Academic Internship Program

All students completing internships for credit must complete the Academic Internship Course in Moodle at the same time. This course is taught by CAC Internship Specialists and provides a structured environment for internship students to set learning goals, reflect on their experiences, focus on skill development, and connect with other interns in their Pathway.
 
This course is graded Pass/No Pass. 
 
Students who complete at least 150 work hours and pass the Academic Internship Moodle course will complete their FFC Experiential Learning requirement. 

The Academic Internship Course provides an environment for students to contextualize their work experience with their broader academic and career goals. Assignments focus on building skills and career competencies. At the end of the course, students have an updated LinkedIn profile and resume, an expanded professional network, and more confidence in themselves to pursue their next opportunity! 

You may apply to the Academic Internship Program if you have: 

• Junior or senior status during semester of internship 
  • Students at sophomore status may apply with an appeal 
• Good judicial and academic standing 
• Approval from your academic advisor 

International, transfer, and re-entry students have additional eligibility requirements. Please see below for more details. 

View our full internship guidelines in the College Catalog. 

Subject Area:

• Internships must be completed in a student’s major or minor.
• International students must complete all internships in their major field only. See “Information for International Students” below. 

Credit:

• Students may complete up to 3.0 internship credits during their time at the College.  
• A minimum of 1 credit and maximum of 2 credits may be awarded for each internship during the fall or spring semesters.  
  • 1 credit = 150 work hours 
  • 2 credits = 300 work hours 
  • Students in the Lake Forest College In The Loop program can complete a 4th internship credit as part of the In The Loop program.  
  • See the “Summer Internships” section for summer credit options. 
• Retroactive credit will not be awarded. Students must register to complete their internship for credit by the Add/Drop deadline. 

Internship Length:

• Internships must be at least 8 weeks long to qualify for the Academic Internship Program. 

Pay:

• Internships completed through the Academic Internship Program may be paid or unpaid.
• 100% commission-based internships will not be approved for academic credit.   

Academic Internships:
Academic Internships are completed for academic credit. Students earn academic credit for the hours spent on-site at their internship and by completing required assignments in the Academic Internship Course.

Continuation of Internship or Part-Time Job:
Internships must provide career-building experience. Students wishing to continue an existing internship or part-time job as an Academic Internship must show that their responsibilities have significantly changed and demonstrate how the new responsibilities will give them a unique educational and academic experience.

Internship Modality:
Internships may be in-person, remote, or hybrid.

Commission-Based Internships:
Internships based solely on commission will not be approved.

Plan Ahead! The internship search is a two-semester process. Plan to dedicate at least one full semester to creating and implementing an internship search plan. Certain students may need to start earlier, as organizations in Finance, Computer Science, and Data Science being recruiting interns one year in advance for more competitive programs.

Interest Form Deadline 

Submit your Internship Interest Form no later than the following dates for each term: 

• Fall term: July 1 
• Spring term: November 1 
• Summer term: March 15 

Registration Deadline 

Students must secure an offer and inform their Internship Specialist by no later than the Add/Drop deadline for that term.  
Students who have not submitted the interest form and have not been in contact with their Internship Specialist will not be permitted to register their internship for credit after the Add/Drop deadline. 

Start planning early! Tell your academic advisor that you want to complete an internship for academic credit and discuss your options to fit it into your schedule. 

Most students who complete an internship in the fall or spring semester replace a course with the Academic Internship Course and earn between 1.0-2.0 credits from their experience. There is no extra charge to take an Academic Internship during the fall or spring semester if your total registration is 4.5 or fewer credits. Students may also use their Dean's List credit to take up to 5.5 credits with an Academic Internship.

Students who complete an internship for credit in the summer are billed by Student Accounts based on the credit value of their internship. See the “Summer Internships” section below and contact Financial Aid for more information about summer internship cost. 

1. Submit the Internship Interest Form and regularly update your internship specialist on your search progress. 
2. Once you receive an offer, you must share the Internship Offer Letter provided by the organization with your Internship Specialist to confirm the internship meets our guidelines. 
3. After the Internship Specialist approves the internship, they will send you a link to submit the Academic Internship Program application to begin the registration process. 

