The Internship Grant Fund (IGF) provides financial support to Vassar students who are participating in low-pay and unpaid summer internship opportunities. View a list of IGF FAQs.

Fill out the IGF application

Deadline:

Rolling; application review begins in March

Eligibility Criteria:

• Current Vassar first-year, sophomore, or junior with an unpaid or low-pay internship secured.
• Students who receive financial aid at Vassar receive priority consideration; certain funds that comprise the IGF are restricted to students who receive financial aid (see below).
• The proposed experience is an internship, research, or comparable experience with a designated supervisor who is an employee of the organization (and not a close family member).
• The proposed experience is a minimum of 20 hours/week and 6 weeks in length; internships that are less than 20/hours week or fewer than 6 weeks in length will not be considered.
• The proposed internship is not a Vassar-connected experience (eg, research with a faculty member, a project with an administrative office, etc.) or a fee-based program.

Award Amounts:

• Typical grants range from $350–$4500.
• Amounts range based on financial need, proposed budget, and time commitment (i.e., part-time vs. full-time, 6 weeks vs. 10 weeks).
• Available funds for students who do not receive financial aid are limited; typical awards are $750 or less.

Application Process:

• Application components include the following: information about your secured internship(s), employer confirmation, resume, cover letter, budget, financial aid status, and contact information for 2 references, in addition to short answer questions.
• Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis beginning in March and will continue until funds are depleted.
• Applicants usually receive notification of their award status 2–3 weeks after their application is submitted.

Evaluation Criteria:

In addition to demonstrated need, applications will be evaluated using the following criteria:

• Intentionality: The applicant shows evidence of thought around what they are searching for and how criteria for the summer experience have been determined.
• Clarity of learning objectives: The applicant clearly defines and articulates potential takeaways from the proposed summer experience(s).
• Relevance of experience: If the applicant proposes an experience that is exploratory in nature, the applicant provides evidence to explain why the proposed experience(s) allow exploration and reflection on these areas of interest. Alternatively, if the applicant is searching for an experience that is purposeful with regard to identified career goals, the applicant provides evidence for how proposed experiences are relevant to the student’s future goals.
• The overall quality of the application: The applicant submits an application that is complete, detailed, and demonstrates attention to detail (eg, free of errors, typos, etc.).

Expectations:

Recipients of IGF funding will be expected to:

1. Provide employer confirmation and communicate with the CCE regarding any status changes.
2. Complete a brief mid-summer check-in.
3. Write a thank you letter to the donor at the end of the summer (recommended: include a photo of you and/or your internship).

Recipients may also be invited to serve on student panels to share more about their experiences.

Additional notes:

• Awards are contingent upon the continued availability of the proposed experience and travel policy guidelines.

Funding Sources:

This year’s Internship Grant Fund is made possible through the generous support of a variety of funding sources, including both unrestricted (e.g., internships in any industry) and restricted funding sources, as detailed below. Any student who applies to the Internship Grant Fund will automatically be considered for funding through all of the following IGF funding sources:

Brigitte Mach Erbe ’63 Internship Fund: Unrestricted by industry.

Ostrow Graff Internship Grant Fund: Unrestricted by industry; preference for students who receive financial aid.

Paula Weil ’58 Internship Fund: Unrestricted by industry; restricted to students who receive financial aid.

Restricted by industry:

Class of 1973 Endowed Internship Fund: Supports students with unpaid or low-pay internships, with a preference for internships with nonprofit, social service or public service organizations.

Elizabeth C. Schwartz ’70 Internship Fund: Supports students with internships broadly in the field of environmental studies, with a preference for students who are interested in native plants, food quality, or farm-to-table subject matter.

Entertainment and Media Internship Fund: Supports students with unpaid or low-pay internships in the fields of entertainment, media, TV, film, and advertising.

Julie Reinganum ’77 Internship Fund For Social Justice: Supports students pursuing summer internships with non-profit organizations devoted to social justice and/or civil rights causes, broadly defined; preference for students who receive financial aid.

Mary Bryna Sanger ’71 Internship Fund: Supports students with internships in public policy and public service.

Pauline Newman ’47 Internship Fund: Supports students with internships at the intersections of science, technology, and society, including opportunities within the fields of business, law, public service, engineering, medicine, government, journalism, research, management, and education.

Sheila Ginsberg Riesel ’66 Endowed Legal Internship Fund: Supports students with internships in law and law-related fields.

Urvashi Vaid ’79 Fellowship for Social Justice: Supports students with meaningful internships in the area of social action, with a strong preference for work that supports social justice, racial equity, LGBTQ-plus rights, or poverty reduction.

Washington, D.C. Fellowship for Policy, Government, and Law: Supports students with unpaid or low-pay internships or fellowships in policy, government, law, and related non-profits, broadly defined, in the Washington, D.C. area.

View a list of past IGF-funded internships.

Frequently Asked Questions