Frequently Asked Questions:

General Questions about Internships Starting the process of finding an internship can be difficult and confusing. Maybe you have some questions about internships and other programs in general. We've put together a list of common questions we thought you might have. Click on a question below to find the answers you are looking for. What is the importance of an internship? What are some things I should look for in my search for an internship? When should I start looking for internship opportunities? What is the difference between an internship, co-op, fellowship, and scholarship? I know I'm interested in science and/or engineering, but I have not chosen a major yet. Can I still apply for any of these programs? Do companies only offer internships during the summer? Are internships only for junior or senior undergraduate students? What are the different types of payment or compensation that an organization might offer? What is the next step after I find an internship/co-op that I'm interested in? Okay, so I've sent out my resume or applied online, now what? Specific Questions about Tech-Interns We've tried to make Tech-Interns Internship Database as easy to use as possible. However, maybe you need some additional clarification about the options that are available to you. Click on a question below to jump down to an answer that can help you. If there is no payment information listed, does that mean that the internship is unpaid? I am currently studying in an engineering/science program but have not chosen a specific discipline. Where do I find internships that I am eligible? I am currently studying a specific type of engineering/science discipline, but I'm willing to work with an organization outside of my specific discipline. Where do I look? What do the different terms under "Application Deadline" mean? If the application deadline for a program has passed, can I turn in an application for next year? If there is no contact information listed, where do I find more information about the internship? Should I send my resume directly to the address listed under "organization information"? Don't see your question? Ask it on the Tech-Interns Message Board. General Answers About Internships: What is the importance of an internship? Pre-graduate research and employment opportunities such as internships provide many benefits to your academic and professional career. In today's competitive job market, it is essential to have some type of professional experience before you get your degree. Internships, co-ops and other such opportunities give you the chance to explore potential career fields and allow you to gain valuable experience working in a real-world professional environment. These types of experiences are what make you a more attractive prospect to future employers after graduation. They prepare you to make more informed decisions about your professional goals as well as providing you with a great resource for contacts in the professional world. In many cases the potential is high for permanent employment as a result of your time spent with your interning employer. Taking your internship experience seriously can lead to exponential advantages for you in the future. What are some things I should look for in my search for an internship? Depending on the kinds of opportunities you are looking for, finding an internship can be a daunting process. There are many questions you should consider in your internship search, such as: What majors or fields of study is the organization looking for? What kind of program are you looking for (a fellowship, a summer internship, a co-op)? What's the difference between theses types of programs? ( Find out here ) How long is the duration of the internship (How many weeks and hours per day)? Where is the internship located? Do you have any preference to relocate? Will there be an opportunity for post-graduation employment? What (if any), benefits and/or compensation are offered? Does the employer require you to receive academic credit from your school? Do you have a preference for the type of organization you want to work for ( small firm, large firm, non-profit, etc.)? This is but a small list of questions to help get you started. Take the time to make a list of your own that reflect your own academic goals and career ambitions. When should I start looking for internship opportunities? A majority of programs listed on Tech-Interns have deadline dates. That means the earlier you start your search, the better. This is especially true if you are looking for a summer internship because the deadlines for some may run as early as January. Therefore, it is suggested that you start your search about 4 or 5 months before you would like to start working. Starting the search process early looks good to potential employers. It shows that you are motivated and have the initiative to apply before the rush of applications that usually come right before the deadline. This not only gives you time to make a more informed decision but also gives you the opportunity to apply to as many different programs as possible, thereby expanding your potential options. Back to top What is the difference between an internship, co-op, fellowship, and scholarship? One may hear the terms scholarships, internships and fellowships used in similar circumstances, however they are quite different in meaning. Each one is important during various phases of your academic career. A scholarship is a specific gift of money or another form of financial aid such as a work-study. Scholarships can be awarded by a foundation, corporation, business or government agency to an undergraduate student to help pay for instruction at a college or university. Unlike a loan, a student is not required to pay back the scholarship. An internship allows a student to participate in a program of temporary, supervised work in a particular field in order to gain practical experience. This is very important. This will allow students to gain valuable experience while enrolled as a