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Funding Your Undergraduate Internship

Funding Your Undergraduate Internship

The School of Communication (SoC) and Northwestern University offer funding to offset cost-of-living expenses for undergraduates pursuing unpaid summer internships. Students can apply for funding support prior to securing a summer internship. Awards are not finalized until internships have been confirmed.

SoC Internship Award Program: SoC majors applying for unpaid or low-pay (~$1500 or less) summer internships are eligible to apply for internship grants made possible through the generosity of donors. More information about the 2024-2025 award program will be shared in winter 2025. View a recorded information session here. 

Summer Internship Grant Program (SIGP): SIGP, administered through Northwestern Career Advancement (NCA), was established to support current Northwestern undergraduate students who demonstrate financial need as they participate in unpaid summer internships.

SoC Internship Award Program Eligibility Requirements:

  • Must be a School of Communication Evanston-based undergraduate major
  • Must be enrolled for at least Fall Quarter 2024
  • NU Qatar students are not eligible for this award program; however, Qatar students can apply for NCA’s Summer Internship Grant Program (SIGP) award.
  • Must work a minimum of 280 hours at an internship over the course of summer 2025
  • Must be in good academic standing and in good standing with the Office of Community Standards and the Dean of Students
  • Internship must be unpaid or low paid (~$1500 or less). Priority is given to applicants with demonstrated financial need, however, consideration will be given to those students who face extenuating financial circumstances.
  • Previous award recipients cannot receive the same award multiple times but are eligible to receive a different award.
  • Students are considered for any SoC internship award that they are qualified to receive.
  • Students are NOT required to have an internship confirmed before applying; however, they must have secured an internship no later than TBD (early June).
  • If awarded, the SoC Internship Award CANNOT be combined with any other summer grants/awards from Northwestern.
How to Apply:
  • Applications will be accepted through Northwestern’s SES One Form platform. The application is a two-step process. You must first complete the General Application on the SES One Form if you have not done so already. After completing the General Application, you must complete the “SoC Internship Award Program” application, which will have different questions than the General Application.
  • Applications for the SoC | EPICS Internship Award Program will open on TBD.

For questions or more information about these award programs, please contact EPICS at epics@northwestern.edu.

  • Essay question: TBD

These are the funds that support the SoC Internship Award Program, all from the generosity of donors:

  • The Bomback Internship Award (Tema and Mark Bomback) is open to all SoC majors who obtain a summer internship in New York or Los Angeles.
  • The Hammerschlag Internship Award is in memory of Jessica Hammerschlag ’95 and provides funding to SoC majors interning over the summer quarter in any city.
  • The Molotsky Internship Award (Barbara Molotsky) supports SoC majors interning outside of the Chicagoland area. Students pursuing internships in marketing, communication, entertainment, and theatre are given preference.
  • The Pate-Sanders Internship Award (Melissa and Ron Sanders) supports a student interning in digital media.
  • The Joann Torretta Endowed Internship Award supports SoC majors with preference given to students pursuing an internship in television or radio.
  • The WCLV Internship Award (Robert Conrad and the late Jean Conrad) supports SoC majors interning in any industry. Preference is given to students with internships in the radio industry.
  • The Miller Family Internship Fund provides support to SoC majors working in any industry.