Internship Scholarships

Qualifying CLA students are eligible to receive a $2,000 scholarship during the semester or summer that they are engaged in an unpaid internship for CLA academic credit. 

Students are highly encouraged to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) with the University of Minnesota's code 003969, or the MN Dream Act Application, because most CLA internship scholarships have a need-based component. If you wish to qualify for a need-based scholarship and you have not yet submitted a FAFSA form, please submit it at least one week prior to the scholarship application deadline.

The CLA Internship Scholarship is considered financial aid and is posted to your student account. If applicable, the scholarship money will first be applied to pay the outstanding balance on your student account. (If you have questions about this, contact One Stop.) 

The CLA Internship Scholarship is 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). If the scholarship is applied during the summer term, then the amount of the scholarship will be increased by a dollar amount equal to the cost of tuition for the one-credit internship course.

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

To 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 during the Fall and Spring semesters
• 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 a CLA Internship Scholarship

Scholarship-Specific Eligibility Requirements

All applicants for the CLA Internship Scholarship will automatically be considered for all of the following internship 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.

Department Internship Scholarships

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

School of Statistics

• Lynn Y.S. Lin Undergraduate Internship fund for statistics students participating in an approved internship program

Department of History

• Norman Moen Public History Scholarship for ​​participation in a mentored public history internship

Department of Gender, Women and Sexuality Studies

• Christina N. Grubba Memorial Scholarship for GWSS majors participating in an unpaid internship in the field of feminist or GLBTQ studies

Department of Political Science

• A.I. Johnson Scholarship, open to all enrolled undergraduate students at the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities, for students with a demonstrated interest in public affairs, as a stipend for their internships

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.