student. Upon graduation, the practical experience along with a degree can put you ahead of the pack while looking for that dream job. Internships usually take the form of a summer internship or cooperative education program, often referred to simply as a "co-op". A co-op is a formal program established between a college or university and a sponsoring organization. Unlike internships which may be paid or unpaid, the co-op program is a paid position and allows the student to work on alternate semesters with the sponsoring organization as a full time employee. This program usually requires one extra school year, but provides invaluable work experience. A fellowship is a scholarship or grant that is awarded to a graduate student (enrolled in a college or university) to pay for advanced study in their field of expertise. A fellowship may also include an internship in the particular field of study. Scholarship, internship and fellowship application requirements will vary according to the sponsoring organization. Please note that, for the sake of brevity, the term "internship" is used many times on Tech-Interns as a generic reference to all types of programs included on this site. I know I'm interested in science and/or engineering, but I have not chosen a major yet. Can I still apply for any of these programs? Yes, in many cases you can. Not only are internships a great way for you to develop a particular interest in a career field, but they are also a great way to find out about a career field that you want to learn more about. Many of the organizations listed are looking for motivated students with a solid interest in science or engineering, even if that interest is only in the general sense. Many programs are offered to freshman and sophomores who may not have chosen a major yet, but are looking to define their area of study by doing some work outside of their academic institution. Do companies only offer internships during the summer? Not necessarily, some organizations offer internships only during the summer break, others offer internships throughout the year, or more specifically in the spring or fall semester. Most co-ops alternate semesters of full-time employment with academic study. Even if an organization only officially offers internships in the summer, they may still be open to taking an intern during the regular semester terms. It doesn’t hurt to inquire about it if that’s when your schedule permits academic leave. Back to top Are internships only for junior or senior undergraduate students? Not necessarily. Some organizations offer internships for freshman and sophomore undergraduates and even high school students. Although, some of these internships may be simple clerical positions, it can still give you an invaluable and enlightening experience in a professional work environment. Some programs are offered over successive summers with a increase in responsibility with each term you work. Graduate students are also eligible for many advanced positions and, in the case of many technical fields, are highly in demand. What are the different types of payment or compensation that an organization might offer? In the grand scheme of things, compensation should really be the least important aspect in your search for an internship. However, it is an important issue nonetheless. The possibility for compensation, in many cases, comes down to the size of the organization. Most large firms ("Fortune 500" companies for example) may offer competitive salaries, travel expenses, housing, and other benefits. Some organizations, as in the case of many government sponsored research programs, will offer stipends. These are payments to you for your personal expenses during the program. Many, but certainly not all, small firms and non-profit organizations can offer little or no compensation at all. However, their offer for a rewarding educational experience and professional contacts maybe worth a whole lot more. Regardless of the size of the organization, many programs can offer college credit through your academic institution in lieu of pay. Remember that, at this point, it is more important to focus on the benefits that will come from a positive and rewarding internship experience to your present and post academic career than to your present bank account. Later you will find that students with internship experience generally start out at higher salaries than those without similar experience. Back to top What is the next step after I find an internship/co-op that I'm interested in? After you find a program on this site that sparks your interest, your next step will be to gather as much information as possible. If you cannot get the information you need from Tech-Interns or the links we provide, try getting in touch with the company directly through the contact information provided. You can also try going through your department office or career resource center at your academic institution. Draw up a list of all the programs that interest you. Go through each program in your list and for each one ask yourself whether your qualifications fit the criteria for the position the organization is looking for. Then decide which organizations suit your preferences and goals best. Once you have narrowed your list down, it's time to get your resume and a cover letter together and out to those employers (some organizations may even have specific applications available online). Remember to write a cover letter and resume that specifically caters to the needs of the organization in which you are applying, rather than using a generic form for all of your letters. Show that you have a personal interest in their organization. Need some help with theses issues? Our student resource links page has some great sites that include helpful hints and articles on writing that "power" resume and cover letter. Okay, so I've sent out my resume or applied online, now what? There are several things that you can do now that you have sent your resume out. The first of which is to follow up your application