Scholarship for Unpaid Internships

Spring 2025 Deadline: Jan 14, 2025 at 8am

A scholarship to help students with some of the costs (up to $4000)
of for-credit* unpaid fall internships. Details below.

Apply Today

Requirements of internship position and scholarship recipients

Requirements of the internship position:
- Unpaid, but you may receive a stipend, meals, subway pass, etc.
- At least 8 weeks long, with a minimum of 160hours (summer scholarship is 240 hours)
- Completed during the spring semester (January-May)
- The offer must be secured prior to applying (an employer verification form is a required part of the application)
- You must have defined duties and a specific supervisor.
- Virtual internships are eligible
Required academic credit:
- You must be enrolled in at least one credit hour of internship credit, as funds are distributed via Financial Aid. Funds will be applied toward any outstanding bill first, and you can elect how to receive the remainder.
- You are encouraged to take an internship course in your major or minor. You may also check with other departments.
- Students may also be asked to serve on internship panels that the University Career Center sponsors in the future.
- If you receive grants and scholarships that total more than the cost of tuition and books, you must report the excess as income on your tax return. Consult an accountant for more information

Eligibility Requirements

Who is eligible?
- Current degree-seeking undergraduate JMU students who already have an internship secured for the fall.
- All majors
- Minimum 2.0 overall GPA (no rounding)
Who is not eligible?
- Programs that require you to pay a fee to obtain an internship or for training, housing, etc. will not be considered. This includes service vacations.
- Students taking courses at JMU for one semester but seeking degrees from other universities are not eligible.
- Previous winners of the Unpaid Internship Scholarship through University Career Center are not eligible.
- Students interning at companies/organizations that do not follow JMU’s non-discrimination EEO policy are not eligible.

Application

Check the eligibility requirements before completing your application.
The application consists of four parts, all of which must be complete and submitted through
THIS FORM
by the deadline (01/14/25 at 8am):
- Part 1: Student Application
- Part 2: Faculty/Staff Recommendation (send faculty staff this link to fill out the recommendation form: https://jmu.co1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_5zolqtjywBsgYbI)
- Part 3: Internship Budget Form (Download and follow the instructions in the form)
- Part 4: Employer Verification (Download and follow the instructions in the form)
  The student will need to send this form to their internship supervisor to be completed. The employer will then need to send the completed form back to the student to be uploaded as part of the student's application.
Internships must be secured prior to applying, employer verifications are part of the application. Applications will not be reviewed until after the deadline. Questions will not be answered about specific applications. Incomplete or incorrect applications will be disqualified, they will not be returned to you for revision. Remember, YOU are responsible for making sure the application is complete, correct and on time. This includes following up with recommenders and employers to confirm that the recommendation and employer verification forms are submitted on time.

What is the Unpaid Internship Scholarship?

We offer the scholarship to students completing unpaid fall internships, to reimburse students for some associated costs, such as food, rent, tuition for required fall internship course, and transportation.
While we encourage employers to offer paid internships whenever possible, and this scholarship is not meant to replace remuneration, we know that many organizations, especially in the government and non-profit fields, only offer unpaid internships.
Since we strongly encourage all students to gain experience through internships, we created the Unpaid Internship Scholarship to help more students take advantage of these opportunities.

What is the scholarship amount?

Scholarship amounts vary up to $4,000 based on the budget you provide.
Funds are not awarded for tuition for additional classes you wish to take during the fall, beyond the course that gives you academic credit for the internship.

Can I intern abroad?

An international internship must be coordinated through a JMU study abroad program, or you must be getting academic credit through a JMU internship course.
Awards for internships as part of JMU Study Abroad programs vary according to which program you choose.
Students working in fall internships abroad are encouraged to apply, however they must meet the same requirements in order to qualify.
Only JMU programs through CGE or a JMU academic department are eligible. Programs that require you to transfer your credits back to JMU are not eligible.

What is the selection process?

Although multiple scholarships are awarded, the application is selective, and applicants are not guaranteed a scholarship on the basis of applying.
Our selection committee consists of the University Career Center staff, as well as other internship coordinators throughout the university.
Multiple criteria, including GPA, need, quality and thoughtfulness of application answers, explanation of budget request, and faculty recommendation are considered.
Financial need is considered, but not required.

How are these scholarships funded?

The money for the Unpaid Internship Scholarships comes from the revenue generated by our Campus-Wide Career Fairs. Employers pay a registration fee to attend these events, and we use a portion of these funds to give back to students to assist them in gaining valuable experience through internships.

How will I receive the money?

Funds are distributed by the Office of Financial Aid & Scholarships. Funds will be applied toward any outstanding bill, including your tuition first, and you can select online how you will receive the remainder. The disbursement process begins after the first day of your fall internship class and takes a few weeks. Plan for this.