Center for Career Design Internship Funding

The funding application for Spring 2026 unpaid/underpaid internships is now open. The application for Summer funding will open on April 3. Please read the Funding Guidelines, and then proceed to Application Process below.

Funding Guidelines

  • Spring 2026 Funding
    • Application opens: Fri. Jan. 9
    • Deadline for priority consideration: Sun. Feb. 8
    • Rolling funding notifications begin: week of Feb 16
    • Applications accepted until all funding has been disbursed
  • Summer 2026 Funding
    • Application opens: Fri. Apr. 3
    • Deadline for priority consideration: Sun. May 3
    • Rolling funding notifications begin: week of May 11
    • Applications accepted until all funding has been disbursed

  • This funding is open to all undergraduate Dartmouth students during a leave term or interim. 
  • Applicants must be a currently enrolled Dartmouth undergraduate student and enrolled as an undergraduate at least one term following the internship. 
  • Applicants must be in good standing with the College and eligible to participate in College-sponsored programs.
  • Students who have received Center for Career Design funding in the past may apply; however, priority consideration is given to those who have not received funding before.
  • Awards are intended to offset the costs of an unpaid or low-pay internship experiences and are not compensation.
  • Award amounts will vary based on a number of factors, including the MIT Living Wage calculator for housing and food costs in your specific internship location and any wage or stipend you receive. The average award for Fall/Winter interns this year was $4,650.
  • International students in F-1 or J-1 status should consult with their OVIS advisor before accepting any internship offer to determine whether the proposed activity is permissible under the F-1 or J-1 rules and before accepting any funding that might jeopardize status.
  • Students who are receiving financial aid are encouraged to talk with their financial aid officer about the impact of an internship and any funding on financial aid status . 
  • Applicants whose proposal is accepted by more than one department or program will be required to choose only one grant.

  • A prerequisite to funding is an internship planning meeting with a coach in the current or prior term: schedule a meeting with a coach. You can also meet this requirement by completing this funding workshop pathway and subsequent quiz.
  • Prepare your budget and proposal . You will be asked to upload this.
  • Your application and your written proposal must be your own work and conform to Dartmouth College’s Academic Honor Principle.
  • Have your internship job description ready. You will be asked to cut & paste thus into the application.
  • Have the name and email of your Hiring Manager and Supervisor ready. This may or may not be the same person. Your Hiring Manager will receive an email from Dartmouth Center for Career Design asking them to verify your internship details. Your Supervisor will receive an email at the mid-point and end of your internship asking for their feedback.
  • If your internship will take you outside the US, there are extra preparation steps you will need to take before applying. Please see International Internships below.

Internships that entail travel outside of the United States have additional considerations. Students who receive of Center for Career Design funds for international internships must review the following:

  • Applicants must indicate acceptance of the award by signing a Funding Release. (Release is provided with the decision notification.)
  • Once the Center for Career Design has received the Release, the disbursement process is initiated with the Finance Center. The estimated time for the processing to complete is 7-10 business days.
  • Funds are disbursed by direct deposit unless student requests a check payment. If you request funding by check, checks must be deposited within 90 days of receipt. Checks will not be reissued after they have expired. For more information, see Student Digital Payments.
  • Funds may be considered taxable income by the Internal Revenue Service if you are a U.S. citizen. Please consult your tax professional for further information.
  • For international students, grants awarded may be subject to taxes and fees that could be subtracted from your grant.

  • Recipients are responsible for conducting themselves in accordance with acceptable standards of behavior in the place or places where the proposed activities are to be conducted and, if required, for securing governmental or other approvals needed to conduct the proposed project.
  • Recipients must notify the Center for Career Design immediately if there are any changes to the timeline or nature of the project.
  • Recipients will be asked to share thoughts and expertise about their experiential learning activity with the Dartmouth community. This may include participating in general information sessions, contributing to promotional items (i.e., newsletters, TV screens, social media, marketing materials), debriefing with a career coach, etc. Information may be used in annual reports and/or shared with donors.
  • Recipients are expected to complete the number of weeks as listed in the funding application unless other arrangements have been made.

What qualifies as an internship?

