Eagle Intern Fellowship

Who is eligible to apply? 
Open to all rising sophomores, juniors, and seniors (graduating in 2023, 2022, or 2021) in good academic standing with the university and must be matriculated in both the spring semester before and fall semester after the  internship (seniors graduating in May 2020 are ineligible). Students studying abroad are considered actively enrolled.

Please note: Priority will be given to students who can demonstrate the existence of financial barriers to completing an unpaid internship through their responses to application questions.

What is the difference between the Early Action Deadline (March 10) and the Regular Deadline (April 14)?

The early action deadline provides an opportunity for students to potentially secure funding for their unpaid internship if they obtain their internship early on in the spring semester. If you apply and are not awarded the fellowship in the early action deadline process, you cannot re-apply to the regular deadline process.  Applicants who do not submit complete applications (e.g., missing a letter of recommendation, etc.) by the early action deadline will be automatically folded into the regular decision applicant pool, so long as they submit all outstanding documents.

Can I apply to more than one deadline?
No.

How are applications scored?
The Eagle Intern Fellowship is a highly selective opportunity, and students will be screened and chosen to receive the fellowship based upon the following criteria: 

• Strength and quality of responses to application questions
• Strength and quality of resume
• Strength and quality of offer letter from hiring organization detailing supervisor's name and learning goals, responsibilities, timeline of experience, number of hours
• Strength and quality of letter of recommendation from BC faculty member, staff member, or former/current work supervisor 
• The applicant’s level of financial need/the articulation of any financial barriers to being able to complete an unpaid internship

What if I am not awarded the Eagle Intern Fellowship? Are there still options to secure funding?
Yes, but they will not be through the Career Center. There are several ways to proceed.

• Research opportunities offered by different offices across campus that offer forms of unpaid internship funding:
  • Winston Center for Leadership and Ethics Student Grants
  • Clough Center for the Study of Constitutional Democracy Civic Internship Grants
  • African and African Diaspora Studies Amanda V. Houston Traveling Fellowship
  • The Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Internship Grant for Unpaid Internships
  • Institute for the Liberal Arts Council for Women at Boston College Colloquium Fellowship
• Research external funding opportunities at scholarship repositories like FastWeb and Unigo. Connect with academic departments, faculty, student organization, and your professional network to explore alternative funding sources.

Can I do two separate internships that equal the required length and number of hours? 
No. The Eagle Intern Fellowship is designed to fund a single internship at an organization providing an opportunity to learn about and explore your career related goals. The benefit of one internship is that it fosters a deeper learning experience, commitment, and supervisory relationship between the intern and organization.

Please note: You would not be restricted from pursuing other paid work experiences to supplement their living expenses over the summer beyond their internship.

What if I don't have an internship secured by the deadline? 
We do not accept partial or late applications. You must submit a completed application by either two deadlines (Tuesday, March 10 & Tuesday, April 14). While we would love to extend the deadline even further, we know students who have secured an internship are waiting to see if they have received funding before accepting their internship offer. Many employers are willing to expedite their decision-making process if they are aware that you are applying for funding from Boston College. You should follow up with the organization to indicate your timeline.

Please note: All application materials must be submitted by the deadline, regardless of circumstances. Applicants who upload “place-holder” offer letters or letters of recommendation in order to submit the actual documents after the deadline will not have their applications considered. It is up to you to ensure that you, and your internship organization, are able to provide all necessary materials on time.

What are the deadlines and schedule of notification?

• Monday, January 13:  Application launches.
• Tuesday, March 10: Early Action Deadline by 11:59 p.m. EST. No late submissions will be accepted! Applicants will be notified by Monday, March 23 of their status.
• Tuesday, April 14:  Regular Deadline by 11:59 p.m. EST.  No late submissions will be accepted! Applicants will be notified by by Monday, April 27 of their status.

Can I still apply if my internship meets the hour requirement, but is less than 6 weeks? 
The minimum requirements for the Eagle Intern Fellowship are to complete 250 hours for at least 6 weeks by August 27, 2020. While your internship could be more than 6 weeks, it cannot be shorter.   

What if I am studying abroad in the spring?
Students who are studying abroad in spring 2020 are welcome to apply. The application process is all online through MyBC and allows flexibility of the student’s geographic location. If you are selected as an Eagle Fellow, we will work with you to obtain your pre-internship information and your disbursement. You can log into your EagleLink account and schedule a Google Meet career coaching appointment with any specific questions.

What does a successful application look like?
A successful application will be clear and show that the applicant has reflected on how this internship opportunity will allow them to grow and better understand their professional skills and their career interests. Successfully applications will also be clear: they will clearly articulate the importance of their internship to their career goals and discernment, the skills they will develop during the internship, and any financial need they have. Successful applications will also have a strong resume, a strong letter of recommendation, and a clear offer letter from the organization.

Can Career Center staff provide assistance on the Eagle application? 
Yes, we are here to help! If you have any remaining questions please schedule a career coaching appointment, visit us during drop-ins hours, or email career.center@bc.edu for any further assistance.