Duke Career Center Internship Funding Program for Undergraduate Students
The Duke Career Center’s Internship Funding Program for Undergraduate Students is a summer program designed to help support Duke students in their educational pursuits while participating in internships within their related areas of study.
**Award recipients will not be performing any compensatory work for or on behalf of Duke University.**
Through the generosity of corporate, individual, and class donors, we can offer undergraduate students who accept unpaid or low-paying internships grants of $4,000 to support living expenses while completing their summer experiences.
The Duke Career Center Internship Funding Program is a comprehensive experiential learning program integrating career development and thoughtful reflection into the student’s internship experience. The Internship Funding Program components include:
- Application of academic principles: Participants will be applying the concepts taught in the Duke curriculum in real-world practice through an internship or research project secured by their own means.
- Professional skill development: Participants will gain the professional competencies and soft skills required to enter today’s job market, including successful completion of career relevant projects, development of technical skills, enhancement of communication and interpersonal skills, ability to work autonomously while solving real-world problems, and demonstrating the ability to contribute effectively within a team.
- Awareness of strengths: Participants will complete a strength assessment as part of the Career Center’s Career Catalyst curriculum.
- Impact-oriented networking: Participants will be able to expand their professional networks by connecting with organizational mentors, industry professionals, similarly-minded peers, and leaders within their career fields of interest.
- Insightful reflection: Participants will reflect upon their experiences through group reflection sessions, personal performance assessments, and final reflection essays. Participants will also verbally share insights from their summer experiences with university faculty, staff, and peers.
Summer 2025 Application Information
The Duke Career Center has adopted a two-deadline application process to accommodate undergraduate students pursuing internships within organizations or industries with later recruiting timelines. Students should carefully review the following information and select the best application cycle for their summer plans.
Application Cycle Options
*Please note that the application cycles for 2025 have been adjusted so that earlier disbursements of funds can be accommodated. This impacts when the applications open and close. *
OPTION 1: Regular Application Cycle:
Applications submitted during the Regular Application Cycle are reviewed during March with awards being announced on March 27. Students who have internships secured, are currently in the interview process for internships or need access to their funding before June should apply during the Regular Application Cycle.
Please note that students are not required to have an offer confirmed in order to apply for funding. Recipients who apply during this cycle will receive funding awards no later than the end of May.
- December 16: Virtual Information Session available for viewing
- January 13: Regular Application Cycle opens at 8:00 a.m. ET (Go to application) (COMING SOON!)
- February 14: Regular Application Cycle deadline at 11:59 p.m. ET
- March 7: Award notifications sent by email
- April 30: Awards distributed
OPTION 2: Late Application Cycle:
Applications submitted during the Late Application Cycle are reviewed during April with awards being announced on April 30. This application cycle is for students who are pursuing opportunities within industries or organizations with later internship decision timelines.
Applicants who apply during the Late Application Cycle will receive their funding awards at the end of June. Due to Duke Payroll’s processing timeline, please note that earlier fund distribution cannot occur. Students are not required to have an offer confirmed in order to apply for funding.
- December 16: Virtual Information Session available for viewing
- February 18: Late Application Cycle opens at 8:00 a.m. ET (Go to application) (COMING SOON!)
- March 18: Late Application Cycle deadline at 11:59 p.m. ET
- April 4: Award notifications sent by email
- May 30: Awards distributed
Please note: Applications will not be accepted after 11:59 p.m. on March 18. No exceptions will be made.
Eligible Students
Are currently enrolled in undergraduate coursework at the time of funding application (unfortunately, incoming first-year students are not eligible)
- In good standing at Duke University (good standing applies to academics, conduct and student accounts)
- Must be a matriculated, continuing student and be enrolled in coursework the fall following their internship (unfortunately, DKU students are not eligible)
- Application submitted to an internship(s) is a prerequisite for applying (extension or acceptance of an offer is not required to apply)
- Agree to the terms of the Internship Funding Program, including required participation in activities (see below)
Ineligible Students
- Graduating seniors
- Incoming first-year undergraduates
- DKU students and matriculated students from other academic institutions
- Students not enrolled in a degree-earning program at Duke
- Students who have already committed to summer classes or another Duke summer program (Duke Engage, Bass Connections, Data+, etc.)
