Brown Internship Award Program (BIAP)

Looking for funding for your low or unpaid internship? BIAP can help!

The Brown Internship Award Program (BIAP) is administered by the Career Development Center.

• Application Deadline: March 22, 2010
  (internship does not need to be confirmed at time of application)
• Online application and additional details will be available in early February.
• Download our Brown Internship Award Program FAQs

Program Overview

Each year, the Brown Internship Award Program offers funding for unpaid or low paying summer internships. The awards encourage students to pursue career exploration through summer internships in all career fields, including labor relations, socially responsible careers and careers in the creative arts, music and entertainment. The program is made possible through the generosity of alumni and parents, employer gifts, and support from the Brown University Office of Financial Aid.

Award Types

The program includes two types of awards—one open to all Brown undergeraduate students and one specifically for students on financial aid.

• Summer Internship Award (open to students regardless of financial aid status)—Funding awards in the amount of $2,500 are available for career exploration in a wide variety of fields. The exact number of awards is dependent on funding and will be determined in March 2010.
• Summer Earnings Waiver (for students on financial aid)—Students who are on financial aid and eligible for University scholarship may apply for a waiver of their summer earnings requirement. For summer 2010, 25 summer earnings waivers of up to $2,800 will be awarded.

Goals of the Brown Internship Award Program

The Brown Internship Awards are designed to assist students pursuing career exploration in a variety of career fields and to help students grow intellectually through the application of academic learning. Internships can provide diverse experiences, including:

• Acquiring, applying, and integrating a body of knowledge or a methodology
• Developing competencies (knowledge/skills) specific to a career or setting
• Understanding different cultures
• Acquiring academic skills, e.g. analysis, synthesis, building conceptual models
• Acquiring work skills, e.g. communication, coping with ambiguity, teamwork, time management, interpersonal skills, goal setting
• Exploring career options and understanding career pathways

Eligible Candidates

All registered Brown undergraduate students, who are returning to Brown in September, 2010, are eligible to apply. Graduating seniors (May '10) are not eligible. Preference will be given to rising juniors and seniors.

Students are not eligible to repeat awards. However, students on financial aid are eligible to receive one Summer Internship Funding Award and one Summer Earnings Waiver, either in the same year or separate years while an undergraduate student.

Brown Internship Award Descriptions

SUMMER INTERNSHIP AWARDS for students meeting eligibility requirements: Funding up to $2,500.

SUMMER EARNINGS WAIVER for students on financial aid and eligible for university scholarship: This award waives the summer earnings requirement of up to $2,800 (25 awards). These students are eligible to receive a Summer Earnings Waiver, Summer Internship Funding, or both awards in the same or separate years. Receipt of the Summer Earnings Waiver is contingent on continued eligibility for University Scholarship in the academic year following the award year summer internship.

Eligible summer internships for Brown Internship Awards

• Unpaid or low-paying internship ($1,000 or less)
• a minimum of 240 hours of supervised work (equivalent of 6 weeks/40 hours/week)
• Offered during the summer and completed by August 31
• Supervised by a professional in the organization who agrees to guidelines

Experiences/projects/programs NOT eligible for the Brown Internship Award Program:

• Projects that fulfill the criteria of the Brown University UTRA (Undergraduate Teaching and Research Assistantships) Program
• Pre-thesis research at Brown or elsewhere without significant experiential learning component
• Program fees (funding will not cover fees to participate in study abroad, volunteer/service, exchange or other similar programs)
• Tuition-based summer programs including those with an internship component
• Internship or project receiving Brown course credit (e.g. teaching requirement for teacher certification/education concentration; summer school course)
• Non-credit course or training program

Application Guidelines

• Each candidate should submit only ONE application for the Brown Internship Award Program
• Students may apply for either a GENERAL AWARD or an INDUSTRY SPECIFIC AWARD – but only ONE application may be submitted
• If received, the award is for the original application only. It is not transferable to another internship
• If a student accepts a monetary award for internship funding through another Brown University department or center, a BIAP award through the CDC cannot be accepted. These departments and centers include the Office of the Dean of the College, the Swearer Center for Public Service, the Watson Institute for International Studies and others.

Award Requirements

• Attend a Career Development Center BIAP Recipient Information Session upon notification of the award.
• Write a thank you letter to the donor once the award is accepted.
• Abide by criteria throughout the summer internship (supervision; minimum of 240 hours; earn less than $1,000; internship completed by August 31).
• Write a reflective essay at the end of the internship which will be forwarded to the donor.

Important Dates

• Online application and additional details will be early February
• Application Deadline: March 22, 2010
• Notification of award recipients: mid-April 2010

To Apply

Students need submit only ONE application to the Brown Internship Award Program even when applying for both the Summer Internship Award and the Summer Earnings Waiver.