Internship Scholarships

CLA Internship Scholarship

Qualifying CLA students are eligible to receive a scholarship during the semester or summer that they are engaged in an internship for CLA academic credit. 

Students are not required to complete a FAFSA to apply for CLA internship scholarships since not all of these scholarships are need-based — although some of them are, as specified below. If you wish to qualify for a need-based scholarship and you have not yet submitted a 2023-24 FAFSA form, please submit it at least one week prior to the scholarship application deadline. (The 2023-24 FAFSA is open through June 30, 2024.) 

Both domestic and international internships may qualify you for the scholarships on this page. However, if an internship is a component of an approved learning abroad program (offered via CLA or the UMN Learning Abroad Center), then you will be considered for a CLA learning abroad scholarship rather than for a CLA unpaid internship scholarship.

For support of undergraduate research, check the Office of Undergraduate Research webpage for funding opportunities.

An internship scholarship from CLA is considered part of your financial aid package and, if applicable, will first be applied to the outstanding balance on your student account. (If you have questions about this, contact One Stop.)

Three kinds of internship scholarships are offered in the College of Liberal Arts:

CLA Unpaid Internship Scholarships

CLA Unpaid Internship Scholarships are awarded during three different application periods. A one-time $2,000 scholarship is applied to the recipient’s UMN student account during the academic term that the internship is completed (Fall, Spring, or Summer). 

The scholarship application for a summer unpaid internship will open on March 25 and will close at 9am on May 20. 

You can use the CLA Career Services office to get help with finding an internship or completing the internship scholarship application. Visit 411 Bruininks Hall, email clacareer@umn.edu, or call 612-626-6574. 

Additionally, the CLA Career Readiness Internship Guide offers tools and suggestions for making the most of your internship experience. 

Internship Requirements

The unpaid internship you are seeking scholarship support for must meet the following conditions:

  • You are completing or will complete a minimum of 120 hours of work at the internship site.
  • You have been assigned a supervisor at your internship site who will verify your work hours and help ensure that you have a good experience.
  • You are not receiving a salary for your internship work. Small "perks" such as occasional lunches, free tickets, parking privileges, etc., do not count as salary. Modest stipends (less than $100 total) do not count as salary either.
  • You have submitted a CLA Internship Site Agreement through Handshake (instructions as part of enrolling in an internship course).

Overall Scholarship Eligibility Requirements

At the time you apply for the scholarship, you must be:

  • A full-time, degree-seeking undergraduate student in the College of Liberal Arts at the University of Minnesota–Twin Cities
  • Accepted for an internship that meets the requirements listed above
  • Able to enroll concurrently with your internship in a one-credit internship course
  • Not a previous recipient of an internship scholarship from CLA

Scholarship-Specific Eligibility Requirements

All applicants for a CLA Unpaid Internship Scholarship will automatically be considered for all of the following scholarships that they qualify for: 

  • CLA Intern Grant Fund — No additional stipulations
  • CLA Ignition Internship Scholarship — No additional stipulations
  • Jo Howe Scholarship for Experiential Learning — No additional stipulations
  • Kurt Reinhard Endowed Internship Scholarship — No additional stipulations
  • Joy and John Wetzel Liberal Arts Internship Fund — No additional stipulations
  • Pamela Newsome Edstrom Liberal Arts Internship Scholarship — Financial need as demonstrated by the FAFSA
  • Barbara Newsome Liberal Arts Internship Scholarship — Financial need as demonstrated by the FAFSA
  • Barbara Newsome Sociology Internship Scholarship — Major in the Department of Sociology and financial need as demonstrated by the FAFSA
  • Dr. Matthew Stark Civil Liberties Internship in Liberal Arts — Internship that reflects a civil liberties/social justice connection
  • Prof. Elden Johnson Internship/Archeology — Major in the Department of Anthropology and internship at the Minnesota Historical Society, Minnesota Office of the State Archaeologist, Institute of Minnesota Archaeology, Science Museum of Minnesota, or University of Minnesota

CLA’s funding for unpaid internship scholarships is limited, so not all applicants can be awarded. During review of applications, priority consideration will be given to applicants who are engaging in their first college internship experience and/or who are in populations that have been historically underrepresented in internship experiences.

How to Apply

For Summer 2024 internships, the scholarship application opens on March 25 and closes at 9am on May 20. For Fall 2024 internships, the scholarship application opens in August 2024. A link to the application is provided here during times when it is open.

Mulhollem Cravens Leadership Scholarship

The Mulhollem Cravens Leadership Program combines the hands-on experience of a summer internship with an internship reflection course and enhanced career coaching. The one-time $5,000 scholarship is applied to the recipient’s UMN student account during the Summer term that the internship is completed. 

Internship Requirements

The summer internship you are seeking scholarship support for must meet the following conditions:

  • You will complete a minimum of 120 hours of work at the internship site.
  • You have been assigned a supervisor at your internship site who will verify your work hours and help ensure that you have a good experience.
  • You have submitted a CLA Internship Site Agreement through Handshake (instructions as part of enrolling in an internship course).

Eligibility Requirements

At the time you apply for the scholarship, you must be:

  • A full-time, degree-seeking undergraduate student in the College of Liberal Arts at the University of Minnesota–Twin Cities who will remain enrolled in CLA during the next Fall semester
  • Accepted for an internship that meets the requirements listed above
  • Able to enroll concurrently with your internship in a one-credit internship course
  • Not a previous recipient of an internship scholarship from CLA

How to Apply

The application is the same for a Mulhollem Cravens Leadership Scholarship and a CLA Unpaid Internship Scholarship. For Summer 2024 internships, the scholarship application opens on March 25 and closes at 9am on May 20. A link to the application is provided here when it is open.

Department Internship Scholarships

The following internship scholarships are administered by these CLA academic departments using their own application processes:

School of Statistics

Department of History

Department of Gender, Women and Sexuality Studies

Center for Jewish Studies

  • Barbara D. and Lee Bearmon Internship Award for students participating in university approved, unpaid internships in Jewish communal and social justice organizations

Department of Communication Studies

  • Matthew Harris Ornstein Fund in Debate for students seeking an unpaid internship with urban high schools and middle schools or with the Minnesota Urban Debate League

Department of English

  • Edith and Archibald Leyasmeyer English Fund for undergraduate English majors to take internships with local arts organizations in the Twin Cities, including (but not limited to) theaters, music organizations, museums, and nonprofit literary presses

Hubbard School of Journalism and Mass Communication

  • Susan Schur Kaufman Internship fund for journalism students participating in an approved internship with a focus on ethical and objective political reporting in a state or federal government or a non-profit public service organization
  • Hage/Greeley Internship Fund for internships at a host publication or organization where the student will concentrate on public affairs or literary journalism

Ask the department that is home to your CLA major about the availability of these or any other department internship scholarships.