UConn’s commitment to provide every student with a life-transformative education begins with an intentional and systemic effort to bring together myriad opportunities for students to build authentic, supportive relationships and to make an impact on real-world problems by applying what they’ve learned in the classroom. That’s where the Internship on Scholarship Program comes in.Offering an internship on scholarship can benefit both students and your department. Consider projects that your team has always wanted to work on but hasn’t had the time or new and innovative ideas you’d like to try. Know that you’ll also be supporting a student in developing essential skills for career readiness. All UConn departments are welcome to host an internship through this program.Internship requirements:
- Must have a learning component with defined educational outcomes to support University goals
- Student completes an end of term evaluation
- Opportunity will be defined as experiential learning to support student growth and development
- The opportunity must be different from student labor/work study employment options within the department/office
Funding of the scholarship:
- Departmental operating budget by allocating a portion of student labor budget to pay for the scholarship
- Other departmental funds may be used, at the department’s discretion
- Scholarship amount is to be determined by the department; there is no limit on the scholarship amount
- First 50 opportunities will be matched by the Division of Student Life & Enrollment, up to $1,250
Review the resources at the bottom of the page for guidance in developing a quality internship opportunity.
Internship on Scholarship – Frequently Asked Questions
All UConn departments can host an intern through the Internship on Scholarship Program. Past interns have been hosted by both academic departments and administrative departments.
The sponsoring department will be able to dedicate resources to new or unique initiatives while providing a student with an experiential learning opportunity.
The scholarship amount varies and is determined by the department offering the internship based on the funding they have available and the size of the project the intern will be working on. It is recommended, though not required, that the department consider the approximate number of hours the project will take to complete as well as the minimum wage and determine a scholarship amount accordingly.
Currently (as of the 2024-2025 academic year), Student Life and Enrollment is matching scholarships up to $1,250 per semester. Departments considering an Internship on Scholarship beyond the 2024-2025 academic year should contact Student Life and Enrollment to determine if the matching is still available.
Departments commonly allocate a portion of their operating budget previously set aside for student labor to an Internship on Scholarship. However, departments are permitted to allocate any portion of their operating budget to fund the scholarship. Additionally, faculty or staff who have received grants to support research or other initiatives may use grant funds for the Internship on Scholarship provided there are no guidelines on the grant funding that restrict such use.
The sponsoring department is permitted to design the project, duties, and responsibilities of their Internship on Scholarship provided they are not the same responsibilities as an existing work study or student labor position in the department. Some examples include research, data analysis, development of new initiatives, social media/communications, etc. The intern may complete the required work onsite or virtually based on the departmental needs.
Internships on Scholarship are project-based without a defined number of hours. The sponsoring department should work with the intern to co-develop a work arrangement that will ensure each of the learning objectives are met by the time the internship is complete.
The sponsoring department can sponsor one or two Internship on Scholarship students at a time, as long as funds are available.
Internships on Scholarship can be offered throughout the year. Internships can take place during the fall or spring semesters, during the summer, or a combination. Internships can also vary in length from one week to one year depending on the needs of the sponsoring department.
- The sponsoring department will submit an internship proposal, which will be reviewed by the Office of Student Financial Aid Services and either approved or returned for revision
- Once approved, the internship will be posted on the Center for Career Development website and marketed to all eligible students via email
- Interested students will apply by submitting a resume and responses to three short-answer questions via an online form
- Each student application received will be reviewed by the Office of Student Financial Aid Services to confirm eligibility, then forwarded to the sponsoring department
- The sponsoring department will review all applications and determine how they plan to select a candidate (interviews are recommended but not required)
- The sponsoring department will contact candidates to set up interviews (if applicable), offer the internship to the preferred candidate, and let the remaining candidates know they have not been selected for the position
- The sponsoring department will follow the scholarship disbursement process through the Office of Student Financial Aid Services to ensure the scholarship is added to the intern’s financial aid package and disbursed through the Student Administration System
The sponsoring department can provide the student’s name and PeopleSoft ID# to the Office of Student Financial Aid Services, and that department will confirm an individual’s eligibility for the Internship on Scholarship.
Sponsors and interns should complete the Student Intern Learning Roadmap and Internship Expectations document created by the Center for Career Development at the beginning of the experience to develop a set of goals. At the end of the internship, both the intern and the sponsor should also complete an end of term/project evaluation to outline if the goals have been met and provide feedback on the experience.
For questions about the Internship on Scholarship Program, please contact Suzanne Peters in the Office of Student Financial Aid Services (suzanne.peters@uconn.edu).
