The Center for Career Engagement is committed to supporting students in pursuing internships as an important step in gaining valuable professional experience. The Center for Career Engagement Summer Internship Fund provides financial awards to undergraduate students to help offset the costs associated with completing unpaid or low-paid summer internships. Students can apply for awards from the Center for Career Engagement Internship Fund in the spring semester for upcoming summer internship opportunities.
Due to a high demand for internship support, the Center for Career Engagement is only able to provide funding to undergraduate students to support summer internships. If you are interested in an internship during the academic year, please schedule an appointment with a career coach to discuss your career goals and explore internship search strategies. You can find paid on-campus employment opportunities posted on Handshake.
Eligible Experiences
Internship Fund awards are open to currently enrolled, full-time, Danforth Campus undergraduate students. Students must be returning to WashU for at least one full-time semester after their summer opportunity. Internship opportunities should be substantive pre-professional experiences, including:
| Structured support | Students should have a direct supervisor who will provide ongoing support, coaching, and mentorship throughout the summer internship. |
| Location | Eligible internships are offered by off-campus employers. Unpaid opportunities offered by WashU departments and affiliates are not eligible for Summer Internship Fund awards. Paid on-campus student employment opportunities are posted in Handshake. Please contact Financial Aid for questions about Federal Work-Study eligibility. |
| Format | In-person and hybrid internship opportunities will receive priority consideration for Internship Fund awards. see eligible experience formats in each deadline below |
| Length | Eligible summer internship experiences are a minimum of 160 hours (or, minimum hours completed in a 6 week timeframe). Summer internships should occur between the months of May and August. Internships during the academic year are ineligible for Summer Internship Fund awards. |
| Unpaid or low-paid | Priority consideration will be given to students with unpaid internship opportunities. Students may also receive Summer Internship Fund awards for summer internship opportunities with less than $2,200 in compensation. email careers@wustl.edu if you have any questions about your low-paid experience. |
| Prior funding | Students who have not previously received a Summer Internship Fund award will receive priority consideration for awards to ensure as many students as possible can benefit from a funded professional experience. Students who have benefited from the summer internship fund in the past will be considered after the May 15th deadline. |
| Ineligible experiences | Summer Internship Fund awards are not available for fee-based internship programs (including internships where the host organization charges a fee to participate), political campaigns, and internships or other opportunities offered by WashU departments and affiliates. Startups founded by WashU students and alumni should seek funding from the Skandalaris Center for Interdisciplinary Innovation & Entrepreneurship. |
| WashU internship and fellowship programs | Students may not receive funding for their internship or fellowship from multiple WashU funding programs simultaneously. Interns may only participate in and receive funding from one WashU program for the summer. |
Internship Fund Application Deadline 1: Due April 15, 2025
Applications submitted by April 15, 2025 will be considered for a $3,500 Summer Internship Fund award for experiences that meet the following criteria:
- In-person and hybrid internship opportunities
- Unpaid internship opportunities
- WashU undergraduate students with demonstrated financial need as determined by Financial Aid
Awards will be distributed to students starting May 31, 2025.
Applications submitted by April 15 that do not meet the above criteria will be considered starting May 15.
Internship Fund Application Deadline 2: Due May 15, 2025
Applications submitted by May 15, 2025 that meet the above criteria will be considered for a $3,500 Summer Internship Fund award.
Students may also apply for a $1,000 Summer Internship fund award for experiences that meet the following criteria:
- In-person, hybrid, or remote internship opportunities
- Unpaid or low-paid internship opportunities. Eligible low-paid opportunities are internship experiences with less than $2,200 in compensation. Students must have demonstrated financial need to be considered for a low-paid internship award.
- All WashU undergraduate students (with or without demonstrated financial need as determined by Financial Aid
Awards will be distributed to students starting June 30, 2025.
Summer Internship Fund Application
Application will open February 8, 2025 and close May 15, 2025 at 11:59 pm.
Please contact careers@wustl.edu with any questions
Recipient Information
Summer Internship Funding recipients must attend a pre-departure meeting prior to leaving for the summer. Details will be emailed to all recipients with two departure meeting dates.
- Students will be required to submit a Thank You note to the program donors and can volunteer to be featured on our student spotlight page.
- Students must report their summer internship plans by May 31st.
- Students will be required to fill our a post-evaluation survey- Details will be emailed at the end of the summer.
Financial aid and tax implications
This stipend is required to be considered as part of your financial aid award for the upcoming school year. Student Financial Services is notified of all awards, and must review to ensure compliance with federal regulations. As each situation is unique, please reach out to your SFS Counselor to discuss any potential impacts. You can find your financial aid counselor here: https://financialaid.washu.edu/contact-us/
Questions about the Summer Internship Fund?
For questions about the Summer Internship Fund, please contact the Center for Career Engagement at careers@wustl.edu or stop by during our drop-in hours.