Summer Social Impact Internship (SSII) Fund

The Summer Social Impact Internship (SSII) Fund supports undergraduate students who have committed to unpaid summer internships with nonprofit or government organizations dedicated to social impact, civic engagement and/or public policy. 

Applications for summer 2023 are closed. Check back in the fall for information about summer 2024. 

After receiving an offer or developing an internship with an organization, eligible students may apply for SSII funding to defray anticipated costs, such as housing, transportation and food.

Students are encouraged to apply by the priority deadline of April 10, 2023. Applicants must apply by the final deadline of May 19, 2023 to be considered for this funding. The selection committee typically responds to applicants within seven business days. Applications can be completed in Handshake by requesting an Experience and selecting "Summer Social Impact Internship Fund Application (2023)" as the type. 

Eligibility

Applicants who meet all of the requirements below are eligible to apply for the funding. Please note that an application does not guarantee funding. Awards are based on meeting eligibility criteria and the strength of the application; they are also contingent on funding availability during the application cycle.

Class year

Applicants must be currently enrolled first years, sophomores or juniors. Students on leave in spring 2023 and/or fall 2023 are not eligible for funding. 

Organization

Applicants must have an unpaid internship offer with a nonprofit or government organization committed to a social impact, civic engagement and/or public policy mission. Students who received offers or accepted an internship from an organization through which two other students have already received SSII funding this application cycle are not eligible, nor are students who have accepted opportunities that require the student to pay an organization for placement and/or participation. 

Duration

Applicants must work at least 10 hours per week for at least four weeks in the role.

Supervision

Applicants must have an internship supervisor who is not a current undergraduate student; has a minimum of two years professional experience; works full-time in their role and is not working full-time at another organization; and is available to meet with the intern regularly throughout the course of the internship.

Location

Both in-person and virtual opportunities are eligible. International sites are not eligible for funding unless students are applying to a site in their country of permanent residence. Consult the current guidance and guidelines from Princeton University on international travel before applying. 

It is the responsibility of individual students to assess an internship’s logistics. We strongly recommend that students evaluate offers for health and safety, professional development and other aspects of the opportunity. Jessica Matzko is available to consult with students about any questions they may have regarding vetting internships and organizations.

What are SSII Fund recipients doing this summer?

Nick Oyer '26

Intern,
St. James Hospital

Caroline Rasmussen '26

Intern,
Girlstart

Amin Zare '26

Developer,
Adroit Studios

Benjamin Woodard '25

Judicial Intern
US Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit

Funding

If approved for funding, the award amount is contingent upon the average weekly commitment.

  • Full-time commitment (e.g., 30+ hours/week): $600 per week
  • Extended part-time commitment (e.g., 20-29 hour/week): $400 per week
  • Part-time commitment (e.g., 10-19 hours/week): $250 per week

The maximum award for a full-time commitment for summer 2023 is $6,000. Accepted students who are pursuing in-person internships from sites with high housing costs are eligible to apply for the Cost of Living Supplement of up to $1,000. 

Funding will be disbursed in two installments. The first installment, which will be 75 percent of the total funding awarded, will be provided through SAFE in May/early June. The second installment (the final 25 percent) will be provided through SAFE after program requirements are completed. 

Students who accept a SSII Fund award for a summer internship:

  • May not accept funding from other Princeton sources for the same internship (and may not apply for “top off” funding from other departments/programs for the same internship)
  • Must withdraw all other funding applications for the same internship
  • May not accept more than $6,000 total in funding for summer projects or internships from Princeton sources
  • Must acknowledge that they have accepted the internship offer for which they have been awarded funding. Awards are not transferable to other internship offers.

Participation

Students receiving an award must complete the following:

  • An SSII advising appointment scheduled in Handshake and statement of commitment 
  • A learning contract signed by your supervisor, due the end of your first week of your internship
  • Weekly written reflections, beginning Monday, June 5, 2023, and continuing through the duration of your internship
  • Mid-term and final evaluation forms, completed by you and your supervisor
  • A post-internship reflection essay
  • A poster, presented at the Service & Social Impact Internship Showcase event in fall 2023

Application

Applications can be submitted through Handshake beginning Monday, January 9, 2023, and will be reviewed once per week until Friday, May 19 (or until funding for this cycle is allocated). We recommend applicants apply by the priority deadline, April 10, 2023.

Partial applications will not be reviewed until they are completed. Students can expect to hear back around a week after submitting their applications. An application must be completed before the internship begins. Applications for an internship that is already in process will not be accepted.

Students must receive an offer to participate in an internship before they are eligible to apply for funding and can submit an application consisting of:

  • A description of the internship from the nonprofit organization
  • A copy of a letter or email from the nonprofit organization stating the start and end dates of the internship and the average expected hours per week
  • Responses to the questions on the application form

FAQs