Notre Dame Internships: A World of Opportunities for Students

The University of Notre Dame offers a wealth of internship opportunities for undergraduate students across various disciplines. These programs provide invaluable real-world experience, the chance to network with professionals, and funding to make these experiences accessible.

Experiential Learning at Notre Dame

Undergraduate students who conduct research over the summer at the University of Notre Dame gain more than real-world experience. They also get the opportunity to work alongside professionals in their field, like faculty and PhD students, building relationships through mentorship, social events and other interactions that can last a lifetime.

Funding Your Internship

Notre Dame is committed to ensuring that every student has the financial means to participate in at least one summer internship. The university balances internship expenses with student income, offering various funding scenarios.

Funding Details

The application for summer internship funding typically opens in early January and remains open through the first week of June. To apply, students must answer a series of questions related to their summer internship. Payments are typically processed by mid-May for students awarded funding before April 1, via direct deposit.

Students must have direct deposit set up in InsideND to be eligible for payment. Funding is not guaranteed, as the university typically receives more requests than available funds.

Read also: Enrollment at Notre Dame

Funding Amounts

Unpaid internships typically qualify for up to $3,500. Students participating in unpaid summer internships in high-cost cities typically qualify for up to $5,500. Low-paying internships typically qualify for up to $3,000. Students participating in low-paying summer internships in high-cost cities typically qualify for up to $4,500. Funding will not exceed your income from your summer internship.

Eligibility Requirements

To be eligible for funding, students must be enrolled in the fall semester at Notre Dame. Any student participating in an internship outside of the United States and receiving financial or programmatic support from Notre Dame must complete the International Travel Registry through Notre Dame Global (NDG) and fulfill any requirements articulated by NDG (including, but not limited to, attending the Heath and Safety Summit). All University-funded students are required to have insurance coverage.

Housing Information

One of the most significant expenses of your summer internship will be your housing. The CCD is not able to secure housing for you. Apartment complexes/buildings (search online for options from sites like apartments.com, apartmentguide.com, etc. Above all, be sure to proceed with caution as you look at apartments and room-sharing services.

Internship Opportunities by College, School, or Unit

Many units on campus provide funding opportunities for undergraduate students. The opportunities available below are organized by College, School, or Unit offering the opportunity. Please check the details of the program eligibility and deadline information. William J. Notre Dame Energy: Vincent P.

Notre Dame Global

Notre Dame Global also offers undergraduate students an international summer immersive learning opportunity to discover firsthand how businesses and organizations operate in locations throughout the world. The program includes:

Read also: Ethical Leadership at Notre Dame

A one-week on-site orientation provided by the Notre Dame Global's global network and selected service providers.
A six-week placement within a business or organization that provides students with professional experiences related to their academic and professional interests.

The Career Center

The Career Center is a valuable source of international internship opportunities. After signing into the Go Irish portal; enter the desired destination country in the search box.

Notre Dame International and Gateways

Notre Dame has an entire department on campus dedicated to giving students access to studying and interning abroad, Notre Dame International. Notre Dame has multiple “Gateways” or campus hubs abroad. These include Dublin, London, Rome, Jerusalem, and Santiago. Many of these gateways have their own version of an Internship experience, for example, the Irish Internship at the Notre Dame Dublin Gateway or internships through the Notre Dame Rome Gateway.

Research Hubs

Notre Dame has many internationally-oriented research programs on campus, especially in the Kellogg School of Global Affairs, which focuses on internationally related research. For example, the Nanovic Institute for European Studies, part of the Kellogg School, focuses on European research and provides students with funding to explore their European Research interests.

International Internships

International internships are ideal for students looking to gain professional experience while building their international credentials. They provide a unique opportunity to interact with locals and establish long-lasting connections with people outside of their usual network. In addition to enhancing cultural understanding of the host city, internships are beneficial to a student’s professional development through exposure to an international work culture. They provide students with a firsthand opportunity to gain new knowledge and skills related to their desired field, as well as to practice and strengthen their intercultural communication skills. Living and working in a new country can be challenging.

