Navigating the World of Unpaid Internships: Grants and Funding Opportunities
Many students and graduates recognize the value of internships in gaining practical experience and advancing their careers. However, unpaid internships can present a significant financial barrier. Fortunately, various grants and funding opportunities exist to support individuals pursuing these valuable experiences. This article explores several avenues for securing financial assistance for unpaid internships, with a focus on programs offered by educational institutions and external organizations.
Institutional Support for Unpaid Internships
Vassar College Resources
Vassar College offers a comprehensive suite of resources through its Center for Career Education (CCE) to help students finance summer opportunities, including internships. These resources include:
Internship Grant Fund (IGF): This fund provides financial support to Vassar students participating in low-pay and unpaid summer internship opportunities. The amount awarded depends on financial need, the proposed budget, and the time commitment required by the internship (part-time vs. full-time, duration). The IGF is supported by a variety of funding sources, both unrestricted and restricted to specific industries or fields.
Burnam Fellowship: This fellowship supports students pursuing meaningful summer internships or independent projects with non-profit or community-based agencies, either in the United States or abroad. Projects should be hands-on, people-oriented, and have a tangible impact on the communities involved. Typical awards range from $3000 to $6000.
Ellen Rudnick ’72 Student Entrepreneur Funds: These funds empower Vassar students to design, launch, and advance their own entrepreneurial ventures during the summer. The funds are specifically for students acting as creators, founders, and changemakers, rather than interns. The fund offers two award categories:
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- Ellen Rudnick ’72 Impact Fellowships: These fellowships, worth $6000, are awarded to students who devote full-time effort (35-40 hours/week for at least 6 weeks) to developing and implementing well-developed entrepreneurial projects with significant social or community impact.
- Ellen Rudnick ’72 Catalyst Awards: These awards, worth $2000, are for students exploring early-stage or experimental ideas while balancing their entrepreneurial work with other summer commitments like internships, research, or coursework.
A total of $20,000 is awarded annually across both categories.
Harold S. Tananbaum Fellowship: Also known as the Tananbaum Family Leadership Program for Work and Development, this merit-based fellowship provides internship support, mentoring, and educational opportunities for Vassar sophomores and juniors who demonstrate a commitment to professional and personal growth and achievement. Financial need is not a consideration for this fellowship. Internships can include work with non-profit or for-profit entities, research, and other hands-on experiences. Past recipients have interned at organizations like Institutional Shareholder Services, the Office of Commercial Affairs at the Royal Thai Embassy, JP Morgan Chase Corporate and Investment Bank, NY Green Bank, and The White House.
David, Helen & Marian Woodward Fund-Watertown: This fund supports veterans enrolled at Vassar who are pursuing unpaid or low-paid summer internships in government, non-profit organizations, and business. The fund aims to encourage and support veterans' ability to take summer internships they might not seek otherwise, recognizing that veterans' benefits do not apply during the summer and that some veterans have family responsibilities.
Thompson Bartlett Fellowships: From 2013 to 2025, the Thompson Bartlett Fellowships for Science, Mathematics, and Computer Science and the Thompson Bartlett Fellowships for Economics provided opportunities for Vassar students to pursue full-time summer internships and research in professional settings. These need-based fellowships sought to expand access to STEM and economics careers for women and other historically underrepresented groups.
Elizabeth C. Washington, D.C. Fellowship for Policy, Government, and Law: This fellowship supports students with unpaid or low-pay internships or fellowships in policy, government, law and related non-profits, broadly defined, in the Washington D.C. area.
Funding for International Internships: Current first-year, sophomore, junior, or senior students with a secured summer internship in a foreign country may be eligible for funding. Preference is given to applicants with limited opportunity and experience living and working abroad. A portion of the funds may be applied to satisfy the recipients’ summer earnings requirement.
In addition to these grants and funds administered by the Center for Career Education, various departments and offices across the college administer funds for summer experiences.
