About the Fellowship

Internships can unlock countless opportunities for graduate students to develop transferable skills that cannot be gained through their graduate studies but are nonetheless crucial to their career success. The Graduate Student Internship Fellowship aims to assist graduate students with attaining experience related to career goals and professional development. The Graduate Student Internship Fellowship will be awarded to students who demonstrate how their Summer or Fall 2024 internship/work experience will impact their career trajectory and demonstrate financial need. The Graduate Student Internship Fellowship is made possible for this year through GSA fees and is coordinated by Career Services and GSA. 

Eligibility

  1. The work experience is meant to be an opportunity for students to learn job & career skills in a non-academic setting.
  2. This opportunity must be a work opportunity/internship/job that is not a part of an academic requirement/expectation of the program. For students who are in programs where the internship/job is required or expected (e.g., CCSP psychology students, Bren Master’s students) to be eligible to apply, you need to do another internship beyond your program general requirements.
  3. Priority will be given to students who have a work opportunity that lasts over 4 weeks or 160 hours minimum.
  4. This fellowship is about professional & career development. This is not open to students who are seeking an opportunity to solely advance their research and academic goals (e.g., this is not dissertation funding research).
  5. The setting of the work experience needs to be in a professional setting (e.g., non-profit, for-profit setting). Remote settings qualify. This is not open to students attending a training course.
  1. Open to all graduate students enrolled through the quarter after their internship/job ends. Graduating students in Summer 2024 are not eligible.
  2. Graduate students do not have to have an internship secured to apply; you may apply to this fellowship while you are in the process of applying to the internship(s). However, graduate students need to have secured an internship/work opportunity by May 24, 2024, to proceed to the interview process.
  3. Students will be required to submit proof of internship/job. 
  4. Demonstrate financial need and impact of the fellowship award. This fellowship was established to help make it feasible for students to complete non-paid or low-paying opportunities. This is not open to students receiving a salary or hourly wage. 

Application Focus

There are 2 essay questions and a resume that are part of the application. We highly suggest you follow the prompts thoroughly and ask for support writing if you need it (see FAQ below about where to ask for help.

1.

Career and Professional Development: ​
Please write a statement (500 words max) that describes what career/job skills you expect to gain from participating in your work opportunity. Please address:

  • ​What are your larger career goals (after graduation) and how would this experience help you achieve your goal(s)?
  • What will you be doing during your job/internship? What will you be learning/accomplishing?
  • What skills/knowledge do you hope to gain that you wouldn’t get from your graduate program?
  • If applicable, how do your academic interests relate to this opportunity?

2.

Demonstrate Financial Need:
Please write a brief statement (250 words max) that describes financial need and how the fellowship would be used to facilitate your ability to do the Summer/Fall 2024 internship job experience. Please address:

  • Describe financial need and how this funding would support you
  • If applicable, describe how this funding could alleviate other academic positions/jobs
  • If applicable, explain any additional funding you may be receiving for this internship/job
  • Please include a budget identifying how the fellowship funds will be used

3.

Please provide your professional resume, as well as the job description, offer letter, or other relevant documents, if applicable.

A strong application is one where the applicant has explained:

  • How the opportunity/internship will benefit their career interests and future professional opportunities
  • How your academic sucess has led to your interest in the current field
  • What career/job do you want after you graduate and how does this work experience help you achieve that goal
  • Be clear about how this work experience would be an opportunity to learn new skills in a non-academic setting

A strong application is one where the applicant has explained:

  • How job opportunity/internship will benefit their career interests and future professional opportunities
  • Talk about how your academic success has led to your interest in the current field
  • What career/job do you want after you graduate and how does this work experience help you achieve that goal
  • Be clear in how this work experience would be an opportunity to learn new skills in a non-academic setting

Interviews

 

  • Selected applicants will proceed to the interview round.
  • 20-minute interviews will be on May 20, 2024.
  • Please be prepared to explain further your work opportunity and how this fits into your career/professional goals.

Award Distribution

There are four-five $2,000-2,500 fellowships that will be awarded based on the following criteria:

  • Potential for a substantive career learning experience and valuable growth beyond the academic program
  • Financial need and impact of fellowship to ease the need to engage in the opportunity
  • Completion of application, submission of a resume, and met eligibility criteria
  • 20-minute interview to articulate work opportunity 
  • The internship must be confirmed by May 24, 2024; however, students do not have to accept the offer by the interview; you can still decide on the opportunity fit. 

Important Dates

  • Applications are open from April 8, 2024, to April 26, 2024
  • 20-min interviews the week of May 20, 2024
  • Awardees notified by May 31, 2024

Graduate students do not have to have an internship secured to apply; you may apply to this fellowship while you are in the process of applying for an internship(s). However, internship offers need to be made by May 20, 2024, for selected students to participate in the interview portion of this application process. If you are nominated for an award, internships need to be conformed/accepted by May 31, 2024.

FAQ

Priority will be given to students who demonstrate financial need. Students who are seeking non-paid or low paid opportunities will be given priority. If you have received other financial support that does not automatically disqualify you. In your statement, please describe how this fellowship funding will help you. However, this is not open to students who are receiving a working salary or hourly wage.

The aim of this fellowship is awarded to support students in experiences related to career goals and professional development. If the volunteer opportunity is career-focused then you can apply. If the volunteer experience is something you do to enhance your general well-being or because of an interest, then this fellowship opportunity isn’t for you, as the aim is to advance career/job skills.

Yes, we highly encourage folks to seek out a review of their application materials. Please schedule an appointment with the Graduate Student Resource Center (GSRC) professional staff to review your materials by emailing gsrc@ucsb.edu. You will be expected to provide the application materials 2-3 business days in advance of your appointment, so please plan ahead.

  • International Students: yes
  • P3 Status Students: yes
  • Postdocs: no
  • Graduate students seeking an internship in Summer or Fall 2024, as long as they are enrolled the quarter after the internship is done. Graduating students seeking an internship after they have graduated are not eligible.

This award is not to fund dissertation research. However, if your internship experience overlaps with some of your dissertation work that is okay as long as the internship is for you to gain experience working in a non-academic work setting.

Other details

 

 Apply Here 

For questions, please contact Career Services or the VP of Communications and Events at "gsa-vpce@ucsb.edu"!