Internship Funding Resources

Support May Be Available For Your Unpaid Or Low Paying Internship

Ithaca College has several excellent resources to assist students with unpaid or low paying internships. These include the IC Career Center Internship Fund, The Class of '08 Scholarship, The Simon Family Scholarship, and The Washington DC Scholarship. Each program is explained below.

The IC Career Center Internship Fund

Ithaca College's IC Career Center Internship Fund has been created, with generous support from our alumni as well as the Emerson and Dana foundations, to help provide financial resources to students doing unpaid or low paying internships.

Before completing the application, we advise you to read all of the information on this page.

Application

Any full-time, current IC first-year, sophomore or junior looking to conduct a summer internship, either for credit OR not for credit, can apply. Students doing an internship for credit must still follow their school’s internship application requirements.

Please Note: This fund does not support required clinical placements or student teaching.

The fund prioritizes students who have financial need, are conducting an unpaid or low-paying internship, or are conducting an internship in which personal travel and/or lodging expenses apply.

Applicants must be in good academic and conduct standing.

Funds can range between $1,000 - $5,000 and will be paid out upon confirmation of the internship.

In order to receive the full stipend, the internship must be at least 290 hours (8 weeks at 35 hours per week) or more. Students conducting shorter internships can still apply and receive a smaller stipend commensurate with the length of internship and need.

Other financial awards that a student may have received while at Ithaca College will be factored into the decision of whether or not a student can be eligible for the IC Career Center Internship Fund.

Students may choose to have the award applied to their tuition if the internship is for credit, or they may collect it as a part of a one-time payment which may be taxable. Students will need to register with our online procurement site in order to receive payment. More info will be shared about how to do this if awarded.

Students do not need to have an internship secured at the time they apply, but they must officially secure one within 2 weeks of receiving the award, along with proof of hire and the amount they will earn. Failure to do so will result in forfeiture of the award for this internship cycle.

Students conducting in-person, hybrid or remote internships are all eligible to apply provided the employer is headquartered within the U.S. and can be verified as a legitimate recognized business.

Required academic field work such as student teaching, clinicals, etc. are not eligible for funding.

Students must complete an application, and include an updated resumé, a personal statement, and when the internship has been secured, a copy of the internship offer letter with compensation amount, budgetary breakdown and internship description.

Applications open the first day of spring semester (January 21st, 2025) and close April 1st.
Applicants must be in good academic and conduct standing.
Stipends are limited and not everyone that applies will receive funding.

Tips for completing your personal statement and budget

Applications are due by April 1st. Awards will be determined and applicants will be notified by April 15th.

Applications will be reviewed by a committee of internal stakeholders to include staff from the Center for Career Exploration and Development, Advancement, and Student Financial Services.

Selected recipients will be required to attend a mandatory Award Meeting in mid-April to receive their award information and the steps required for all award recipients.

All offers are conditional upon securing a summer internship experience.

When internship is finalized, recipients must turn in the following items by Thursday, May 1st at noon.

Employer Offer Letter on Employer Letterhead: PDF may be emailed but must include employer signature. Original emails must be forwarded from official employer address.

Direct Deposit: information is available through the Registrar’s Office.

International Students: Must confirm CPT/OPT and overall eligibility requirements with the Office of International Programs prior to receiving award.

https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1ROqOPttEU9EI6n-NoOIuMLYZnQxSewzr

Taxes: In compliance with IRS regulations, stipends are taxable income. Funding recipients are responsible for reporting this award on their tax returns, and will be asked to sign a separate tax letter confirming this information has been put before them. Please consult your tax advisor for additional information.

If a student has received the internship fund previously, they can still apply, but priority will go to students with demonstrated financial need who have not previously received it.

Scholarship Opportunities

Information About Available Scholarships

Internships DO NOT need to be secured by the March 15, 2025 deadline ; however, if selected for this scholarship you will be required to submit an internship confirmation letter by April 5, 2025. Students can expect to be notified of the determinations made by May 1, 2025. - Disbursement of funds is coordinated by Student Financial Services. Students can expect disbursement to their student account on or near July 1, 2025.

In order to be considered for any of the internship scholarships, applications must be complete (use the checklist below).

Student(s) selected to receive this scholarship will be required to:

Meet with a Career Engagement Specialist by the end of the Spring semester to discuss planning and preparation for your internship and best practices for completion.
Agree to write a thank-you letter to the donor and participate in a short video in collaboration with the Office of Donor Relations after your internship to reflect on the experience and acknowledge the impact of the award.
Sign a permission form giving the Center for Career Exploration and Development permission to post your name and internship for promotional purposes.
Student must be in good judicial standing, possess a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher and demonstrate financial need as determined by the Office of Student Financial Services.

Apply here if interested.

Please note: graduating seniors continuing in PT and/or OT programs at Ithaca College are ineligible for internship scholarships. Additionally, students who receive full tuition assistance (such as Park Scholars) or students who do not receive financial aid are ineligible for internship scholarships.

For questions concerning scholarships and fellowships, please contact email careers@ithaca.edu.

Class of 2008 Scholarship

Through the generosity of the Class of 2008, this scholarship will be awarded to one current first-year, sophomore, or junior student who has an UNPAID internship in the Summer of 2025. This award is $1,216. The internship may be credit bearing or non-credit bearing. The recipient will be in good judicial standing, possess a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher and demonstrate financial need as determined by Student Financial Services.

Apply here if interested.

Simon Family Scholarship

Awarded to a sophomore, junior, or senior in the School of Humanities and Sciences, School of Health Sciences and Human Performance, or School of Business. The recipient will have an unpaid summer internship that focuses on one or a combination of the following: healthcare, human services, gerontology, and the environment. Preference will be given to students with internships in the nonprofit or public sectors. This award is $5,012. The recipient must be in good academic and judicial standing, with demonstrated financial need.

Apply here if interested.

Washington, D.C. Scholarship

This scholarship will be awarded to one current first-year, sophomore or junior student who has an UNPAID OR PAID internship in the Washington, D.C. area for the summer of 2025. This award is $2,068 . The internship may be credit bearing or non-credit bearing. The recipient will be in good academic & judicial standing, possess a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher and will demonstrate financial need as determined by Student Financial Services.

Apply here if interested.