Ithaca College Resources
Ithaca College also provides several resources to assist students with unpaid or low-paying internships:
IC Career Center Internship Fund: Any full-time, current first-year, sophomore, or junior IC student looking to conduct a summer internship, either for credit or not for credit, can apply. Funds can range between $1,000 and $5,000, with priority given to students who have the most financial need. To receive the full stipend, the internship must be at least 290 hours (8 weeks at 35 hours per week) or more. Students who are awarded will receive a one-time payment in advance of the internship, provided the applicant completes their registration paperwork on time. Students conducting in-person, hybrid, or remote internships are all eligible to apply. Applications are typically due by April 15th, and students can expect to be notified of the determinations made by May 1st. Disbursement of funds is coordinated by Student Financial Services and is typically disbursed to the student's account on or near July 1st.
Students selected to receive this scholarship are typically required to:
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- 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.
Graduating seniors continuing in PT and/or OT programs at Ithaca College are generally ineligible for internship scholarships.
The Class of '08 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. The award amount is $1,258. The internship may be credit-bearing or non-credit bearing.
The Simon Family Scholarship: This scholarship is 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 $5,599.
The Washington DC 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. The award amount is $2,194. The internship may be credit bearing or non-credit bearing. Preference is given to students seeking their FIRST internship/career experience in their chosen field of interest and demonstration of financial hardship incurred by taking on an unpaid internship experience.
Colonel Tom Johnson Family Scholarship for Veterans Endowment: Additional funding for undergraduate veterans (DD-214 required) has been provided by a generous donation from the Colonel Tom Johnson Family Scholarship for Veterans Endowment. Funding is available for these students for fall, spring and summer terms.
External Funding Sources
Beyond institutional support, several external organizations offer grants and funding for unpaid internships:
Grant Funding from Private Foundations or Government Agencies: Grant funding can be available for volunteer projects, unpaid internships, or personal research endeavors from either private foundations or government agencies. For example, the federal government offers grants for environmental work with the Forest Service, Fish and Wildlife Service, and other agencies to individuals at grants.gov. When searching grants, be sure to check “individuals” in the eligibility section.
Foundation Grants: The database for non-governmental individual grants located at Foundation Grants is specifically for individuals looking for funding and includes nearly 10,000 grant-makers. It offers details on funders that provide scholarships, fellowships, grants, and a wide range of financial support to individuals. Access to their database requires a subscription, but many libraries have a subscription you can use.
SPIN: SPIN is the world’s largest database of sponsored funding opportunities. Although SPIN does not list internships, it does offer a database filled with scholarships and grants for research projects and internships.
National Science Foundation (NSF): The NSF funds a large number of research experiences for undergraduates (REU). NSF helps students partner with institutions associated with a specific research project and offers a stipend, housing, and paid travel expenses for students to explore research opportunities around the globe. Along with REUs, NSF offers scholarships, grants for individuals, and fellowship programs.
Student Conservation Association (SCA): The SCA partners with agencies such as the Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management to offer internships specifically for students involved in environmental conservation. SCA also offers living stipends, housing, and funding for relocation for short-term internships, throughout the year.
Tips for Securing Funding
- Start Early: Begin researching and applying for funding opportunities well in advance of your internship start date. Deadlines can be competitive, and securing funding often takes time.
- Tailor Your Application: Carefully review the eligibility criteria and application requirements for each funding opportunity. Tailor your application to highlight your qualifications and explain how the internship aligns with your academic and career goals.
- Highlight Relevance of Experience: If your proposed experience is exploratory, provide evidence explaining why the experience allows exploration and reflection on your areas of interest.
- Seek Guidance: Consult with your college's career services center or academic advisors for guidance on identifying and applying for funding opportunities.
- Network: Reach out to professionals in your field of interest to inquire about potential funding sources or internship opportunities that offer stipends or housing.
- Be Creative: Explore alternative funding sources, such as crowdfunding or part-time employment, to supplement any grants or scholarships you receive.
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