The Internship Support Award Initiative

Eligible students selected to participate in the Internship Support Award Initiative may receive an award of 

$1,666 for a single academic term to support participation in an approved unpaid internship experience. 

Award funding is provided through one or more institutional, donor, grant, endowment, or philanthropic 

sources. Award amounts and the number of awards available are subject to available funding and may change in future academic terms. 

The Internship Support Award Initiative is provided as a stipend to support students participating in an approved unpaid internship. Payments are tied to completion of required Career Readiness and Internship Support Award Initiative requirements. Payment is typically issued by check. 

Fall and Spring

Fall and Spring awards are generally distributed in two payments:

1. First Payment: Issued around the midpoint of the internship after the student completes the requirements assigned for the first half of the internship.
2. Final Payment: Issued near the end of the internship after the student completes the remaining requirements.

Exact payment dates are not guaranteed. If required activities or documentation are incomplete, payment will be delayed until the requirements are completed.

Summer

Because the Summer internship period is shorter, the award is generally distributed as one payment around the midpoint of the internship after the student completes the required Career Readiness activities for the first half of the internship.

Students who receive the Summer payment are still required to complete all remaining internship and Career Readiness requirements by the established deadlines. Failure to complete the remaining requirements may affect eligibility for future Internship Support Award Initiative funding.

Receiving Payment

University Career Services will notify students when payment is available and provide instructions for receiving it.

Checks are generally picked up in person. Alternative arrangements may be available for students who are unable to reasonably travel to campus. Summer payment options may vary depending on available University payment processes.

Payment timelines and distribution procedures are subject to change based on University policies, procedures, or other administrative requirements. Students will be notified of any changes that affect their award.

Receiving an Internship Support Award may affect a student’s financial aid eligibility, Cost of Attendance (COA), or other financial assistance received. Because each student’s financial aid situation is unique, the impact of an award may vary. Federal regulations and University financial aid policies may limit the total amount of financial assistance a student may receive during an academic year.

As part of the award selection process, available financial aid information is reviewed administratively to identify potential financial aid impacts before award recommendations are finalized. The Committee strives to minimize unintended financial aid impacts whenever possible; however, the effect of an award ultimately depends on each student’s individual financial aid eligibility and applicable University financial aid policies.

To be eligible for the Internship Support Award Initiative, applicants must:

1. Secured Unpaid Internship: Have already secured an unpaid internship for the semester in which the award is requested. Students are responsible for identifying, applying for, and securing their own internship before submitting an Internship Support Award Initiative application. University Career Services does not place students into internships through this award initiative.
2. Be a degree-seeking undergraduate or graduate student at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock in good academic standing.
3.  Meet the minimum cumulative GPA requirement of 2.5 at the time of application.
4. Be enrolled, or intend to remain enrolled, at the University during the award period. Enrollment eligibility will be verified prior to award disbursement.
   1. Fall and Spring Awards: Students must be enrolled during the semester in which the award is received.
   2. Summer Awards: Students should demonstrate continued enrollment at the University. Students who are not enrolled in summer coursework may be required to verify enrollment in the preceding spring semester and registration for the upcoming fall semester.
5. International students are eligible to apply; however, all required approvals and documentation from International Student Services (ISS), including Curricular Practical Training (CPT) authorization when applicable, must be completed before award funds are disbursed.
6. (Updated) Prior UCS Award History: Students who received internship support funding from University Career Services during the 2025–2026 academic year or any academic year thereafter are not eligible to receive the award again. Applicants must be first-time recipients of UCS internship support funding from the 2025–2026 academic year forward.

To be eligible for funding, the proposed internship must meet the following requirements:

1. Be secured by the student before application. The applicant must have accepted or otherwise secured the unpaid internship before submitting an award application. The Internship Support Award Initiative provides financial support for eligible unpaid internships; it is not an internship placement program.
2. Be an unpaid internship that provides a meaningful career-related learning experience.
3. Relate to the student’s academic program, career interests, or professional goals.
4. Provide substantive learning opportunities that promote career readiness through supervised, hands-on professional experience rather than routine, clerical, or administrative tasks as the primary responsibilities.
5. Be conducted by a legitimate organization or business with the capacity to support the internship throughout the award period. Organizations may include businesses, nonprofit organizations, government agencies, educational institutions, healthcare organizations, or qualified startup businesses.
6. UA Little Rock internship opportunities may be eligible for funding when the internship is unpaid and meets the same educational, supervisory, and career-related requirements established for other internship sites. The experience must provide substantive professional learning beyond the student’s regular academic responsibilities or routine student employment duties.
7. The internship site must provide a safe, professional, and legally compliant work environment appropriate for the location in which the internship is conducted.
8. Support internships conducted in person, remotely, or in a hybrid format, provided the organization can offer appropriate supervision, mentoring, and meaningful work assignments.
9. Startup and emerging businesses may be approved; however, the Committee may request additional documentation to verify the legitimacy of the organization and the quality of the proposed internship. Acceptable documentation may include:
   1.   Business registration or organizational formation documents.
   2.   A business license, when applicable. 
   3.  A functional professional online presence, such as a company website, LinkedIn Company Page, Facebook Business Page, or other official business platform that accurately reflects the organization’s operations and contact information.
   4. Other documentation requested by the Committee to verify the legitimacy of the organization or the educational quality of the internship.
10. Employer participation limitations may be established to support the equitable distribution of available awards and provide students with access to a range of internship opportunities. Limits may vary for startup organizations and other employers based on available funding, applicant demand, and the internship site’s capacity to provide appropriate supervision and learning experiences. 

