Experience: Internships

A key goal of the myCHOICE Experience programming is to offer real-world, practical experience in specifc career fields. Internships, defined as hands-on opportunities of limited duration (weeks to months), represent a core component of this training. myCHOICE collaborates with both on- and off-campus partners to deliver a diverse range of internships during the winter and summer quarters.  Applications are accepted in the quarter preceding the internship.

Requirements & Expectations

• You must be an active student or postdoc for the entire duration of internship to be eligible for participation in the internship program
• All myCHOICE internships intended to complement your research training and increase your awareness of a specific field or profession.
• You agree to commit approximately 10 – 12 hours per week for one academic quarter unless a longer period of commitment is stated in the description.
• Upon selection for an internship, you will collaborate with the host to complete an Internship Learning Agreement within one week of the start of the internship.
• Graduate students will be registered a noncredit course (0 units).
• Your participation in the internship will be shared with your PI and the appropriate Dean of Students or Postdoctoral Affairs. We recommend informing them yourself before formally accepting an internship offer
• International Citizens: You must consult with an advisor in the Office of International Affairs prior to engaging in a myCHOICE internship. International students are typically on F1 visas and will need to apply for and receive CPT approval from OIA.
• Masters Students: myCHOICE internships are designed for individuals who are pursuing or have already earned a PhD. Some hosts are open to hosting students from masters programs, while many are specifically seeking PhD students. Read the internship description closely. First year master’s students on a F1/J1 visa are not eligible to participate in the program.  

Instructions for Applying

• myCHOICE internship applications are collected through the GRAD Gargoyle platform.
• Once in the system, click in the upper right header, filter the job board by “internships”
• Please ensure to follow the directions under “Other Documents” to acknowledge your understanding of the myCHOICE internship program. Further instructions can be found within the GRAD Gargoyle interface.
  • If you choose to apply to multiple internships, please consider all pending applications before accepting an offer
• Please note the qualifications that internship hosts have included in their descriptions.
• For any questions, email mychoice@uchicago.edu

Before Submitting Your Application

• Prior to submitting your application materials, we recommend reviewing the the Best Practices Webinar recording from Winter 2025 *please note the deadlines will be different
• Applicants may meet with UChicagoGRAD (by making an appointment HERE) or the career development advisor for graduate students or postdocs in their unit to review their materials.
• If career advising appointments are not readily available, please utilize the reference library on GRAD Gargoyle for guidance on resume and cover letters.
• Your PI and dean of students will be notified of your participation in an internship. We strongly advise you to initiate these conversations before you apply; myCHOICE will contact your PI and dean of students immediately upon your acceptance of the internship.
• If you are an international citizen, consult with your advisor at the Office of International Affairs regarding paperwork and permissions required to participate in a specific internship. Policies may be different dependent on the internship, your visa status, whether you are a student or a postdoc, and with which division you are affiliated. Begin this process immediately upon accepting an internship offer.

Proceeding with an Internship

• If you are offered an internship and choose to accept it, myCHOICE will contact your PI and your dean of students to notify them of your participation.
• If you are a UChicago graduate student you will be registered for a noncredit internship course by myCHOICE staff.
• If you are an international postdoc, you must consult with OIA before accepting an offer. International students are typically on F1 visas and will need to apply for and receive CPT approval from OIA; this should happen before the start of the quarter. Students on other classes of visa, or recent alumni, should consult with OIA (please visit the OIA website for more details). The CPT approval process requires a CPT employment letter from your host (a template will be provided over email) as well as a signed CPT recommendation form.
• If you and your host choose to extend the period of your internship beyond the original period of commitment, you will need to:
  • Submit a short progress report focusing on work that has been completed and a timeline for further work.
  • Obtain letters of notification from both your PI and your dean, indicating that they understand that you will be extending the internship.
  • If you are a student, you are required register for the internship course during each quarter.

Participating in an internship will help you to stand out
in the crowd of other job applicants.

Previous Internships

Below is a selected list of previous internships.
To view details of all past internships, go to the “Experience” tab on each PhD Career Pathways webpage listed below.