Summer Internship Experience Fund
The CMU Summer Internship Experience Fund will be available to current undergraduate students who are participating in off-campus, unpaid or underfunded internships located in the United States and abroad during the summer of 2025. This is a needs-based grant which aims to help offset expenses incurred during internships. The Career & Professional Development Center will be coordinating the dispersal of Carnegie Mellon institutional funds that have been set aside to enable students to have a high-impact summer experience.
The CMU Summer Internship Experience Fund is designed to encourage early career experiences that will support students' academic goals and career exploration. It is open to all undergraduate students; however, preference will be given to students who would not be able to participate in a low or unpaid internship without additional funds. The maximum amount of funding awarded is $3,000.
Students can submit applications beginning February 1, 2025. Completed applications (students have met with their consultant AND submitted an application) will be accepted and reviewed on a rolling basis until all funding has been awarded.
The final deadline for SIEF application submissions is May 2, 2025.
Which Students Are Eligible?
- Current undergraduate Carnegie Mellon students returning to campus as an undergraduate for the Fall 2025 semester
- Students who have already received an offer for an off-campus, unpaid or underfunded internship in the U.S. or abroad for summer 2025
What Internships are Eligible?
- Internship experience must be shown to support students’ academic and career goals and development
- Takes place during the Summer 2025 session: May 12, 2025 - August 22, 2025
- Must be unpaid or underfunded (employer does not pay enough to cover the expenses of the internship)
- Must be an off-campus internship (on-campus student employment jobs do not qualify)
- Must be a minimum of six weeks and at least 180 hours total (exception for certain music/art/drama programs or an internship that is very important for your career goals but the employer cannot provide enough hours - must get approval from Rachel Rosenfeld rrosenf1@andrew.jishuoba.com)
- Must be supervised by a professional in the field throughout the entire internship
- Summer research internships based in Pittsburgh are eligible as long as they are off campus (e.g. University of Pittsburgh)
- Contact the Office of Undergradate Research and Scholar Development (OURSD) for summer research grant and funding information for CMU research
What is the difference between an internship and a job?
An internship is any carefully monitored work or experience in which a student has intentional learning goals and reflects actively on what she or he is learning throughout the experience. Internships vary widely from organization to organization. Some common characteristics of an internship include:
- A time-limited experience that usually lasts about three months and occurs during the fall, spring or summer semesters
- Generally a one-time experience
- May be paid or unpaid
- May be part of a learning plan that the intern and career consultant develop together
- Is different from a short-term job or volunteer work and has an intentional “learning agenda” in a structured work environment
- Includes learning objectives, observation, reflection, evaluation, and assessment
- Has an existing employee working in the department/position to mentor and supervise the intern
- Promotes academic, career and/or personal development
February 1
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Students can begin submitting applications
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May 2
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Final deadline to submit and application
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Feb 15 - May 15
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Candidates notified of approval status as applications are reviewed
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May 2025 - June 2025
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Dispersal of Carnegie Mellon funds to students
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August 22, 2025
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Internship questionnaire due date
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Students are expected to find their own internships for this grant. The CPDC has many resources available to students on the website, at workshops and job fairs, and listed on Handshake. Students should consider attending our spring career fairs, as well as our early engagement events, Jumpstart and Internship Showcase:
We also encourage you to meet with your Career Consultant to assist you in this process. In addition, check with your academic advisor and network with family and friends to find opportunities.
