CLAS Internship Grants

The CLAS Internship Grants support students for self-arranged in-person summer internships. In-person internships are contingent on university guidelines. Awards range from 2,000 to $7,000 for full-time internships.  Service-oriented internships in Latin America may be eligible to be supported by the Monica Miller Walsh Grant (all Latin American countries) or the Pessoa-Trejos Grant (Brazil). To view students perspectives and experiences from previous internship grantees click HERE.

Stanford undergraduate students interested in completing a minimum of 8 weeks full-time in a service-oriented internship with an organization in Latin America during the summer quarter are eligible to apply to the Monica Miller Walsh Grant (Latin America) and the Pessoa-Trejos Grant (Brazil). Please read the descriptions of the two grants carefully, as each has different requirements, including language proficiency.

The internship program is designed as a cultural/experiential learning opportunity, and as such, we expect interns to work on-site at their host organizations during their internship experiences (health and safety conditions permitting). Some hybrid or fully virtual experiences may be allowed on a case-by-case basis, depending on the needs and capacities of the host organizations. 

Summer internship awards range from $2,000 to $7,000 each depending on the internship period. 

First-generation college students and students with demonstrated financial need are strongly encouraged to apply.

Eligibility 

Stanford undergraduate students from any discipline interested in completing a minimum of 8 weeks of a full-time independent internship in Latin America (Monica Miller Walsh Grant) and in Brazil (Pessoa-Trejos Grant) during the summer quarter.

Preference is given to students whose minor is in Global Studies with a concentration in Latin America and to students who have previously enrolled in at least one Latin American Studies content course. Lower priority is given to students with no prior Latin American content coursework.

Requirements

Be prepared to submit the following documents when completing your Slideroom Application:

  1. Curriculum Vitae or Resume
  2. Statement of Purpose - In addition to describing why you would like to intern for the organization, your statement should include host organization name, website, internship address, contact person email and phone number, as well as the job content.
  3. Itemized Budget 
  4. Evidence of Formal Arrangements with Organization
  5. Unofficial Transcript
  6. Faculty Letter of Recommendation

Previously Funded Internships and Locations

Below you will find a list of organizations and locations of summer internships. To hear directly from former grant recipients and their internship experience, visit the Stanford CLAS Summer Internship Vimeo page.

Another resource is a database of organizations, developed by the Haas Center, in which Stanford students have done internships.   It is highly encouraged that you make an appointment with a Haas peer advisor and specifically ask them for the list of organizations in Latin America.

Online Application

Applications open early November 16, 2023 and are due February 5, 2024. Applicant interviews will take place between February and March 2024. Candidates will be notified of acceptance status on a rolling basis. 

READ THE FOLLOWING INSTRUCTIONS CAREFULLY

1) Apply on SlideRoom 

2) In SlideRoom click “apply now.” You will need to create an account to complete the application.

3) Your recommender will receive a notification about the recommendation form. The recommender should be preferably a Stanford affiliate, not your internship host organization. If you miss this step, you might not be able to submit or save a draft of your application.

4) Complete the rest of the application questions and click “submit” once your application is complete. Please double check if you selected the correct position(s) before you submit the application.

§ Your statement helps the committee evaluate your fit with your self-arranged internship position.  Clearly state why you are applying to that organization, what particular skills you can bring to the host organization and what you expect to gain from the internship experience. Please write within 300 words. Your statement should include the host organization's name, website, internship address, contact person's name, email, and phone number; as well as the internship dates, job description, and an itemized budget (including room & board, health insurance, vaccination(s), etc.).

  • Stanford reserves the right to cancel or modify any award before or during the internship for any reason, including natural disasters, emergencies, or compliance with the University travel policy at healthalerts.stanford.edu.

For undergraduate students, Stanford-sponsored or Stanford-organized trips are prohibited to countries or regions and locations within a country where International SOS risk rating (either the medical risk or travel risk) is “High” or “Extreme,” or where there is other reliable information of significant health or safety risks  for either the country destination, or for the particular region or location of intended travel within the country destination, or where there is other reliable information of significant health or safety risks. To determine a location’s International SOS medical and travel risk ratings, click “Risk Rating​​​​​​” and select the destination country (immediately below and to the left of “Learn About Your Risks”).

No university funds or resources may be used, university sponsorship provided, or academic credit awarded, in support of travel to these locations. All individuals engaging in university-sponsored travel must comply with all applicable travel policies.

Application deadline: February 5, 2024.

Applicants may contact %20latinamerica [at] stanford.edu (subject: Undergraduate%20Summer%20Internship%20inquiry) (CLAS) with questions.

Note: This funding is not for independent research projects. For a project that is strictly research-oriented and does not involve meeting the needs of an organization or business in Latin America, students are encouraged to apply for funding through Undergraduate Research Programs.