Gain 21st Century Skills to Succeed in the Future

Level Up is a guided pathway to supporting your academic and professional success – as well as extra support from SLU and SLU’s partners.

On the Level Up pathway, SLU and SLU partners provide internship preparation programs, career development support, skill-building courses and competitions, and more.

By completing Level Up training/skill-building programs, courses, and competitions, you can earn “micro-scholarships” to help reduce your SLU graduate program tuition (starting in your second year of SLU enrollment).

And for international students who complete all requirements on the Level Up pathway, SLU will provide additional assistance to help you secure an OPT-eligible job or internship.

The Level Up program is available to all current SLU international graduate students enrolled in one of our Global Grad programs.  The program complements the full portfolio of career development and support programs offered via our Office of Career Services.

Level Up experiences include:

• Professional skill-building courses and case study programs
• Global competitions
• Workshops
• Other similar hands-on opportunities

These experiences strengthen key 21st century skills that employers seek, such as: teamwork, design thinking, communication, innovation and entrepreneurship, creativity, leadership, and problem-solving abilities. And by completing Level Up experiences, you can earn “micro-scholarships” that help you reduce your SLU tuition in your second year of graduate study (and beyond) at SLU.

If you complete all requirements on the Level Up pathway, SLU will provide additional assistance to help you secure an OPT-eligible job or internship.

SLU’s Office of Career Services supports all graduate students, and will assist all eligible F-1 students in securing OPT-eligible work experiences. For those students who complete all Level Up program requirements and who do not otherwise secure an OPT-eligible position, SLU has partnered with Excelerate, a global marketing company, to provide OPT-eligible positions at Excelerate and its global business and industry partners. Excelerate is working to develop OPT-eligible positions suitable for students completing multiple SLU graduate programs.

Note: Per U.S. Immigration regulations, OPT-eligible work experiences (at least 20 hours per week) may include the following when the work is related to your SLU academic program:

• Short-term paid employment with local/national/international companies or non-profit organizations
• Internships (paid or unpaid) with local/national/international companies or non-profit organizations
• Self-employment

SLU’s Level Up program is offered via partnership with Excelerate, in collaboration with SLU’s Office of Career Services. We’ll post more information here soon, and you’ll soon be able to register for the Level Up program via Excelerate; check back to this website for updated registration information.

Yes! SLU’s Office of Career Services supports all graduate students, and will assist all eligible F-1 students in securing OPT-eligible work experiences.

However, for those students who complete all Level Up program requirements and who do not otherwise secure an OPT-eligible position, SLU has partnered with Excelerate, a global marketing company, to provide OPT-eligible positions at Excelerate and its global business and industry partners. Excelerate is working to develop OPT-eligible positions suitable for students completing multiple SLU graduate programs.

Access to Level Up opportunities will open soon, in Fall 2023. Once open, you can participate and fulfill requirements until graduation.