Summer Policy Learning Experience Award Program (SPLE)

The Summer Policy Learning Experience Award Program (SPLE) provides financial support to La Follette School graduate students who seek summer internships outside of Wisconsin. This scholarship is intended to defray some, but not all, of the costs of completing a summer internship outside of the state. The availability of and demand for funds varies each year; thus, the number and size of awards also varies. Students should not accept internships with the expectation of receiving an award.

To be eligible, students must:

• Be a full-time graduate student and plan to continue in La Follette program in the subsequent fall semester
• Enroll in PA 827 Administrative Internship
• Have taken less than three credits of PA 827 prior to the summer

Students who hold project, research, or teaching assistantships in the spring semester are eligible for full tuition remission during the summer. Students are responsible for paying segregated fees.

Students will receive information on how to apply from LFS’s Career Services Director in March 2026. The priority deadline for applications is April 26, 2026.

Students will apply using the WiSH portal and provide the following information in their application:

• A brief written statement (no more than one page) about how your anticipated summer experience enhances your studies and relates to your career goal(s)
• Current resume  

No later than May 8th, students will receive a notification in WiSH detailing necessary steps to accepting funding and other post award application processes. Please note international student awards will be processed through payroll (not WiSH) and are subject to tax.

Special Application Considerations:
Priority will be given to internships outside of the state of Wisconsin and those that provide little to no salary compensation. Geographic location will also be considered when determining the award amount. The following is a general internship location guideline used when determining compensation ranked from lowest to highest priority:

• State bordering Wisconsin
• Within the Midwest
• In a major city on the east or west coast of the United States
• International city (note that students returning to their home country to complete an internship may reduce compensation priority)

Final compensation decisions will be made in collaboration with the Associate Director and Career Services Director.