If selected for an NU StEP, it is your responsibility to ensure compliance with internship requirements and USCIS regulations.

Q. Can undocumented students do an NU StEP?

Current students and alumni do not need to have DACA or TPS to apply to an NU StEP. All projects posted on Parker Dewey are structured as independent contract work, which means successful applicants would be hired by Parker Dewey as independent contractors.

Other Considerations:

You may use your work authorization or a valid ITIN to be paid as an independent contractor.

You may already have an ITIN if your parents ever filed income taxes and claimed you as a dependent. You can find out if you have an ITIN in your parents’ tax forms.

If you have an ITIN, make sure to find out if it has expired. If it has, you will need to renew it. Find information on ITIN expiration and renewal here.

If you do not have an ITIN, you can learn how to obtain one here: ITIN Guide or this video from Immigrants Rising.

NU StEP by the Numbers

Parker Dewey offers a modern way to kick-start your career. These short-term, paid projects help you build real-world experience and connect with top employers—giving you a head start in your job search.

EQUITABLE

100%

100% of projects on Parker Dewey are paid.

ACCESSIBLE

80%

More than 80% of talent hired for Parker Dewey projects come from underrepresented backgrounds.

MEANINGFUL

96%

96% of students completing Parker Dewey projects are professionally employed upon graduation.

How it Works

Creating your NU StEP account is easy and takes less than five minutes!

Review the available StEPs
These projects span all different types of industries, departments, and companies. All projects are paid and typically require between 10 and 40 hours of work in total.

Apply for projects that interest you
Projects tend to move quickly, so it's important to check the platform often and apply regularly. View Parker Dewey's Career Launcher Tutorial for more application tips.

Companies make their selection
Selected students will be notified via email. It's normal to apply for up to 10 projects before being selected, so don't get discouraged and keep applying! Check out these success stories for inspiration.

Get paid, professional experience!
Use our Success Checklist and Post Micro-Internship Success Checklist to make the most of your experience. Your pay will be processed at the end of the month in which you complete your project.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q. What is involved in the application process?

To apply for these projects, you must create a student account on Parker Dewey. Once you've set up your profile, you'll be able to view and apply for available projects.

After you've submitted an application, the company will be able to view it. At this point, they may message you with follow-up questions, or to schedule a brief interview, but many organizations will make their selection based entirely on the profile and application responses, without any further interview process. You'll be notified via email if you've received a message or been selected.

If you'd like a review of tips for making your profile and applications stand out, check out Parker Dewey's Career Launcher Tutorial, review these strategies for acing short-answer application questions, or feel free to join Parker Dewey at one of their regularly scheduled FAQ webinars.

Q. Are projects always remote?

While some projects might be on-site, most are remote, allowing you to complete them from anywhere as long as you have access to a reliable wi-fi connection.

Q. Who do students selected for projects report to?

Your project supervisor will be a professional at the company that has the project need, making this a great opportunity to expand your professional network! Once you've done a project, we encourage you to use these tips to make sure your supervisor continues to be an active part of your network.

Q. When and how do students completing projects get paid?

Parker Dewey is the employer of record for all projects, meaning your pay will be processed by Parker Dewey. Pay is processed at the end of each month, so you should receive your pay at the start of the next month after your project has been marked complete. For more information, check out our Pay FAQs.

Because pay comes from Parker Dewey, no companies should ever request your social security number (SSN), individual taxpayer identification number (ITIN), address, or any other details necessary to pay you for your project. If someone other than Parker Dewey asks you for these details, do not share them, and contact Parker Dewey support immediately.

Q. Can I earn academic credit for a project?

It depends on the details of the project and Northeastern requirements To learn more about credit-bearing internship requirements at your institution, consult Academic Services or the NU Career Center.

Q. I've been selected for a project. What's next?

Congratulations! When you were selected, you should have received a kick-off email with details regarding next steps and resources, like our Success Checklist.

If you see in the platform that you've been selected, but you did not receive the kick-off email, please reach out to Parker Dewey support immediately to make sure your project is still available. Please also safelist future Parker Dewey emails by following the instructions below, depending on your email provider:

Safelisting in Apple Mail

Safelisting in Exchange 365 and Outlook 2016

Safelisting in Gmail

Safelisting in Outlook Connected to Microsoft Exchange Server 2013 and 2010

Safelisting in Yahoo! Mail

Q. Can I do multiple projects?

Yes! You are welcome to do as many Parker Dewey projects as your schedule allows. You can even take on multiple projects at the same time! That stated, if you are selected for multiple projects but your schedule won't allow for you to do all of them, just let the Parker Dewey team know by responding to the email that notified you of your selection. It's important to think critically about your work, school, and personal commitments, and to communicate professionally as soon as you've been selected if you aren't capable of completing a project on time and to the best of your ability.

Q. How do I add a project to my resume?

All students completing Parker Dewey projects are independent contractors of Parker Dewey, which is how this experience should be reflected on your resume and in your LinkedIn profile. Use this example to guide you. Make sure you only describe the company you did the project for, unless you have explicitly asked for and received permission to name them in the project's description.

Q. Why am I not getting Parker Dewey emails?

Individuals can add Parker Dewey to their safelist should they find messages being routed to their SPAM folder. The safelisting process differs between email providers. Refer to your email provider's associated help documentation for information on safelisting on your client of choice. Here are instructions from some of the most popular email providers: