VCU Internship Funding Program
Undergraduates, have you interviewed for or accepted an off-campus, summer internship that is unpaid or paid, but may not cover your internship expenses? Don't let your funding needs keep you from taking advantage of opportunities for personal and professional growth. Apply for funding for your summer semester experience through the VCU Internship Funding Program!
Funding will be awarded as a direct deposit. It can be used to supplement the costs for your initial travel to your internship, daily commuting via public transportation, housing, childcare, professional attire, supplies, and other expenses.
Summer 2026 applications will be available in the RAMS Scholarship Hub from Sunday, February 22, through Wednesday, March 31, at 11:59 p.m.
Complete and eligible student applications will undergo a competitive selection process that involves multiple rounds of review by a committee of approximately 20 faculty and staff members from both campuses. Funding is not guaranteed to all applicants; however, we aim to support as many students as possible. Awardees will be notified by April 17, and payments will ideally be dispersed by Wednesday, May 27.
If you have other questions, please review the FAQs or email Jeanette Hickl at jwhickl@vcu.edu or visit our drop-in hours in the University Student Commons, 1st floor.
Basic Information
In order to be eligible to apply, students must:
- Be a current VCU undergraduate student or enrolling in a 5-year accelerated Master's program.
- IFP funding is not currently available for previous IFP awardees, incoming students (including those in their first semester), graduating seniors (including May 2026 or summer 2026), or alumni.
- Eligibility is not restricted by citizenship.VCU international students can contact Immigration Services for custom advising related to employment, including internships. Check out the Student Employment Authorizations page for additional information.
- Eligibility is not restricted by financial aid.
- Plan to enroll for at least one semester (fall 2026) after your funded internship in a VCU undergraduate program or 5-year accelerated Master's program.
- May not have any financial holds on account.
- Maintain Satisfactory Academic Progress during the semester before and during your experience.
Eligible internship experiences must be:
- Unpaid or underpaid, based on applicable expenses noted in the budget worksheet.
- Working with and funded, where applicable, by an off-campus employer.
- Internships within or paid by VCU offices/departments will not qualify for IFP funding. However, we encourage VCU offices interested in internship support to dedicate their departmental funds to hiring VCU students. VCU Health is an off-campus employer.
- Supervised by a professional staff member within the employer organization, not affiliated with VCU.
- IFP support cannot be used for entrepreneurial startup funding, unstructured learning experiences, pay-to-play programs with required placement fees, or tuition to participate in the internship, including abroad.
- Exceptions for abroad experiences include when, as an applicant, you can write about the specifics of your internship and the experience is verified by GEO or SimpleSearch.
- Occurring in the summer 2026 semester (May 18 to August 11), for at least four weeks, and at least 10 hours per week to qualify for funding.
To apply, you will need to submit the following:
- A completed application through the RAMS Scholarship Hub (Important: Complete the General Application and then search "VCU Internship Funding Program").
- Verification that you have been invited to interview for the specific internship you are applying to, or proof of offer, if received.
- This can include an email from a Human Resources or general staff member of that organization inviting you to interview, an email confirmation of your scheduled interview with the organization, or a copy of the offer email/letter.
- An outline of your proposed budget using a completed copy of the Budget Worksheet Template.
- This file is View Only. To make your copy, 1) go to File on the taskbar, 2) scroll down to Download, and 3) select Microsoft Excel.
- When the file downloads to your computer, name it using your V number, including the V, and upload the completed version as an Excel file (preferred) or a PDF.
- Make sure all the cell’s contents are visible.
- Need a visual? We check out our “how-to” video.
- Answers to essay questions. Please note that this also includes the review rubric that the committee will be using.
The Writing Center is available to assist you with your application. Students active in Navigate can schedule one (1) appointment per day up to three (3) days a week. Their call hours for questions or scheduling are Monday through Thursday from 10 a.m.-8 p.m. and Friday from 10 a.m.-6 p.m. To reach the Writing Center during these hours, call (804) 828-4851. For questions or concerns outside of those hours, please email writingctr1@vcu.edu. However, please be aware that appointments can only be scheduled through Navigate. Note that funding eligibility is determined solely by the scholarship review committee.
The VCU Financial Success Center by Virginia Credit Union is here to assist you with all personal finance-related questions as you consider spring internship opportunities. Schedule an appointment with a peer financial coach to discuss budget and cash flow planning, creating savings goals, and get personalized assistance filling out your budget worksheet. However, please note that funding eligibility is determined solely by the scholarship review committee.
Frequently Asked Questions
For answers to Frequently Asked Questions, please refer to this Google document.