- Students receiving funding from other Duke sources
- Students currently on academic and/or conduct probation
Eligible Experiences
- 240 hours or more of supervised experience completed during the summer
- Supervision and regular feedback from a designated professional within the organization
- Less than $1,500 (gross pay, international currency equivalent) compensation (exceptions may apply for areas with high cost of living expenses)
- If the experience takes place abroad, students must comply with the University’s Global Travel Policy, including the Restricted Regions List (waiver of restriction is sometimes possible and must be granted by university leadership)
- In-person and hybrid opportunities are both eligible for funding. Hybrid opportunities must include a minimum of 2 on-site days per week.
- Applicants may apply for consideration of up to three qualifying internships. Funding may only be applied to the experience(s) indicated in the application. No exceptions.
- Students may not complete summer classes or other summer programs concurrently while participating in the Internship Funding Program. This includes DukeEngage, Bass Connections, Data/Story/etc.+ programs, Duke in Geneva and other “Duke In” programs, as well as other Duke sponsored programs.
- Internships hosted by Duke University departments and offices are not eligible for funding.
- Academic research opportunities (including independent research projects, academic research internships, summer research programs, and summer lab assistant positions) are not eligible for funding. This includes Duke research and research experiences with other academic institutions.
Ineligible Experiences
- Fee-based volunteer programs
- Tuition-based experiences
- Shadowing programs
- Fully remote opportunities or hybrid opportunities that do not meet the 2-day/week onsite requirement
- Paid internships that exceed the $1500 compensation limit
- Academic research opportunities, including independent projects, research internships, summer research programs, and summer lab assistant positions held in conjunction with Duke or other academic institutions
- Experiences without regular supervision by a professional
- Duke-sponsored summer programs (including DukeEngage, Bass Connections, Data+/Code+/all other + programs, “Duke In…” programs, etc.)
- Experiences that begin and/or end outside of the summer term
- Internships that do not meet all of the eligibility criteria
- Internships with Duke University departments, research labs/groups, academic colleges, or affiliated offices
Internships must meet ALL eligibility criteria in order to be considered for funding.
How To Apply
- Watch the Virtual Information Session
- Go to the Internship Funding Program’s Online Application (Coming Soon!)
- Review the information on the application’s landing page
- Complete the 4 steps of the application process
- Career Center Internship Funding Program Acknowledgements
- Career Center Internship Funding Program Personal Statement (guidelines for statement)
- Career Center Internship Funding Program Questionnaire
- Duke Experiences Application (includes uploading resume and unofficial transcripts)
- References: This is a common application shared by multiple summer programs on campus. It asks for the contact information for two references. The Internship Funding Program does not use these references when evaluating your application; however, you must complete the information for the application to be accepted by the system. If you are not applying to other Duke Summer programs that use this application, you can enter the names of friends/family since we will not be contacting references.
- All components of the application must be completed by the application deadline. Late submissions will not be accepted.
Program Terms & Conditions
- Awards are not transferable to internships outside of the scope of the application
- Recipients cannot concurrently enroll in summer classes or participate in any other university-sponsored program while completing program
- Recipients must write a thank you letter to the donor upon the conclusion of the experience (to be forwarded to the donor)
- Recipients will submit a reflective essay at the conclusion of the internship (to be forwarded to the donor)
- Recipients will submit two photos that document their internship experience (to be forwarded to the donor and shared through the Career Center’s social media)
- Recipients are required to participate in a mid-summer reflection activities/meetings and post-internship reflection reception
- Recipients are required to submit learning objectives, progression updates, performance reviews, and any additional documentation requested by their site supervisor and Career Center administration
- Terms for international and domestic travel may differ based upon destination and university policies
- Recipient must complete the number of hours indicated on their funding application. Failure to do so will result in the repayment of award.
