Wellesley Grants Program

Kalei Oliver ’20
Kalei Oliver ’20, working on an archeological excavation with Proyecto de Investigación Arqueológico Regional Ancash in Hualcáyan, Peru through a grant from Wellesley Career Education.

Career Education 
Grants Program

Funding for Wellesley students who find their own unpaid summer internships.

The Career Education Grants Program is supported by approximately three dozen donor-endowed funds or gifts targeted to support Wellesley students across all career sectors, geographic locations, and class years.

 

Apply in Workday 

February 1 - March 1, 2025 by 5 pm EST

Students do not need to have an internship confirmed in order to apply for the Career Education Grants Program, but they do need a clear vision of their proposed summer experience so they can describe in the application how this experience will benefit them professionally, personally, and academically.

Click HERE for the Grants Program Application Guide
 
Click HERE for instructions for how to apply in Workday

 

Student Eligibility

Grants Program funding can support various unpaid summer experiences, including internships, research, and community service. The program is competitive as less than 25% of applicants receive funding. Students must meet these minimum requirements in order to receive grant funding and earn experiential learning units from Career Education: 

  • Sophomores, juniors, and non-graduating seniors are eligible to apply. Priority is given to juniors who have not been funded previously by the College for a summer experience
  • Funding is limited for non-graduating seniors as shown in our list of the donor funds. This list is only intended to help you understand the types of experiences that are fundable as well as some of the specific requirements (industry, type of organization, class year restrictions, etc.). 
  • Students only need to submit one application to be considered for all our Career Education grants. Students simply apply to the general Career Education Grants Program and the Career Education staff will determine the appropriate funding source from this list of the donor funds
  • Opportunities are open to all students, however students must be enrolled at the College for the 2025 Spring and Fall semesters or in a study abroad program through the College. Exchange program students from other institutions are ineligible to receive College funding for a summer internship or grant.
  • International students are welcome and encouraged to apply but will need to obtain Curricular Practical Training (CPT) authorization through Slater if interning in the U.S.
  • There are no minimum GPA requirements but students must be in good academic and social standing with no past honor code violations.

Eligible Experiences

Career Education Grants Program funding can support various unpaid summer experiences, including internships, research, and community service. An internship must meet these minimum eligibility requirements, which are also listed in THIS downloadable PDF checklist

  • Align with a student’s career goals and prior academic experience so the student can develop skills transferable to future career opportunities. 
  • Allow for direct contact with a qualified professional supervisor to answer questions and provide consistent and timely performance feedback.
  • Present a reasonable job description and expectations​​ that are substantive and meaningful to the student and company yet manageable in the duration of the internship.
  • Provide a professional environment along with the necessary resources to complete assigned duties (e.g., access to appropriate technology, equipment, licensed staff, training).
  • Allow open communication between organization supervisors, Wellesley College staff, and the student, especially in the event of problems or emergencies.
  • Comply with international, employment and government laws, including all applicable regulatory bodies, and have valid and up-to-date licensure, accreditation and any necessary certifications.

Below are some opportunities not eligible for grant funding. This is not an exhaustive list.

  • On-campus opportunities including faculty research or thesis work
  • Independent Study
  • Academic tuition for classes or any related expenses (e.g., class materials, transportation to classes)
  • Fee-based opportunities (e.g., pay to participate in mission work, research, internships, or other programs) or other experiences that include program fees
  • Seed funding for Start-Ups or Non-Profits
  • Work on political campaigns (Note: Students may intern for a government official such as a Congressman, DA, or Senator, but they are not permitted to work on campaigns)
  • Paid or funded opportunities
  • Opportunities with organizations that are owned or operated by a student’s immediate family, or by an aunt or uncle
  • Internships through student-run organizations 

Funding Amount

Stipends for Career Education Grants for the Summer 2025 are $5,000.

All Career Education Grants will be distributed in two separate installments via Workday: the full amount less $500 in mid-June and $500 in September once the internship and all Career Education summer requirements have been met. International students may have to pay taxes on this funding—please check our FAQs for more information.