The Center for Career Design evaluates internship using guidelines from the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE). Your internship experience should include:

  • Direct supervision by a professional(s) with relevant expertise who provides productive feedback, guidance, and the resources and equipment necessary to successfully complete the assignment.
  • A learning experience with a real-world opportunity to apply knowledge gained in the classroom. It must not be simply to advance the operations of the employer or replace the work that a regular employee would routinely perform.
  • Learned skills and knowledge that are transferable to other employment settings.
  • Clearly defined learning objectives supportive of the student’s goals.

Can students receive funding for an on-term internship?  

Funding is intended to offset the costs of taking on an internship and is not intended to be in lieu of compensation.  During a Resident term, living expenses for an internship will not be considered. If there are additional costs incurred as a result of taking on the internship these may be considered. e.g. mileage for driving to and from the internship site or protective clothing needed for outdoor or lab work.

Can students receive funding for on campus research?

Center for Career Design funds are not available for research activities during a Resident term. Arts & Sciences undergrads may reach out to SURFD or your academic department for ideas on funding your research. Research internships that take place during a Leave term and are ineligible for SURFD funding may be considered as funding allows.

The Center for Career Design does not fund research that is for credit, research that is for a student’s thesis, or independent research that is not under direct supervision of a research professional.

Can a student apply after the start of the internship? 

The Center for Career Design will occasionally consider funding once an internship is under way if there are extenuating circumstances and if there are still funds available.

Is there a min/max number of weeks the Center will fund? 

Funds are usually for 8-12 weeks. We will not fund for weeks that fall in a Resident term. (e.g. we can fund weeks that fall before classes start or after classes end in the Leave term, but not weeks that a Resident term is in session. )

My internship host says they can only offer me an internship if I can demonstrate that I have $XXX in funding. Will Center for Career Design provide that?

Center for Career Design internship funding is intended to offset the cost of taking on an unpaid internship and is not in lieu of compensation. As such , we cannot match a specific required pay rate. The amount you would be eligible to receive takes into account a number of factors in your application, such as cost of living in the city where the internship takes place, your housing costs, and transportation needs. Each award is determined on a case-by-case basis.

Are students in  Dartmouth Engineering’s Partner School Dual-Degree Program eligible to apply for Center for Career Design internship funding?

Yes, if (1) they are enrolled in Dartmouth classes at least one term prior to their internship experience and (2) they are returning to Dartmouth for at least one undergraduate term after their internship experience.

I’ve been accepted to a study-away program that has an internship component. Can I apply for funding?

Fee-based internship experiences that charge for programming, housing, internship placement, etc. are not eligible for Center for Career Design funding.

What if my internship is longer than one term?

The Center for Career Design considers two-term internships on a case-by-case basis. If approved, we will award funding for the first term, and we will request a mid-point reflection before approving funding for the second term.

What if a student changes their internship plan after receiving funding?

The student must notify the Center. If an internship is incomplete, or if there is a change to duration, location, or compensation, students will be expected to return a prorated portion of the funds.

Application Process

There are two steps to the application process: verify your internship and submit your goals and funding needs.  You can do them in any order, but you must complete both to be considered.

  • Click this link to Handshake and from Experience template drop-down menu select “Funding Application: Verify Your Internship”
  • Provide details including contact info for your hiring manager and supervisor.
  • Your hiring manager will receive an automated email from the Center for Career Design asking them to confirm the info you provided, including:
    • Start and end date of your experience
    • In person, remote, or hybrid
    • Rate of pay, if any
    • Hours per week
    • Position title
    • Position job description
  • The supervisor will receive requests for feedback from the Center for Career Design at the mid-point and the end of your internship.
  • If you do not have a formal offer yet, you can start here and submit your verification later.
  • Click this link to Handshake and from Experience template drop-down menu select “Funding Application: Goals and Funding Needs”
  • Answer additional questions about your internship
  • Upload your budget and proposal . 

  • You might receive a request for additional information via Handshake
  • Center for Career Design will notify you of your status (Approved, Declined, Pending) via Handshake within two weeks of the priority deadline or your submission date, whichever is later
  • Award amount or reason for denial will stated in in Handshake comments
  • If approved, you will receive a separate email with a link to our Funding Requirements and Release
  • Upon completion of the release, the Center for Career Design initiates the payment process. Student payments are processed on Tuesdays and Thursdays, and can take up to 10 business days.