The PhD Advance internship program invites UChicago PhD students in the final year of their PhD to create a 300-hour internship with an organization of their choosing. The internship should be otherwise unfunded, and it should provide the intern with new professional skills. PhD Advance internships are open to international students and can take place anywhere in the world (except on campus). Successful applicants will receive a $6,000 stipend to support their pursuit of the opportunity.

The PhD Advance program prioritizes applicants who design customized, project-based internships. Project-based internships are those that engage the intern in a coherent set of responsibilities that progressively build toward a specific deliverable or outcome. Internships involving unrelated, ad-hoc tasks are not considered project-based opportunities. The Advance program supports internship projects at organizations with which the applicant has had no significant involvement. Organizations based at UChicago or managed by UChicago faculty are not eligible to host Advance interns. For more details, attend the information session hosted each January.

Internship Hours and Timing

Internships must be 300 hours in duration. Students and their host organizations collaborate to determine exact weekly hours and beginning and end dates for the internship. Internships can take place at any time of the year.

UChicago PhD students can receive UChicagoGRAD internship funding once during their time at UChicago. Internships must take place either (1) during the final year of a doctoral program or (2) in the quarter immediately following a student’s departure from the university. This end-of-program timing is optimal, as late-stage internships send important signals to potential employers about applicants’ professional trajectories.

Eligibility for PhD Advance

The program is open to doctoral students in or about to enter the final year of a PhD program at the University of Chicago. Both domestic and international students are eligible. Participation requires approval from an applicant’s Dean of Students.

Internship funding is available to those who decide not to finish their PhD programs. In this case, UChicagoGRAD must receive the internship application eight weeks prior to the student’s departure.

Non-Transferability of Funding

PhD Advance funding is intended to support the specific internship experience described in the application materials. While students may adjust their internship projects, they may not change host organizations after submitting their applications.

Application Deadline

Applications are accepted on a rolling basis. If the student intends to leave UChicago, with or without a degree, their application must be received eight weeks before their departure.

The Process

Step 1: Develop a Project with Coaching from UChicagoGRAD

Students who are interested in PhD Advance should set up a meeting with their UChicagoGRAD career advisor. Your advisor will help you reflect on your career goals, craft an outreach strategy, and develop a realistic project. Your advisor can also provide feedback on your application materials. If you are an international student, please familiarize yourself with the work authorization processes and connect with the Office for International Affairs if additional support is needed.

Step 2: Submit Your Application

To submit your application, complete the Pathways PhD Advance module on GRAD Gargoyle. You will be prompted to submit your resume or CV, application letter, internship confirmation, and your Dean of Student’s approval.

• Resume or CV. A field-appropriate, one-page resume or a CV is required.
• Application Letter. Prepare a two-page, single-spaced letter addressed to UChicagoGRAD.
  • Briefly discuss your academic work and its connection to the internship project.
  • Describe the host organization, including your supervisor’s name.
  • Explain the internship project, including your duties, timelines, and deliverables.
  • Clarify how the project will help you develop new skills and advance your career.
• Internship Confirmation. Submit an email or letter from your host that confirms your internship project. This short note should include your name, your supervisor’s name, your supervisor’s contact information, and the internship project you would be pursuing.
• Dean of Students Approval. Receive written confirmation from your Dean of Students and submit it to the Advance program administrator.

Step 3: Receive a Decision

A selection committee will assess applications and select awardees. Please allow up to three weeks for your application to be reviewed. UChicagoGRAD will then notify awardees of their decision and, if the application is successful, connect with awardees’ host organizations. Awardees must agree to the program conditions before internship funding is confirmed. Awardees are not allowed to begin an Advance internship until they have received approval and funding from UChicagoGRAD. Please note that internship stipends may take up to six weeks to be processed and deposited.

Step 4: Complete Your Internship and Program Requirements

Upon completion of the internship, awardees must respond to a survey and write a short reflection about their experience.

OTHER FUNDING SOURCES

The PhD Advance program provides some financial support for students who are participating in otherwise unpaid (or underpaid) opportunities. While you are encouraged to consider other potential funding sources to support your internship, UChicagoGRAD will only award a stipend that brings the total support for this experience up to $6000. This condition does not include regular student support that you may receive unrelated to this internship. It does apply to funds supplied directly by the host or by another granting unit, intended to support this experience. If the amount awarded from another source is less than $6000, UChicagoGRAD will award a stipend amount for the difference between these awards.