If a student secures a paid internship after being accepted into the Career Education Grants Program, they may receive a reduced stipend, depending on their total salary. If a student is paid less than the total grant awarded, then the College can offer a partial payment up to the total grant amount awarded. If a student secures a paid internship that exceeds the award amount, then the student will no longer be eligible to receive funding from the College.

Internship Commitment

In order to receive the full stipend award, the participating intern must:

  • Work a minimum of 8 weeks/300 hours in the summer.
  • Complete all the Career Education Summer Internship Pathway exercises by the Career Education deadlines (e.g., Pre-internship Paperwork, Goal Setting, Surveys, Reflections, advisor meetings). See FAQs for more information about the Summer Pathway. 
  • Agree to make the Wellesley-funded internship their only job responsibility during the designated internship weeks. Students are not permitted to accept any other full-time or part-time positions or enroll in any summer courses (virtual or otherwise) that would coincide with internship program dates. (Some exceptions may apply; Students should discuss specifics with the Internships Team at internships@wellesley.edu.) 

Application Requirements, Tips, & Resources

All Career Education Grant Program applications must be submitted in Workday between Feb. 1 to March 1 (5 pm EST). Students do not need to have an internship secured before applying but they do need to have a clear vision of their proposed summer experience so they can submit a strong Statement of Intent, Resume, and list of organizations to which they have applied or plan to apply. Consult THIS Grants Program Application Guide for tips and resources and the guidelines below below when working on your application: 

Students must submit their Statement of Intent and Resume in PDF format when applying in Workday. We recommend students finalize all their PDF documents and name them as instructed (e.g., YourName_DocumentType: ZevSanchez_Resume; AmberLee_StatementofIntent) prior to starting the application in Workday. Applications cannot be saved in Workday so must be completed in one sitting. 

Statement of Intent. Students must answer the prompts below in no more than one page (in total for both questions) in a single PDF. Margins should be at least 1” and single-spaced with a minimum 11-point font in Arial, Calibri, or Times New Roman.
  • Academic Preparation: What have you learned already that you can build on and apply to this opportunity? While your answer should focus on academic preparation, you are welcome to mention other relevant extracurricular or volunteer experiences.
    • 💡 TIPS: This means we want you to clearly explain the types of opportunities you are pursuing and your motivations for pursuing them. Give us specific details that directly connect your interests and future career goals to this possible opportunity and explain what you can contribute and hope to learn in the process.
  •  Career Motivation/Exploration: What type of internship will you be pursuing and why? How will this opportunity align with your interests and career goals to help you grow? How do you envision contributing to your proposed opportunity?
    • 💡 TIPS: This means we want you to clearly explain the types of opportunities you are pursuing and your motivations for pursuing them. Give us specific details that directly connect your interests and future career goals to this possible opportunity and explain what you can contribute and hope to learn in the process.
Resume tailored to your possible opportunities.
Names of organizations to which the student has applied or will apply. (*Please note: This question will be answered directly in the application so it does not need to be in PDF form. Also, students are not obligated to apply to or intern at any of the organizations they list. This information simply helps us understand a student’s interests and determine which fund(s) we can use to sponsor opportunities.)

Application Selection Process

Selection for the Career Education Grants Program is competitive—less than 25% of applicants are typically awarded grants. Awards are distributed based on the quality of a student’s application materials, not on a student’s financial need or if they have already secured an internship before their application. Some areas of study or geographical locations have more funds than others. Students who have not previously received summer funding from the College are prioritized.  

Wellesley’s Career Education staff review and individually score ALL SUBMITTED APPLICATION MATERIALS to identify the strongest applicants and make award nominations. Career Education Grant Program award decisions will be communicated to applicants by April 1. 

If Selected for a Grant Award

Students awarded a Career Education Grant have until May 1 to secure an internship and confirm their internship opportunity with Career Education. In order to do that, students will be instructed in their offer letter about the timeline and how to submit the Pre-Internship Paperwork in the Pathway. 

FAQs

Still have questions? Check out our FAQs or contact us at internships@wellesley.edu.