Tuition: 

There is a cost attached to completing an Academic (for-credit) Internship during the Summer Term. Financial Aid may apply. Contact the Office of Financial Aid to determine individual cost. 

Credit: 

• A minimum of 0.5 credits and maximum of 2 credits may be awarded for each internship during the fall or spring semesters.  
  • 0.5 credits = 75 work hours 
  • 1 credit = 150 work hours 
  • 2 credits = 300 work hours 

Duration:

• Summer internships must be at least 6 weeks long to qualify for the Academic Internship Program. 

All students completing unpaid internships as part of the Academic Internship Program are eligible to apply for funding. Funding is meant to assist with the cost of an unpaid Academic Internship that a student would not otherwise be able to pursue due to financial constraints, such as transportation, parking, specialized clothing or equipment. Awards are largely based on financial need, but students at any level of need who are completing unpaid internships are encouraged to apply. 

Please visit the Internship Funding page for more information and to submit an application. 

United States law has specific regulations for international students seeking internships. To remain in good standing, international students:

• Are required to complete all internships for academic credit as part of the Academic Internship Program.
• May only complete internships related to their major field of study.  
• Must secure CPT work authorization before beginning to work at any internship. Allow 5-7 business days to process any CPT work authorization requests. 
• Must complete one full year on campus before they are eligible for CPT. Eligibility starts one year after the start date on your Form I-20. 
  • Students who withdraw from the College to participate in the Semester at Sea program, or for any other reason, must wait one full year after returning to the College to be eligible for CPT. 

Direct any questions about work authorization to: 

• F-1 Visa international students: Sandra Ortiz, DSO SEVIS Coordinator, (x5202 or sortiz@lakeforest.edu) 
• J-1 Visa international students: Allie Olson, Director of the Global Engagement Office, (x5231 or aolson@lakeforest.edu).  

Transfer students must complete one semester on the Lake Forest College campus before they may participate in the Academic Internship Program. 

• International students must complete one full year on campus before they are eligible for CPT. Eligibility starts one year after the start date on your Form I-20.

Transfer students are eligible to participate in the Academic Internship Program beginning in their second semester on campus, provided they meet the eligibility requirements outlined above. 

Re-Entry students must complete at least one semester on the Lake Forest College campus after returning to the College before they may participate in the Academic Internship Program. 

• International students who withdraw from the College to participate in the Semester at Sea program, or for any other reason, must wait one full year after returning to the College to be eligible for CPT. 

Re-entry students are eligible to participate in the Academic Internship Program beginning in their second semester on campus, provided they meet the eligibility requirements outlined above. 

Economics, Business, Finance, and Entrepreneurship

Albert Greene
Assistant Director, BFDS Pathway
847-735-5235
greene@lakeforest.edu

Mathematics, Computer Science, Data Science

Melissa Ramirez
Science and STEM Career Specialist
847-735-5235
mramirez@lakeforest.edu

*Schedule an appointment via Handshake. Need help scheduling an appointment? View our Handshake Help Page here.

Art, Art History, Communication, English, Music, Music Education, Theater

Danielle Kelly
Pathway Leader and Internship Specialist
847-735-5235
dkelly@lakeforest.edu

*Schedule an appointment via Handshake. Need help scheduling an appointment? View our Handshake Help Page here.

American Studies, Area Studies, Asian Studies, Foreign Languages, History, International Relations, Latin American Studies, Legal Studies, Philosophy, Politics, Religion, Sociology and Anthropology

Deja McClellan
Assistant Director and Pathway Leader, Law and Public Service
847-735-5235
dmcclellan@lakeforest.edu 

*Schedule an appointment via Handshake. Need help scheduling an appointment? View our Handshake Help Page here.

HPP, Pre-Health, Psychology, and Broader Clinical Careers
Common majors: Biology, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Chemistry, Neuroscience, and Psychology

Khadija Manzoor
Internship Specialist
847-735-5235
kmanzoor@lakeforest.edu

Environmental Studies, Physical Science, and Broader Science Careers

Melissa Ramirez
Science and STEM Career Specialist
847-735-5235
mramirez@lakeforest.edu

*Schedule an appointment via Handshake. Need help scheduling an appointment? View our Handshake Help Page here.