with a phone call or email. Many organizations receive thousands of applications each year. If you do not hear a response after a week, it is in no way unprofessional for you to contact the organization to make sure they received your application or resume. Another thing you can do is to prepare yourself for the interview process. Try to think of possible interview questions and then practice answering them. Take some interest in the organization for which you are applying and think of some questions of your own to ask in the interview. Keep in mind that sometimes organizations may hold interviews over the phone. Need some help to prepare? Our student resource links page has some great sites that include helpful articles on common interview questions and answers, what to where, and other tips on how to properly prepare. Back to top Specific Answers About Tech-Interns: If there is no payment information listed, does that mean that it's unpaid? Not necessarily. If the employer did not provide any information in our research for this site, then we left the space intentionally blank. Tech-Interns was made as comprehensive as possible, but in some cases the relevant information wasn't available at the time the database was created. Contact the employer for more information. I am currently studying in an engineering/science program but have not chosen a specific discipline. Where do I find internships that I am eligible? Many of the programs listed on Tech-Interns do not restrict eligibility to any specific engineering or science discipline, but are offered to those starting their studies or interested in engineering or science in general. If you are searching for non-specific engineering or science internships and programs there is an "engineering (general)" or "science" option you may select under the discipline field of inquiry on the search page. Back to top I am currently studying a specific type of engineering/science discipline, but I'm willing to work with an organization outside of my specific discipline. Where do I look? The discipline field on the main search page includes an "engineering (general)" or " science" option which will produce a list of programs for students studying engineering or science in general. Searching under either one, or both, of these two options will also include all specific disciplines under general engineering and/or science as well as those which are non-specific. What do the different terms under "Application Deadline" mean? On the final page listing the detail information of a particular program you will notice one of five responses listed under the "deadline date" heading. The term "Rolling" means there is no deadline. This program is either offered, or applications are accepted year round. The term "Annually" means that there is a deadline once a year that is specific only to the time of year the internship is offered. Check with the organization for more information. "Quarterly" means that the organization may offer programs throughout the year, but there are separate deadlines for each. For example, there may be a separate deadline for the spring semester co-op, a deadline for the summer internship, and one for each of the fall and winter sessions as well. In this case you will need to contact the organization or check their website for more information on the particular time of year you are interested in applying. If a program entry says that "No Deadline Information Given", this may in fact be the case. This does not necessarily mean there is no deadline at all. If the employer did not provide any information in our research for this site, then we designated the deadline as "No Information Given". Tech-Interns was made as comprehensive as possible, but in some cases the relevant information wasn't available at the time the database was created. In all other cases a specific deadline date will be provided under the deadline heading.   If the application deadline for a program has passed, can I turn in an application for next year? Possibly. Some organizations take applications year-round regardless of the deadline. If you can be flexible, many organizations have opportunities in their cooperative education (co-op) program during the academic year. However, if you are interested in a specific program and a deadline date listed under the results page has passed for this year, check back with us later. Tech-Interns tries hard to keep all of our information (especially deadline dates) updated on a regular basis. You may also try the organization's web page or contact them directly for more info. Back to top If there is no contact information listed, where do I find more information about the internship? Some type of contact information or web link will always be listed for every program in the database. Tech-Interns was made to be as web-friendly as possible. Therefore, in the detailed information of most of the programs, there will be either a direct link to that organization’s internship program information, a link to the organization's homepage, or both. However, in a few cases some organizations will not only lack specific internship info on the web, but also lack any general website at all! In this case, you will need to use the phone and address contact information provided. Should I send my resume directly to the address listed under "organization information"? Not necessarily. The phone number and address information listed for an organization is that of the organization headquarters and not necessarily that of the correct address to send a resume. This is especially true for larger firms, where as for smaller organizations all mail may go to a single address. The reason that the corporate address is listed is because the university relations or human resources contact information may change. Certain department locations may change, personnel may change, etc., but in most cases the corporate or headquarters information does not, and therefore is always a reliable starting point to find additional information. Back to top