Funding Your Internship

James Madison College Field Experience Scholarships provide financial support for students completing their field experience requirement (internship for credit via MC 400/401 or approved equivalent). 

There are three annual deadlines for these scholarships:

• Sept. 5 for students enrolled in MC 400 (or approved equivalent) to complete their internship in the Fall semester
• Jan. 31 for students enrolled in MC 400 (or approved equivalent) to complete their internships in the Spring semester
• May 31 for students enrolled in MC 400 (or approved equivalent) to complete their internship in the Summer semester

Application information is shared with students by email at the beginning of the Fall and Spring semesters. Students do not need to be enrolled in Field Experience credit (MC 400 or approved equivalent) at the time of application, but must be enrolled before receiving the award. Recipients are expected to complete a Letter of Acknowledgement to the scholarship donor.

These scholarships are limited to students completing the JMC Field Experience through the completion of an internship and enrollment in MC 400 (or approved equivalent). Students may not apply for these scholarships if they are using a substitution (education abroad program, senior honors thesis, etc.) for their Field Experience requirement.

All applicants will automatically be considered for the JMC Alumni Association Field Experience Scholarships, the Douglas J. Hoekstra Award, the Katherine O’Sullivan See Award, the Lily Ann Klinger Memorial Award (for SRP applicants), John S. Duley and Robert F. Banks Award (view announcement) and the Dolley Madison Awards. Applicants pursuing internships in the Chicago region will also be considered for the JMCAA Chicago Club Awards.

For more information, please contact Lauren Michalak.

This award is open to students of any major who are planning a public policy-related internship that will count for MSU internship credit. Scholarships are awarded each semester (Fall, Spring and Summer) to worthy applicants who plan to participate in public policy related internships, either domestically or abroad. 

Scholarships of at least $1,000 will be applicable towards a student’s tuition. 

Students receiving a scholarship are expected to participate in activities of the Guyer program including an orientation session before the internship begins and a potential reception following internship completion.

Fall 2026 Internships in Public Policy

• Undergraduate students in ANY major are eligible to receive scholarships in the Gordon and Norma Guyer Public Policy Internship Program
• Students must arrange to be employed in a public policy-related internship and enroll for MSU internship credit
• Scholarships of at least $1,000 will be applicable towards a student's tuition
• Students receiving a scholarship are expected to participate in activities of the Guyer program including writing a letter of gratitude to donors detailing how this award helps you achieve your goals, why you are choosing the public policy field, etc.

View the application forms via PDF or contact Lauren Michalak (michal34@msu.edu).

Applications for Fall 2026 scholarships are due Sept. 8.

Thanks to the generosity of the Michigan State University Federal Credit Union (MSUFCU) and other individual donors, MSU Career Services Network is able to grant stipend awards for undergraduate students participating in unpaid internships.

The Internship Opportunity Award program was established to encourage students who have demonstrated the capacity to accomplish educational and professional goals, the motivation to achieve these goals and the initiative to seek experiential learning opportunities to further progress toward their career. Awards of $1,000 per awardee are available. The number of awards will be given based on available program funds and demonstrated student interest and need.

Learn more about the Internship Opportunity Award via Career Services Network.

This award honors the memory of Rachel P. Kahan who was a graduate of MSU’s James Madison College and an alumnus of the College of Social Science Spring 2007 Washington, DC Semester Study Program. Also a member of DC Spartans Board, Rachel was very active in giving back to MSU and the DC Study Away program. Rachel passed away in 2012 after an inspiring battle against cancer. Rachel touched the lives of many Spartans and through this scholarship will continue to positively inspire active community participation and leadership.

Applicants must be currently enrolled at Michigan State University and planning to participate in an internship in Washington, DC, as part of JMC's Madison in Washington program. Recipients must be in good academic standing. Those applicants who have demonstrated the Spartan tradition of community engagement and civic leadership are encouraged to apply.

For more information, please contact Lauren Michalak.

The Gilman Scholarship is sponsored by the U.S. Department of State's Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs and is open to U.S. undergraduate students who demonstrate high financial need. This Scholarship is open to students participating in study abroad or international internship programs.

To be eligible for a Gilman Scholarship, an applicant must:

• Be a citizen of the United States;
• Be an undergraduate student in good standing at an accredited institution of higher education in the United States (including both two-year and four-year institutions);
• Be receiving a Federal Pell Grant or provide proof that he/she will be receiving a Pell Grant during the term of his/her study abroad program or internship;
• Be in the process of applying to, or accepted for, a study abroad or internship program of at least two weeks for community college students and four weeks for students from four-year institutions, in a single country and eligible for credit from the student's home institution. Proof of program acceptance is required prior to award disbursement;
• Be proposing to study in a country not currently under a Travel Warning issued by the United States Department of State* or otherwise determined ineligible for program participation.

Webinars are scheduled to help you with the application process. Please note that these take place in Central Standard Time (CST). To register, please go to the Gilman website.

View Deadlines and Timelines for more details. Be sure to submit your application before the deadline as late applications will not be accepted.

James Madison College and the MSU Institute for Public Policy and Social Research are pleased to administer the annual Daniel Rosenthal Legislative Intern Award on behalf of Michigan State University. Legislative interns who have interned after January 1 of the previous year are eligible and may be nominated either by their legislator or staff supervisor for demonstrating qualities of an outstanding legislative intern. No affiliation with Michigan State University is necessary—all student legislative interns are eligible for nomination.

Learn more about the Daniel Rosenthal Legislative Intern Award.

The Center for Latin American and Caribbean Studies offers scholarships to support undergraduate experiential learning and grants to fund graduate student research in Latin America and the Caribbean. Learn more about funding opportunities via International Studies & Programs.