Internship Funding
To support students in reaching their career goals and help offset cost of living expenses during the internship experience, Career Advancement offers a limited pool of funding for unpaid, student-sourced opportunities in industries that traditionally do not offer intern compensation. Funding is provided through the University’s Jeff Metcalf Internship Program.
The primary grant for summer internships is the Metcalf Summer Experience Grant, and there are several additional potential funding sources depending on the nature of your opportunity.
While all of these grants are highly competitive, career advisers are available to help you create a back-up plan. Your adviser can support you with finding paid opportunities and introducing you to potential employers.
Eligible Experiences
All currently enrolled, active undergraduates are eligible to apply for Metcalf grants. Students’ self-sourced opportunity should be a substantive, high-quality experience:
Work structure: Internships can be remote, in-person, or hybrid. Hybrid and in-person opportunities receive priority consideration.
Guided experience: Students should have a direct supervisor who will provide ongoing support, coaching, and mentorship.
Location: Metcalf grants support internships with off-campus employers. Limited funding is available for on-campus positions in healthcare, law, and STEM.
Length: a full-time experience during the summer is considered 320+ hours (or ~8+ weeks).
Pay: Students may request funding for experiences that are unpaid or where the compensation they receive from the employer is less than the University stipend for the same number of hours (see Internship Hours and Award Amounts section below).
Stipend award: A standard stipend amount for a full-time experience is $4,000. Odyssey Scholars, merit scholarship recipients, and students from specialized career cohorts are eligible to receive $5,000 for a full-time, summer experience.
Prior funding: Priority consideration will be given to students who have not previously received Metcalf funding to ensure that as many students as possible can benefit from a funded summer experience.
Ineligible experiences: Metcalf grants do not support opportunities with fee-based internship programs (including internships where the host organization charges a fee to participate) or with political campaigns. As a 501(c)(3) tax exempt organization, the University is prohibited from participating in political campaign activities.
Funding Sources by Opportunity Type
Career Cohort Programs
If you’ve received an internship grant through your participation in a Career Advancement cohort program, follow the appropriate link to request access to your funding. The funding request links will be available later in the academic year.
1st Year Odyssey Scholars (Class of 2028)
Dean’s, President’s, and Pritzker Scholars (all class years)
Interdisciplinary Career Cohorts (Class of 2028 & 2027)
Arts and Humanities
Off-campus academic year internships: Media, Arts, and Design Grant (application link available when the 2024-2025 grant goes live)
Paid projects mentored by artists, writers, and journalists: Practitioner Program
Off-campus summer internships: Metcalf Summer Experience Grant (application link available when the 2024-2025 grant goes live)
Career projects related to major: Seidel Scholars Grant
Employer-paid experiences: subscribe to the Careers in Media, Arts, and Design, Careers in Gaming, and Metcalf Program newsletters for regular updates on paid internships
Healthcare
On- and off-campus summer internships: Metcalf Summer Experience Grant (application link available when the 2024-2025 grant goes live)
Faculty-mentored summer research in health, medicine, and science: Katen Scholars Program
Internships in community health and the social context of health and medicine based either in the UChicago hospital system or the broader Chicago community: Careers in Healthcare Fellows in Community and Social Medicine
Employer-paid experiences: subscribe to the Careers in Biological Sciences, Careers in Healthcare, and Metcalf Program newsletters for regular updates on paid internships.
Law
On- and off-campus summer internships: Metcalf Summer Experience Grant (application link available when the 2024-2025 grant goes live)
Employer-paid experiences: subscribe to the Careers in Law and Metcalf Program newsletters for regular updates on paid internships.
Social Sciences
Off-campus summer internships: Metcalf Summer Experience Grant (application link available when the 2024-2025 grant goes live)
Summer human rights internships: Human Rights Summer Internship Program
Career projects related to major: Seidel Scholars Grant
Employer-paid experiences: subscribe to the Careers in Policy and Social Impact, Climate and Energy Careers, Global Health and Health Policy, and Metcalf Program newsletters for regular updates on paid internships
STEM
On- and off-campus summer internships: Metcalf Summer Experience Grant (application link available when the 2024-2025 grant goes live)
Faculty-mentored summer research in the biological sciences: Biological Sciences Collegiate Division Summer Fellowships
Employer-paid experiences: subscribe to the Careers in Behavioral Sciences, Careers in Biological Sciences, Careers in Computer Science, Careers in Engineering, Careers in Physical Sciences newsletters for regular updates on paid internships
Academic Research with Faculty
Students interested in securing funding for research positions with faculty members should explore grant programs offered by the College Center for Research and Fellowships.
Application for Metcalf Summer Experience Grant
The Metcalf Summer Experience Grant follows the schedule below. Your application should clearly describe your intended plans, showcase alignment to your specific learning/career goals, and draw connections between experiences. Our career advising team is happy to meet with you and help you prepare your materials. You can schedule a career advising appointment via Handshake.
By applying to this internship grant, you agree to follow the Student Recruiting Guidelines.
Cycle | Open | Close | Decisions Released |
Cycle 1 | Friday, January 17 (Winter Quarter, Week 2) | Monday, February 10 | Monday, February 17 (Acceptance Deadline: February 18) |
Cycle 2 | Friday, February 21 (Winter Quarter, Week 7) | Monday, March 24 (Spring Quarter, Week 3) | Monday, March 31 (Acceptance Deadline: April 1) |
Metcalf Fellowship Grant:
Sample Internship Lengths and Award Ranges
Hours per Quarter | In-Person U.S. Internships | In-Person Internships Abroad | Remote Internships |
0 - 100 | $250 - $1,250 | $300 - $1,500 | $200 - $1,150 |
101 - 220 | $1,500 - $2,750 | $1,800 - $3,300 | $1,400 - $2,650 |
221 - 320+ | $3,000 - $4,000 | $3,600 - $5,000 | $2,900 - $4,000 |
Odyssey Metcalf Grant:
Sample Internship Lengths and Award Ranges
Hours per Quarter | In-Person U.S. Internships | In-Person Internships Abroad | Remote Internships |
0 - 100 | $400 - $1,600 | $500 - $1,700 | $300 - $1,500 |
101 - 220 | $1,900 - $3,500 | $2,000 - $3,600 | $1,800 - $3,000 |
221 - 320+ | $3,800 - $5,000 | $3,900 - $5,000 | $3,600 - $5,000 |
Grant Questions?
For questions about the Metcalf Fellowship Grant, please contact metcalfgrant@uchicago.edu.