FAQs
- What is the Practical Training Course at UOS?
- Who can apply?
- What are the eligibility requirements for practical training?
- Is the GPA important?
- When is practical training offered?
- Do I have to pay for the Practical Training Course?
- What is the duration of the Practical Training Course?
- Can I turn an existing job into practical training?
- Where can I do my training?
- What is the grading criteria for my practical training?
- Am I required to do practical training to graduate?
- What if for "unforeseen circumstances" I am not able to start my training on the assigned date?
- Can I start my training ahead of the practical training official start date?
- Can I divide my practical training across two different training sites?
- I have received an acceptance letter from 2 different organizations. What shall I do?
- Can I register for another academic course along with the Practical Training Course?
- Can I cancel my training at any time after submitting my application and getting the training organization's formal acceptance?
- Am I supposed to wear a special work uniform during my training at the site?
- Do I get paid during training?
- Do I have to locate my own training opportunity?
- How do I start looking for training opportunities?
- Will CASTO meet with us before training?
Practical training is an integral part of the study plan for each student at the University of Sharjah. It is necessary for students to undergo training outside the classroom, where they may get exposure to real-life situations and are able to apply skills acquired in the classroom. Therefore, the University seeks genuine partnerships with the local, national and international commercial industries and various institutions. To this end, the Career Advising & Student Training Office (CASTO) makes every effort to establish a database of firms that can absorb UOS students for practical training each year.
CASTO provides its services exclusively to students enrolled in the University of Sharjah.
Each college has its own rules and regulations for practical training. Students must consult their Academic Supervisor (AS) before registering for the course. To know more about the eligibility criteria, please click here.
Yes, As per the University Training guidelines the student must have a minimum GPA of 2.0 (not under probation). It is extremely important that students maintain a good GPA since all training organizations prefer training students who hold a high GPA. An important point to keep in mind is that training organizations look at training candidates as potential future employees. Therefore, training organizations try to recruit students who demonstrate high academic performance.
Normally, practical training is available in the summer, but in some cases, the course might be offered in the Fall or Spring semesters.
Each college has its own criteria. Some colleges consider practical training as a credited course, in that case, the student must pay for it. However, in other colleges, practical training is required but receives no credit. For further information, consult your registrar regarding this issue.
The duration of Practical Training varies from one college to another depending on the college's requirements. Please read through here to know of your major requirements.
Yes. However, you need to put some thought and consideration into this proposal before pursuing it and get your Academic Supervisor's initial approval. Your Academic Supervisor will evaluate the training program to determine whether the experience qualifies as practical training or not. Hence, you should talk to your Academic Supervisor and CASTO office prior to arranging such training.
You can do your training locally, nationally, or internationally! CASTO targets organizations locally in the UAE and internationally through IAESTE (International Association for the Exchange of Students for Technical Experience). And due to the pandemic, you are also allowed to do your training in your home country - virtually or on-site.
As a trainee, you MUST ensure that you upload all the required documents and fill in your reports on Taskstream.
Yes. All students at UOS are required to undertake practical training as a part of their coursework before graduation.
First, both your Academic and Site Supervisor Along with CASTO must be informed about these circumstances. The decision will vary based on your case.
Yes, by a maximum of one week earlier or one week later than the official date.
Yes, you can. To clarify, if you need to complete 8 weeks of training, then you are advised to complete 4 weeks at one training site and the rest at another site consecutively.
In this case, you will have to choose one of them to be your official training organization. As for the other organization, you may view it as an opportunity to gain more experience but to be finished in your own time.
Students are NOT allowed to register for any academic courses along with the Practical Training Course. Unless they are graduating in the same semester. Rules vary between Summer and Fall or Spring. You may read more about our Policies and Procedures.
No, unless you provide all of the necessary documentation to prove your inability to do the training.
You need to clarify this with your training organization or your site supervisor.
Not necessarily. The majority of training organizations do not provide any financial payment. However, some organizations do provide a monthly payment.
Yes, obtaining training is the responsibility of the student. ASTO office can help by providing information resources that you might need. The best advice is to begin looking for training at least 3 months prior to the practical training start date.
You may begin your search by:
Search/Network Own
Yes, a meeting is conducted at your college to shed light on the most important issues you should be aware of during your training and how to fill out CASTO forms and write reports.
Note: Prepare yourself well for practical training, both mentally and technically. Practical training is NOT vacation time! It is extremely enjoyable if you approach it right. You need to review your notes to refresh yourself on the training organization before joining it so that you may get the most out of your practical training experience.