Applicants must submit all required application materials. Review each document requirement carefully before submitting your application.

1. Completed Internship Support Award Initiative Application
2. Unofficial University of Arkansas at Little Rock Transcript
   a. Must be downloaded directly from Workday Student.
   b. Do not select “View My Academic Record.” The Academic Record will not be accepted in place of the required unofficial transcript.
   c. Must clearly display the student’s name, cumulative GPA, academic program, and current enrollment information.
   d. Screenshots, academic records, degree audits, advising worksheets, or other substitute documents will not be accepted.
   e. Applicants must have a current cumulative UA Little Rock GPA displayed on the unofficial transcript. Students who do not yet have an established UA Little Rock GPA are not eligible to apply.
3. One UA Little Rock Professional Letter of Reference
   a. Must be from a University of Arkansas at Little Rock faculty or staff member.
   b. Must be dated within the previous 12 months.
   c. Should address the applicant’s academic engagement, professionalism, reliability, and readiness to participate in an internship.
   d. Should be submitted on organizational or professional letterhead, when available.
   e. A UA Little Rock faculty or staff member who coordinates or oversees the student’s internship through an academic program may serve as the student’s professional reference.
4. Employer Confirmation Letter of Unpaid Internship
   a. Must come from the employer or internship site where the student will complete the internship.
   b. Must be submitted on the internship site or employer’s official letterhead.
   c. Must confirm the internship is unpaid.
   d. Must include the internship title.
   e. Must identify the internship supervisor and provide contact information.
   f. Must confirm the internship dates.
   g. If a UA Little Rock academic program coordinates or oversees the student’s internship, the faculty or staff member coordinating the internship cannot provide the Employer Confirmation Letter on behalf of the internship site. The letter must come from the actual employer or internship site.
   h. The faculty or staff member coordinating or overseeing the internship may serve as the student’s Professional Letter of Reference.
5. Internship Job Description
   a. Internship title.
   b. Primary duties and responsibilities.
   c. Expected activities or projects.
   d. Qualifications or skills, if applicable.
6. Fall Registration Confirmation (Summer Applicants Only)
   a. Required for summer applicants who are not enrolled in Summer courses.
   b. Documentation must verify that the student is registered for the upcoming Fall semester.
   c. Documentation must clearly display the student’s name and Fall course registration.
7. Additional Documentation
   a. The Committee reserves the right to request additional documentation to verify eligibility, internship qualifications, or organizational legitimacy when necessary.

To receive and maintain an Internship Support Award Initiative award, recipients must:

1. Respond to Award Notification: Respond to the award notification by the deadline established by University Career Services. Students who accept the award must complete all required award documentation by the established deadlines. 
2. Complete Required Documentation: Submit all required award documentation by the published deadlines.
3. Obtain Internship Approval:  Submit the internship through Handshake Experiences and receive approval from University Career Services by the published deadline. 
4. Maintain Eligibility: Continue to satisfy all student and internship eligibility requirements throughout the award period.
5. Comply with Award Requirements: Complete all award requirements outlined in the Internship Requirements section.
6. Report Significant Changes: Promptly notify University Career Services of any changes that may affect award eligibility, including changes to internship status, compensation, supervisor, or early termination of the internship.
7. Award Modification or Revocation:  The Committee reserves the right to modify, suspend, or revoke an award if a recipient no longer meets eligibility requirements, fails to comply with award requirements, or provides false or misleading information.

Recipients are expected to complete the internship during the approved award period and satisfy all 

Internship Support Award Initiative requirements in accordance with the minimum participation

requirements outlined below. Recipients and internship supervisors are responsible for maintaining

accurate records of internship hours completed throughout the award period. University Career Services

may request documentation or verification of internship hours at any time. Upon request, recipients and 

internship supervisors must provide accurate and timely documentation in the format specified by

University Career Services.

Award Requirements

1. Attend the Internship Support Award Initiative Orientation conducted by University Career Services.
2. Complete the Blackboard course, Career Readiness Foundations for Experiential Learning, including all required modules, assignments, discussions, and program activities by the provided deadlines.
3. Complete Handshake Experience by the provided deadlines. 
4. Satisfy all program requirements before award funds are disbursed.

1. Applications are reviewed after the published application deadline.
2. Only complete applications that meet all published eligibility and application requirements will be considered.
3. Eligible applications are evaluated by the Internship Support Award Initiative Committee using the Committee’s established evaluation process.
4. Awards are recommended by the Committee based on the Committee’s evaluation and available funding. 
5. The Committee may designate one or more qualified applicants as alternate applicants. If an award becomes available because a selected recipient declines the award, fails to satisfy the award conditions, or otherwise becomes ineligible, the Committee may offer the award to an alternate applicant.
6. Applicants will be notified of the Committee’s decision according to the published timeline.
7. Meeting the minimum eligibility requirements does not guarantee selection for an award.

ISIA Application