College Life-Internships/Fellowships/Assistantships/Apprenticeships

Internship

• Purpose: Provides practical, hands-on experience in a specific field.

• Duration: Typically short-term (a few months to a year).

• Compensation: Can be paid, unpaid, or provide academic credit. 

  • If you are applying to a program within your university before you graduate (this includes summer experiences), your school may be able to compensate you through scholarships or a stipend. Many universities already have systems in place for this, so reaching out to a trusted faculty member or administrator can be a good first step. See <<“Working on Campus” under College Life>> for more information. 

  • If you are applying to a program outside of your university before you graduate, the company could compensate you by either establishing a scholarship with your school that is applied directly toward your tuition or through freelancing or a contract. See <<“Working as Freelancer vs Independent Contractor” under Working As Undocumented Immigrants>> for more information. 

  • If you are applying to a program outside of your university after you graduate, the company could compensate you if you work as a freelancer/independent contractor. See <<“Working as Freelancer vs Independent Contractor” under Working As Undocumented Immigrants>> for more information. 

• There are two types of internships: work experience internships and research internships.

  • Work experience internships: provide real-world experience, typically at a business or non-profit organization. If you prefer hands-on work or plan to enter fields such as business, law, or engineering, a work experience internship is a great way to improve your skills.

  • Research internships: working alongside an expert in the field, often through a university. If you are considering graduate school, a research internship might be a more suitable opportunity to gain connections and experiences that make you a competitive applicant. 

Fellowship

• Purpose: Supports academic or professional development, often with a research or leadership focus.

• Duration: Varies, ranging from a few months to several years.

• Compensation: Usually provides a stipend, tuition support, or research funding. This means that you typically need to be a current student of the program. 

• Note: Fellowships are often competitive and typically available to students, researchers, or professionals.

Assistantship

• Purpose: Supports graduate students by providing work experience in teaching or research.

• Duration: Typically lasts for the duration of a degree program.

• Compensation: Includes a stipend and often tuition waivers.

• Note: Offered to graduate students, usually requiring enrollment in a master's or PhD program.

Apprenticeships

• Purpose: program that combines on-the-job training with classroom instruction to help individuals develop specialized skills in a particular trade or profession.

• Duration: Typically lasts for longer than a year

• Compensation: similar to internships, compensation depends on the funding source

  • If you are applying to a program within your university before you graduate (this includes summer experiences), your school may be able to compensate you through scholarships or a stipend. Many universities already have systems in place for this, so reaching out to a trusted faculty member or administrator can be a good first step. See <<“Working on Campus” under College Life>> for more information. 

  • If you are applying to a program outside of your university before you graduate, the company could compensate you by either establishing a scholarship with your school that is applied directly toward your tuition or through freelancing or a contract. See <<“Working as Freelancer vs Independent Contractor” under Working As Undocumented Immigrants>> for more information. 

  • If you are applying to a program outside of your university after you graduate, the company could compensate you if you work as a freelancer/independent contractor. See <<“Working as Freelancer vs Independent Contractor” under Working As Undocumented Immigrants>> for more information. 

• Note: Compared to the other programs listed, apprenticeships are more likely to require work authorization, which undocumented immigrants do not have, because of the built-in on-the-job training.