Internships

A wide range of diverse organizations, businesses, and studios are eager to host SAIC students as interns. CAPX has established relationships with hundreds of internship sites, which can be found on Handshake. CAPX internship providers include artists’ studios, design firms, publishing houses, museums, galleries, architecture firms, tech startups, gaming and software developers, social service and community organizations, and fashion houses. 

Meet with a CAPX advisor for assistance with researching, applying, and interviewing for internships. If you are interested in an internship that you have found on your own, CAPX will work with you to ensure it meets course guidelines and can be approved for credit. If you have already secured an internship, fill out the internship approval request form to begin the process of registering your internship for credit. Internships must be approved for course credit before interns begin working.

There are three internship course options:

• Professional Practice: Internship as Professional Experience 3900
  • Open to juniors and seniors
  • Fulfills professional practice, studio, and off-campus requirements
  • Offered during the fall and spring semesters
  • Credits, 3.0
• CAPX Internship 4001 
  • Open to sophomores, juniors, and seniors
  • Fulfills studio and off-campus requirements
  • Offered during the fall, winter, spring, and summer semesters
  • Credits, 3.0 or 1.5 credits
  • Winter 1.5 credits only
• CAPX Internship 5001
  • Open to graduate students
  • Offered during the fall, winter, spring, and summer semesters
  • Credits, 3.0 or 1.5 credits
  • Winter 1.5 credits only

As with other SAIC courses, you must register your internship for course credit before the SAIC semester add/drop date. The registration deadline are below. Tuition is charged for internship courses. 

Winter 2024: Wednesday, January 3, 2024
Spring 2024: Wednesday, February 7, 2024
Summer 2024 (first term): Friday, May 31, 2024
Summer 2024 (second term): Thursday, July 11, 2024

These courses are designed to provide students an opportunity to gain experience as interns in professional arts and design environments and prepare for professional life after SAIC. Faculty provide in-depth mentorship and act as liaison with the internship site supporting students meet their learning goals as outlined for the semester. Through group meetings and online discussions, students engage with a peer cohort of students participating in a variety of internships. Students work on-site at internships for a total of 140 hours (approximately 14 hours per week) for the term. Students may register for 1.5 credits for courses 4001 or 5001. On-site hours are reduced to 70 hours; all other requirements remain the same.

In addition to successfully completing the internship, students will conduct an informational interview with their employer, attend 4 class meetings and an onsite meeting with the faculty and supervisor, complete an internship supervisor evaluation, revise their resume, and update their online portfolio, website, or professional profile.

Students are required to secure an internship prior to the start of the semester. Internships must be approved by the Career and Professional Experience (CAPX) office. Students are encouraged to meet with a CAPX advisor for assistance with researching and applying for internships. To begin the internship approval process students must fill out the internship approval request form. 

F-1 visa international students may complete paid and unpaid internships after receiving Curricular Practical Training (CPT) work authorization and registering for an internship course.

Visit International Affairs for more information about CPT work authorization. 

Domestic students have the option to participate in internships without enrolling in an internship course for credit.

Students may be required to register for an internship course if they accept an SAIC internship stipend award. 

SAIC Internship Funds

The SAIC internship stipend program supports selected students pursuing valuable internships which are unpaid, underpaid, or high cost. With the generous support of SAIC donors, a $2,500 stipend is awarded to eligible students during the fall, spring, and summer semesters. There are currently two funds that support SAIC degree-seeking undergraduate and graduate students. 

Parent and Family Internship Fund

The Parent and Family Council Internship Fund is available in the summer semester to all degree-seeking students who are enrolled in a CAPX Internship Course and are participating in unpaid, underpaid, or high-cost internships.

Chicago Maker Internship Fund

The Chicago Maker Internship Fund supports students who are enrolled in either a CAPX Internship Course or other SAIC Fieldwork Course and are either from the Chicago area or are interning at Chicago area organizations. This fund is available during the Fall and Spring semesters.

CAPX opens the internship stipend applications to qualifying students before the start of the semester. Students are required to fill out an application that articulates their financial need and how they will benefit from their experience. Applications for this competitive internship stipend are reviewed by the SAIC internship fund application review committee.

Students will find the application to apply for the stipend on Handshake events page during the application period. For more information, contact Alice Matthews. If you are interested in donating to an SAIC internship fund visit the giving form and select Parent and Family Fund.