Washington Program

Similar to study abroad programs, the university allows students to participate in either a semester or summer program, where they spend time developing relationships and gaining experience in organizations of their interest. Students receive academic credit for the internship program they choose in D.C., even if it is not explicitly political or policy-related. In addition to working a full-time internship, students are also required to enroll in a public policy course that allows them to connect with Notre Dame alumni and faculty working in the Capitol.

The mission of this program is deeply tied to the university’s concern for cultivating a student body responsive to Catholic obligations of citizenship and political participation. Dr. Thomas Kellenberg, the Executive Director of the Washington Program since its founding in 1998, referenced this Catholic call to civic duty in an interview with the Rover. He specifically referenced an excerpt from the USCCB document entitled “Forming Consciences for Faithful Citizenship: A Call to Political Responsibility” that writes, “As citizens, we should be guided more by our moral convictions than by our attachment to a political party or interest group. As the leader of this program, Dr.

Upon graduation, 22 percent of the program’s alumni return to D.C. for their first positions in the workforce. Despite being primarily oriented toward a civic and political goal, 32 percent of alumni either enter into education, financial services, or non-profit industries. Associate Director of the Washington Program Dr. Claudia Francis echoed this sentiment, telling the Rover, “Students intern at organizations across D.C.-not limited to government and policy, some work in media and private business. She also commented on the program’s priority of producing student-leaders committed to discovering the interconnection of civics and virtue. Donal Connaughton, a junior who participated in the Washington Program in the spring of 2025, told the Rover the program balanced both conservative and liberal ideologies, saying, “With respect to the ideological framework of the program, it is very open to all opinions, given that they have some sort of logical or factual grounding. Emma Duffy, a Notre Dame graduate and program alumna, commented on the ideology of program participants. “The students in the program had mainly liberal ideas, and it seemed to create a divide with those with more conservative ideals,” she explained. Raymond Webber is a sophomore philosophy major. His favorite hobby is listening to Bishop Fulton Sheen homilies on YouTube.

Additional Internship Opportunities

A wide array of internships are available, catering to diverse interests and career paths:

Center-Right Think Tank Internship: An 8-week summer leadership development internship at a prominent center-right think tank, offering the opportunity to work with renowned scholars and nonprofit leaders.
Religious Liberty Internship: A 10-week program where undergrads litigate high-profile religious liberty cases.
Center-Left Think Tank Internship: Students engage in career exploration & development in a meaningful & practical work experience at one of the oldest & most prominent center-left think tanks.
FIRE Internship: A 10-week, paid internship focused on educating students about their rights at colleges & universities.
HSLDA Legal Internship: Opportunities for law students and recent grads to advance homeschool freedom & parental rights.
State Policy Think Tank Internship: Apply to work/intern in the largest state policy think tank in the nation.
IJ Internship: Contribute to IJ’s constitutional litigation & advocacy work throughout the year.
Arthur D. Fostering Internship: Fostering intellectual growth while honing professional skills for those interested in law, philosophy, & America’s founding principles.
Catholic Internship: Perform critical work in executing our mission to transform legal culture and build a network of like-minded Catholics & mission-oriented individuals.
Journalism Internship: A 12-week paid internship in DC for aspiring reporters, providing hands-on experience and briefings with distinguished journalists and public policy experts.
Christian Leadership Apprenticeship: A 4-month-long apprenticeship program for Christian leaders wanting to create a positive impact in the Near East & at home.
Public Policy Research Internship: Interns conduct rigorous public policy research with a focus on free enterprise and democracy.
Susan B. Anthony List Internship: A pro-life think tank offering internships in the summer, spring, and fall.
TFAS Summer Program: Receive a full scholarship to live, learn, & intern during the TFAS summer program.

Advice for Finding Internships

Course of Study: Check out the resources in your major or course of study.
Professors and Mentors: Be proactive in asking about opportunities with your professors and mentors.
Research: Do research and do it early.

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