Career Center Summer Internship Grants
Location: United States
Fall 2020 update: Updates to the Internship Grants for Summer 2021 forthcoming.
Each summer we fund 40-50 undergraduate students doing unpaid internships for a minimum of 300 hours. These funds offer students the opportunity to explore career fields and gain experience. Selected students will receive $4,000. Students must secure an internship prior to the deadlines.
- Internship Grants for Undergraduates
- Application Process and Deadlines
- Components of a Complete Application
- Selection Criteria for All Internship Grants
- Requirements and Restrictions for Applicant
- Requirements for Grant Recipients; Allocation of Funding
Internship Grants for Undergraduates
|
Type of Grant and Number Available
|
Description of Funding; Additional Requirements |
|---|---|
| Non-profit or Public Sector Internship Grants | Internships can be U.S.-based (non-profit or public sector) or international (non-profit only) |
| Tufts Diversity Internship Grants | Internships can be U.S.-based (non-profit or private sector) or international (non-profit only); Must receive financial aid from Tufts |
| Entrepreneurial Leadership Internship Grants | For entrepreneurial internships. Internships can be U.S.-based (non-profit or private sector) |
| Bruce-Griffey Leadership and Diversity Internship Grants | For internships in the non-profit or for-profit sectors; Preference will be given to students receiving financial aid, involved with the Africana Center, committed to leadership and diversity on campus and in the community, and invested in helping others and improving the life of Tufts’ dynamic and diverse community of students, faculty and alumni. |
| Norton Nickerson Grant for Internships in Environmental Studies | For internships in environmental studies; Preference will be given to Environmental Studies majors whose internship is in the field of environmental science. Internships can be U.S.-based (non-profit or private sector) or international (non-profit only). |
| Starr Summer Fellowship | For students enrolled in an SMFA undergraduate program (BFA or BFA + BA/BS) pursuing arts-related internships. Preference given to students working unpaid internships. Internships can be U.S.-based (non-profit/public sector or private sector) or international (non-profit only). |
| The Richard D. White, A76 and Family Endowed Internship Fund | Internships must be U.S.-based (non-profit or private sector) with an emphasis on innovation. |
Application Process and Deadlines
TBD for Summer 2021 Internships
- Internships must be in non-profit/public sector (excludes all named grants including Tufts Diversity Fund)
- All funding applications for internships must be submitted by the deadline: Sunday, March 21 11:59 PM EST
- Initial funding decisions will be made by the Career Center on Friday, April 9, 2021
- Please note that all funding for internship opportunities outside the US are contingent upon approval from Tufts International Travel Review Committee, and students must apply for travel review and receive approval before being eligible to receive university grant funding.
Components of a Complete Application
Complete all relevant sections of online application including:
- Essay questions
- Resume (uploaded)
- Unofficial Transcript (uploaded)
- Offer letter from internship site (uploaded)*
- Completed learning goals [Sample]
*Note: Offer letter should be on organization letterhead and include: 1) Confirmation of the position and title 2) Commitment to a minimum of 300 hours 3) Anticipated start/end dates 4) Frequency of supervision (how often will the intern meet with the supervisor) 5) Internship completion method (remote/hybrid/in-person)
Selection Criteria for All Internship Grants
The application process is competitive, and we do consider and prioritize financial aid status in the awarding of internship grants, however, you don’t have to be receive financial aid to apply for, or, receive the grant. All application materials should be thorough and complete. The proposal should demonstrate a clear relationship between a student’s planned internship and their career development goals. The proposal should demonstrate a clear relationship between a student’s planned internship and career development goals. The internship should allow the student to grow personally and professionally aligning with the following internship program outcomes:
Career Exploration: Reflect on and explore interests, values, strengths and skills in the workplace
Liberal Arts Skills: Build essential competencies including critical thinking, problem solving, oral/written communication, collaboration, and leadership
Intercultural Fluency: Increase cultural competence by engaging productively in a work environment with others from diverse cultures, races, ages, genders, sexual identities, and religions
Connections and Community: Gain exposure to, and build connections with, a variety of working professionals who share professional interests
Career Management: Continue gaining clarity on desired career goals and becoming able to identify areas for necessary professional growth and opportunities in the workplace
Requirements and Restrictions for Applicants
Please read carefully:
- Students may receive a Career Center internship grant only once.
- All applicants must be in good standing with the university.
- All applicants must be full-time, matriculated, undergraduate students at Tufts University during the current spring semester, throughout the summer internship and the following fall semester (graduating seniors or seniors entering into the graduate portion of a combined program are ineligible).
- International students selected to receive a grant for a domestic/U.S. based internship must apply for Curricular Practical Training (CPT) through the Tufts International Center.
- All funding for internship opportunities outside the US are contingent upon approval from Tufts International Travel Review Committee, and students must apply for travel review and receive approval before being eligible to receive university grant funding.
- All applicants must be full-time matriculated students at Tufts University during the summer internship and the following fall semester (graduating seniors are ineligible)
- Internships must be full-time, totaling 300 hours, and be completed by August 31.
- Internships must be unpaid. (You may receive up to $1,500 from your internship organization and still be eligible to apply for a grant.)
- Failure to complete all 300 hours will affect compensation for this internship. Please note: Student must contact the Career Center immediately in this case. Failure to complete the internship and outlined grant requirements, might be violation of the Tufts University Code of Conduct and could result in disciplinary action.
- Internships or research opportunities with Tufts University AS&E Faculty are not eligible. Students can apply for funding if they are doing research for Non-AS&E professors (Professors working at other Tufts schools/colleges — Medical, Nutrition, Fletcher, etc. — and not teaching undergraduate courses). See Summer Scholars Program for Tufts affiliated research opportunities.
- If you’ve previously worked at the same site for which you are currently applying for funding, you must clearly explain how the responsibilities of this new internship position are significantly different from your previous position. Funding will not be granted for an internship that you have already done.
- Pay-to-participate international or domestic internship programs will not be funded.
- Independent and unsupervised internships will not be considered; must be interning for a host organization. Remote internships will not be considered, hours need to be completed on-site.
- Host organization cannot be owned or run by a member of intern’s immediate family.
- Internship must be done through one sponsor and must be supervised by someone at the site. Supervisor may not be a family member.
- Funding cannot be granted for internships involved in direct proselytizing for religious work (i.e. conversion to a religion, sect, or denomination).
- Students will be enrolled in Transcript Notation through the Career Center.
Requirements for Grant Recipients; Allocation of Funding
Students who receive a grant must complete the Summer Internship Grant Program, of which where are a number of required program components including:
- Attendance at mandatory pre-internship orientation
- Career Advising
- Informational Interview Report
- Resume Refresh
- Supervisor Evaluation
- Final Reflection Paper
- Internship Spotlight
- Additional requirements for donor-funded internship grant recipients through Tufts Advancement
- Possible additional requirements for international students receiving Curricular Practical Training (CPT)
Failure to complete all 300 hours will affect compensation for this internship.
Please note: Student must contact the Career Center immediately in this case. Failure to complete the internship and outlined grant requirements, might be violation of the Tufts University Code of Conduct and could result in disciplinary action.
If you fail to complete the grant requirements or if you are terminated from your internship experience (or quit) you will be required to return a pro-rated amount of the grant to the Career Center.