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Fund your summer internship

Do you have an internship planned for this summer that’s unpaid or underpaid (less than minimum wage)? Apply for funding through the SIS Office of Career Development to help cover expenses! We have three funds available to current SIS students. A general SIS Internship Fund, the Fleischmann Fund for undergraduates, and the Heravi Fund for graduate students.  

The strongest applications will demonstrate how the internship relates to the student’s career goals and represents an important step forward for them. We encourage international students, part-time students, online students, nontraditional students, first-generation students, and students of color to apply. Applications will be accepted February 17th through April 11th, 2025. 

SIS Internship fund awards will be announced and all students will hear back by 5pm on April 19th. Please do not reach out before this date to ask when you will hear back. 

If you have any other questions, you are always welcome to email us at siscareer@american.edu. 

Selected
Undergraduate Students
Graduate Students

The Alan H. Fleischmann and Dafna Tapiero Fleischmann Internship Fund is awarded annually by the SIS Office of Career Development to support SIS undergraduate students who secure summer internships. 

To be considered, students must: 

  • be enrolled in an undergraduate degree program at SIS at the time of the internship; 

  • have at least a 3.2 cumulative GPA; 

  • have an internship secured for summer 2025 that is unpaid or underpaid (less than minimum wage) 

Applicants to the Fleischmann Fund will automatically be considered for the SIS Internship Fund as well. Both the Fleischmann Fund and the SIS Internship Fund are intended to cover living expenses and other costs related to an internship, not tuition. Awardees will be required to submit a budget for how they plan to use the award before the funds are disbursed. 

To apply students will be asked to submit the following: 

  • proof of their unpaid or underpaid (less than minimum wage) internship which includes: 

  • employer name, supervisor name, location, how many hours, duration (number of weeks), start date, end date, the modality (in-person, remote, or hybrid), and any compensation you will be receiving 

  • Proof may be an offer letter from the employer or an email from your supervisor detailing the above information. 

  • Proof must be submitted in PDF format to be accepted 

  • Description of your financial situation, including any funds you are receiving as compensation for this internship, any prior internship funds you’ve received from AU, and any financial aid you receive from AU.  

  • A 500-word personal statement answering the following questions: 

  • Why are you pursuing this internship opportunity and why is it important to you? How does this internship relate to your career goals and interests? 

All applications must be submitted by 12pm ET (noon) on April 11th. Incomplete or late applications will not be accepted. 

The Mehdi Heravi Internship Fund is awarded annually by the SIS Office of Career Development to support SIS graduate students who secure summer internships. 

To be considered, students must: 

  • be enrolled in a graduate degree program at SIS at the time of the internship; 

  • have at least a 3.0 cumulative GPA; 

  • have an internship secured for summer 2025 that is unpaid or unpaid (less than minimum wage) 

Applicants to the Heravi Fund will automatically be considered for the SIS Internship Fund as well. Both the Heravi Fund and the SIS Internship Fund are intended to cover living expenses and other costs related to an internship, not tuition. Awardees will be required to submit a budget for how they plan to use the award before the funds will be disbursed. 

To apply students are asked to submit the following: 

  • proof of your unpaid or underpaid (less than minimum wage) internship which includes: 

  • employer name, supervisor name, location, how many hours, duration (number of weeks), start date, end date, the modality (in-person, remote, or hybrid), and any compensation you will be receiving 

  • Proof may be an offer letter from the employer or an email from your supervisor detailing the above information. 

  • Proof must be submitted in PDF format to be accepted 

  • Description of your financial situation, including any funds you are receiving as compensation for this internship, any prior internship funds you’ve received from AU, and any financial aid you receive from AU.  

  • A 500-word personal statement answering the following questions: 

  • Why are you pursuing this internship opportunity and why is it important to you? How does this internship relate to your career goals and interests? 

All applications must be submitted by 12pm ET (noon) on April 11th. Incomplete or late applications will not be accepted. 

Frequently Asked Questions

Have a question not answered here? Email us as siscareer@american.edu

This year, awards range from $1,500 -$2,500.

No, all applicants to the Heravi or Fleischmann Funds will automatically be considered for the SIS Internship Fund as well.

Be sure you have the following: 

  • proof of your unpaid or underpaid (less than minimum wage) internship which includes: 

  • employer name, supervisor name, location, how many hours, duration (number of weeks), start date, end date, the modality (in-person, remote, or hybrid), and any compensation you will be receiving 

  • Proof may be an offer letter from the employer or an email from your supervisor detailing the above information. 

  • Proof must be submitted in PDF format to be accepted 

  • Description of your financial situation, including any funds you are receiving as compensation for this internship, any prior internship funds you’ve received from AU, and any financial aid you receive from AU.  

  • A 500-word personal statement answering the following questions: 

  • Why are you pursuing this internship opportunity and why is it important to you? How does this internship relate to your career goals and interests? 

Please plan to spend at least 30 minutes completing the application form and ensure that you have your proof of internship prior to filling out the application.  

Applications that are missing components or are otherwise incomplete will not be considered. 

SIS Internship fund awards will be announced and all students will hear back by 5pm on April 19th.

Please do not reach out before this date to ask when you will hear back. 

The internship funds are intended to cover living expenses and other costs related to an internship, not tuition. Awardees will be required to submit a budget for how they plan to use the award before the funds will be disbursed.

Yes, students must have been offered an unpaid or underpaid internship prior to the application deadline of April 5th. You do not need to have accepted the offer of employment in the unpaid/underpaid internship, but you should be prepared to demonstrate proof of your internship offer in your application.

Applications will be assessed based on the internship's relevance, its potential for professional development, the clarity of the application, and institutional considerations including previous academic/professional achievement, whether the internship will fulfill a requirement, and other sources of financial support. The strongest applications articulate clear, logical career or academic goals, draw a strong relationship between those goals and the internship, and demonstrate how the internship would be an important step forward professionally.