MCS-Funded Independent Internships in New York City
The Harvard Club of New York Foundation, the Mignone Center for Career Success (MCS), and the Office for the Arts (OFA) are piloting a program to support students pursuing independent, self-arranged internships or research assistantships at organizations based within New York City.
Positions must be full-time, unpaid (or underpaid), and a minimum of 6 weeks. Organizations must be based within the five boroughs of New York City (Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens, The Bronx, Staten Island). Students must have a supervisor based at their internship.
Students pursuing internships across all sectors and fields will be able to apply for funding. In collaboration with the Office for the Arts (OFA), a significant portion of the funds will be designated for internships in the arts, entertainment, and media or at creative and cultural organizations.
Students may apply to this fund without a confirmed internship, though it must be confirmed upon award acceptance.
If you receive funding from another source, you must notify MCS immediately. Harvard College students can only accept one funded summer experience each summer according to Harvard College’s Summer Funding Policy.
**Note: Students may apply Harvard University funding to two different opportunities, given that one source of funding supports thesis research and that the two opportunities do not overlap in time. If a student applies for multiple sources of funding under this exception, they should email all involved funding centers with the timing of their thesis research and other summer experience.**
MCS awards are not transferable. If your internship organization or location changes, you need to seek our approval to be funded for your opportunity. Similarly, funding for one type of opportunity (such as an independent internship) cannot be moved to another type of opportunity (such as an internship with a third-party internship provider or study abroad). If there are any changes to your internship (i.e. type, format, location, duration, etc.) and you do not inform us, your award may be rescinded.
- Important Dates
- Who Can Apply for Funding?
- How to Apply
- How Much is Awarded, and What is not Included?
- How are Funding Decisions Made?
Important Dates
- Tuesday, January 21, 2025 – Application opens in CARAT
- Thursday, April 3, 2025 , 11:59pm ET – Deadline to apply for MCS funding
- Monday, April 21, 2025 – Funding notifications released
- Thursday, April 25, 2025, 11:59pm ET – Deadline for students to accept or decline funding
Who Can Apply for Funding?
MCS can only fund students who:
- Are in good standing at time of application through the duration of the summer internship.
- Students not in good standing at the time of applying for MCS funding will only be considered if they have an endorsement from their Resident Dean (RD) stating that the RD supports the student’s application for MCS funding. Emails must be sent to summerfunding@fas.harvard.edu by the application deadline.
- Are current Harvard College undergraduates, 1st-year through 1st semester senior during Spring 2025.
- Are enrolled full-time during Spring 2025.
- In accordance with the Student Handbook, students in good standing who are on a voluntary leave of absence may be permitted to apply for Harvard funding, including but not limited to summer grants, provided that they have obtained the Administrative Board’s prior approval. In making this determination, the Administrative Board will consider the relevant circumstances, including, for example, the circumstances that led to the student’s leave of absence. Students on leave should start this approval process as soon as possible by contacting their Resident Dean; if approved, students must submit all applications by their posted deadlines.
MCS will NOT fund:
- Internships outside of New York City (outside the 5 boroughs of Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens, The Bronx, and Staten Island)
- Internships at multiple organizations
- Internships that are less than six weeks long
- Fully virtual internships
- Internships without a supervisor
- Thesis research
How to Apply:
- Apply directly to the organization with which you want to intern or conduct research.
- Enroll in direct deposit. See direct deposit instructions.
- Apply in CARAT to “MCS Funding Application for an Independent Internship/Research Assistantship in New York City SU25” by 11:59pm ET on Thursday, April 4, 2025 with the following materials:
- Host organization support letter listing dates and location of internship or proof of internship application OR proof of internship application (such as an email exchange showing that you have applied or have reached out to the organization) (Download sample support letter).
- Completed Internship and Research Assistantship Form, PDF format
- One-page resume, PDF format (we recommend using our templates)
- Unofficial Transcript, PDF format (available under Grades tab, “View Unofficial Transcript” in my.harvard)
- Proof of Direct Deposit enrollment, PDF format. Submit a pdf screenshot from the “Student Accounts” section from my.harvard that shows you are enrolled in direct deposit (Download sample screenshot)
How Much is Awarded, and What is Not Included?:
- Students not on Financial Aid: up to $6,000
- Students on Financial Aid: up to $8,000
- It is the student’s responsibility to cover or supplement any extra costs not covered by the stipend (i.e. personal expenses, etc.)
- To consider your eligibility and/or award amount for funding, you will be asked to grant your consent for your financial aid level to be shared by the Harvard College Financial Aid Office with the Harvard Mignone Center for Career Success. Your financial aid information will only be used for determining your eligibility and/or award amount for this funding and will only be shared with relevant Harvard administrators involved in the funding process. If you do not consent to share your financial aid need level, your eligibility and/or award amount will be determined as if you were not on any financial aid.
How are Funding Decisions Made?
- Funding decisions are made by the Mignone Center for Career Success and the Office for the Arts.
- Not all students on financial aid are funded, and internship confirmation does not guarantee funding.
- Preference will be given to students who are completing unpaid internships.
- Preference will be given to students who have NOT received prior MCS funding or for whom this is their last summer of college.
Questions?
Contact the Summer Opportunities Funding team at summerfunding@fas.harvard.edu.