Advance Internship Program

Do you want to build professional experience but are unsure where to start? Are you looking for a way to break into your dream organization or field? UChicagoGRAD’s Advance internship program supports you in creating a customized internship opportunity that will move your career forward.

Each year, the Advance program provides funding and coaching to graduate students who seek to build new skills and apply their advanced-degree training in the career path of their choice. The program has supported more than 500 internship projects around the world since its inception in 2015. We offer two Advance internship options:

  • Master’s Advance. Master’s students can create an internship in academia, industry, nonprofits, or government and apply to receive one of a limited number of $6,000 stipends. The funding supports projects that are otherwise unpaid. The deadline to apply for Master’s Advance is February 28.
  • PhD Advance. Students in any UChicago doctoral program can design an internship project in academia, industry, nonprofits, or government and receive a $6,000 stipend. Applications are accepted on a rolling basis, and students may receive funding once during their time at UChicago.

Questions? Email Leah Ramsey at leahramsey@uchicago.edu.

Success Stories

Since the inception of the Advance internship program in 2015, graduate students have designed more than 500 internships that launched careers in academia, industry, nonprofits, and government. Want to learn more about the interns’ stories? View the profiles highlighted below or consult the list of all past Advance winners.

Image of Serena LaiImage of Nancy PantojaImage of Brandon Truett
SERENA LAI
MA in Philosophy		NANCY PANTOJA
PhD in Psychology		BRANDON TRUETT
PhD in English
Intern at the Aspen Institute

Researched trends and best practices for philanthropic sector, and identified, researched, and summarized open data use cases.		Intern at Renaissance Learning

Performed competitive analysis of key competitor and involved multiple UX research methods.		Intern at Barnes Foundation

Produced object white papers about two paintings by the Spanish artist Joan Miró for curatorial files and a museum website.
Career Outcome: Director, CCS FundraisingCareer Outcome: UX Researcher, Renaissance LearningCareer Outcome: Head of Learning and Community Engagement, Zimmerli Art Museum, Rutgers University