These very popular and in-demand internships enable UCLA students to spend ten weeks or longer working and gain invaluable experience in the office of a legislator, a public interest group, government agency, business, private industry, media, arts, or international organization. These interns have the option of working in functional areas such as research, writing, public relations, and problem solving.
Student Involvement for the National Internships
An important component of the Internship Program is the depth of student involvement. Managers are students involved with their own internship placements and the placements of their peers. Student Placement Directors are selected from the pool of interns and are in charge of organizing and facilitating internship placements for all of the interns selected into the program for that quarter. Once the students start their internship, the Student Placement Directors become Field Directors and help monitor the interns' progress in Washington, DC. The Field Directors also organize social and cultural events for the students to participate in.
Since most internships are non-paid and the cost associated with doing an internship may dissuade some students from participating, students can earn a stipend to help defray costs. The costs associated with doing an internship include room and board, transportation, and incidentals, i.e., souvenirs, cultural events, etc. U.C. President's Scholarships, the Alex White Scholarship, and student loans are also available for students who qualify.
After the Internship
Upon returning from their internships, interns can stay active in the Internship Program. Alumni of the program are invited to participate in the UCLA Internship Associations (IA). The UCLA IA serves as a support group of alumni for the Internship Program. The IA helps raise money for the program and awards the Alexander White Scholarship to deserving interns. The UCLA Career Center is proud of the many accomplishments of the UCLA Internship Program. What is most impressive and fulfilling, however, is the noticeable change in the students when they come back from their internships. The confidence and focus that they display makes all of the hard work worthwhile.
How to Apply
1 - Each applicant must attend an information session (log in to BruinView™ for more details) or workshop in order to become familiar with the operational details. Check the quarterly schedule for updates.
2 - Resume, essay, and intern information sheets must be turned in on or before the deadline date for the appropriate quarter. Your essay should be no more than 500 words and should cover the following areas:
- Personal goal(s) for the internship and the area of your interest.
- A discussion of an issue(s) related to your area of interest.
- An explanation on how this internship is relevant to your career plans.
3 - Students applying for a director position will go through a group interview. After acceptance, all students will go through a group orientation.
4 - Letters of recommendations are required. Letters will be accepted after you are in the program.
5 - After acceptance into the program, all interns will begin with their internship placements. Interns who wish to earn a stipend will start fund-raising activities.
For more information, call us at 310.825.0831.