SuccessWorks at the College of Letters & Science Internship Fund

Awards of $500 up to $5,000 are given to enable L&S undergraduates to take advantage of internships—paid or unpaid—during their undergraduate careers. The funds may be used to assist with expenses incurred during the internship, including living and transportation costs, as well as lack of wages.

For planning purposes, please note that the processing time for payments from this fund may be extended. Students should anticipate using the funds as reimbursement for expenses, rather than planning to use them prior to their internships.

Eligibility Criteria

  • L&S undergraduate student (must be seeking a degree in the College of Letters & Science; if you are unsure of your degree, login to your Student Center and click the My Academics tab).
  • Overall GPA is 2.5 or above.
  • Internship must be 10 hours/week minimum; 6 weeks minimum; cannot be for internship post-graduation.
  • Have a completed FAFSA on file with the Office of Student Financial Aid.
  • Able to submit an offer letter/email from the employer as proof of internship opportunity.

Deadline
Round 1 application opens February 1. The deadline to apply is March 31.
Round 2 application opens April 1. The deadline to apply is May 15.

Questions? Contact SuccessWorks via email at successworks@wisc.edu or by telephone at 608-262-3921.

Selection Criteria
Students will be selected based on demonstrated financial need, the strength of their application, and the quality of the internship experience.

FAFSA Required
We require students to submit the FAFSA to be considered for this need-based award. Students who are not eligible to complete the FAFSA but still feel they can demonstrate financial need should reach out to Associate Director of Internship Programs, Kathleen Rause at kathleen.rause@wisc.edu.

Note to applicants: If you use AI for your application, tailor it to your specific experience and internship goals. AI generated responses tend to make all applicants sound the same. You can strengthen your application by being specific and authentic to your experience.

Visit program website for more information

Award
Varies
Organizations
SuccessWorks
Deadline
03/31/2026
Supplemental Questions
  1. Have you formally secured and accepted an internship offer?
  2. Internship Information (must complete each field)
    • A. Company/Organization Name
    • B. Location (City, State)
    • C. Country
    • D. Start Date
    • E. End Date
    • F. Duration of internship (# of weeks)
    • G. Hours per week worked (# hours/week)
    • H. Pay, if applicable ($/hour). If unpaid, mark 0.
    • I. Stipend (total stipend, including relocation) If no stipend, mark 0.
    • Is your internship in-person or virtual?
  3. Internship Compensation
  4. Please upload a copy of the internship job description.
  5. Request a letter of verification (or "offer letter") from the internship employer stating that you have secured this internship. The letter should include the beginning and end dates of the internship, the number of hours a week you will work, and pay or stipend information. MUST BE FROM THE EMPLOYER to verify that you have been offered the internship.
  6. Why is completing this internship experience important to you?
  7. What are your future career interests or goals? How does this internship experience relate to those goals?
  8. How will this award money enable you to participate in this internship opportunity? What difference would financial assistance make?
  9. (Optional) Describe any current challenges that you feel should be taken into consideration when reviewing your application.
  10. Please provide a breakdown of anticipated expenses during your internship. Estimate the amount you will spend PER WEEK.
    • A. Food
    • B. Housing/Rent
    • C. Transportation
    • D. Total (please add A - C)
    • E. GRAND TOTAL: Multiply total (D) by number of weeks you will be working
  11. Please provide a breakdown of your one-time only expenses (expenses NOT included in your weekly expenses above):
    • A. Transportation to/from internship location at beginning/end of experience (ex. airline ticket)
    • B. Visa/passport application fee
    • C. Clothing
    • D. Tuition for internship course (if required for internship)
    • E. TOTAL for one-time expenses (sum of A - D)
  12. TOTAL EXPENSES: Please add your GRAND TOTAL of per week expenses with your TOTAL for one-time expenses.
  13. Is there a program fee associated with this internship? (i.e. Do you have to pay the organization to participate in the internship)?
  14. If yes, what is the fee?
  15. How much money are you requesting (amount between $500 and $5,000)?
  16. List any additional funding sources you are applying to in order to fund this internship experience, the amount(s) you've requested, and the date(s) you'll find out whether you've received this funding. Failure to disclose may affect the consideration of your application.
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