- All criteria are required and are conditions of the funding. Failure to comply with conditions will result in the repayment of award and will jeopardize future funding
- Recipients are required to immediately notify the Career Center of any changes in summer experience plans
- International students may have their awards taxed at time of distribution per their home country tax laws
- Additional terms and conditions are outlined in the Internship Funding Program’s handbook
- Internship Funding Program policies are not negotiable and exceptions will not be granted.
Career Center Resources Available for Application Assistance
To assist with guiding you through the application process, the Duke Career Center offers the following resources to students:
- Virtual appointments with the IFP program coordinator (for questions about the program and application process, please review Career Hub and information session before scheduling). Schedule appointments online through Handshake.
- Individual appointments with the Career Center’s advising team (for assistance and review of personal statement and resume)
- Drop-ins with Career Center’s advising team (for review of personal statement and resume; 5-10 minute concerns only)
- Handshake recruiting system that includes internship postings and recruiting event information
- Internship search resources
- IFP Coordinator email for questions or concerns not addressed through the above resources (due to the volume of email messages received, please allow an average of 24-48 hours for a response)
Additional University Funding Sources
The Duke Career Center encourages you to explore all funding sources available through the university. The following are resources that can help you identify other funding programs at Duke:
- Duke Summer Experiences Database: a centralized listing of university-sponsored summer programs, many of which offer some form of funding. Please note that each program has their own application timeline, deadlines, and processes. If an application deadline has passed, you may still want to reach out to the program coordinator to inquire whether any additional funds are available or if they are accepting late applications.
- Office of Undergraduate Research Support Website: a listing of Duke’s funding programs which includes research, internship, and fellowship awards. Although the URS office maintains the database, each funding source will have its own application procedure, eligibility criteria, and deadlines.
- Your academic department or Duke departments related to the topic of your internship: Some individual departments have alumni gifts that are used to support summer experiences. The funding isn’t part of a formal program so it wouldn’t be included in URS’s database or the Summer Experiences Database. Please note that not all departments or centers have this type of funding, however it may be worth inquiring about.
- Additional Duke-Sponsored Funding Programs
Frequently Asked Questions
As part of the application process, the Internship Funding Program is using the new Duke Experiences Application which asks for 2 references. This is a common application that is shared by multiple Duke summer programs as part of their selection process. The Internship Funding Program does NOT use the references as part of its selection process, however the information must be completed in order for the system to accept your application. If you are NOT applying to other summer programs what use the common application, you can list the names and contact information for family or friends as we will not be contacting the references. However, if you are applying to other summer programs, the references can be professional, academic, or personal contacts.
YES! You can still apply for funding even if you have not yet accepted an internship. However, you must be in the application process for the internship in order to be considered for funding.
You may list up to three internships for which you would like to be considered for funding. Unfortunately, funding cannot be applied to experiences that are not listed on your application.
The Career Center’s Internship Funding Program is only applicable to experiences that begin and end during summer.
Unfortunately, we cannot fund all applicants due to limited resources. The Internship Funding Program is competitive and applicants should take time to create the strongest application possible.
Due to limited resources, the Career Center can no longer provide funding towards research projects and summer lab positions. Students who are seeking financial assistance for these opportunities are encouraged to explore the resources listed under the Additional University Funding Sources section of this site.
Due to limited funds, awards cannot exceed $4,000.
Yes, you may still apply. The selection committee will take into consideration factors such as cost of living as part of their evaluation process.
Unfortunately, the Internship Funding Program cannot fund graduating seniors or graduate students. Recipients must have an undergraduate class standing of first-year, sophomore, junior, or first-semester senior.
Yes, funding can only be applied to the internships that are listed on your application. If you decide to accept a position outside of those on the application, your award will be rescinded and reallocated to another student.
Students who do not complete at least 240 hours of their agreed upon internship must return their funding award in its entirety.
In addition to completing the agreed upon internship, you will be asked to participate in activities such as a departure workshop, check-in sessions, reflection activities as well as write a thank you letter to your donor, submit at least 2 photos taken during your internship, and complete a reflection essay which will shared with your award donor.
Additional funding programs can be found on Career Hub. Students are also encouraged to inquire about funding within their academic departments.
