Internships - Frequently Asked Questions

An internship is an on-site work experience that is either directly related to your major field of study or your career interest.

An internship gives you the opportunity to:

• Gain valuable work experience before you graduate;
• Develop new skills and refine others;
• Apply knowledge gained from coursework to on-the-job situations;
• Reality-test tentative career choices;
• Meet and work with professionals, establishing contacts for letters of reference and networking;
• Experience new work environments;
• Earn money for tuition and expenses.

Internship listings are available online: CalJobs. You can search your interests by keyword(s). Hint: you may also want to use the word intern or internship in your search. You will find information about additional internship opportunities elsewhere on this website.

If you want internship information, sign up for CareerMail (under Career Interest, make sure to select "Internships") and check our Internship Directories and Job & Internships Guide.

Another good place to look is our Information Lab. Begin by referring to the appropriate Index Binder (labeled by area of interest; also check the Internship Index Binder) to find what materials are available in the Information Lab. You will find books such as Internships in Law, Medicine & Politics, and Internships in Radio, Television Broadcasting & Production, for example.

Also, take advantage of all your networking opportunities. In addition to making contacts through friends, family, current/former employers, classmates, and faculty members, there are many other networking avenues you can pursue. You may learn about internship openings through newspapers, newsletters, job fairs, work/study abroad programs, hometown contacts, professional associations, student organizations, trade magazines, community service/volunteer groups, and many more.

While there is a great deal of information available, you must be persistent in your internship search. Have a plan that includes a great resume and cover letter, appropriate follow-up, and good record keeping. Be prepared, open-minded, flexible, and professional. It's up to you to make all your contacts count!

Again, get an early start, and don't make the mistake of not taking the time to get valuable career-related work experience. Think of it as an investment in your future.

If you mean during which year of academic study, the second semester of your freshman year is not too soon. Allow yourself at least one semester of academic study to adjust to the rigors of life at UC Berkeley. Then, depending on your major, GPA, and courseload requirements, you may be ready to intern. Remember that your academic work is always your first priority.

If you mean at which point during the year, the Career Center receives internship listings continually. It's probably best to begin your internship search the semester prior to your desired placement. That way, you'll have time to respond to listed positions and initiate contacts on your own as well. Lead time can give you a competitive edge when it comes to composing an effective cover letter or tailoring your resume to a desired internship.

Below is an overview on academic credit for internships. For more details, see Academic Credit.

You can get academic credit for your internship, but not from the Career Center. Only academic departments can offer credit for interning. Not all academic departments offer this option and individual departments approach the process differently.

Contact the departmental undergraduate office, undergraduate advisor, or the departmental internship office of your major department or of one that is related to your internship. Looking at the General Catalog can help you find departments that are likely to offer this option. Departments that have special studies courses (98, 99, 194, 197, 198, 199) may allow you to get credit for your internships through one of these courses.

Most departments that offer this option do not require you to be majoring in their area of study in order to receive sponsorship. However, many do require that you find your own faculty sponsor and this may not be easy in all departments. You may need to visit a few professors during their office hours. Try approaching a professor who you or someone you know has taken classes from or try to find out who has sponsored students in the past.

You must be an enrolled student at the time of your internship. For summer internships you would need to enroll in summer school to get credit through Cal. Many of the local community colleges offer coop/internship programs in which you may be able to enroll for the quarter, semester, or year during which you need credit for your internship. This may be an easy and economical alternative.

There are different requirements for International students who wish to obtain work authorization using the academic credit option. You should consult an advisor at Services for International Students and Scholars (SISS). SISS is located at 2299 Piedmont Avenue, Berkeley, CA 94720-2321, (510) 642-2818, siss@berkeley.edu.

See Internships for International Students - Frequently Asked Questions.

Sign up for a Mini Appointment to talk to a career counselor.

To make an appointment for general or career field-specific internship counseling, call 642-1716.

Begin searching in the preceding fall semester in order to take full advantage of all the resources and listings available to you. Some deadlines are very early! Beginning early allows you to more evenly balance the time required to conduct a successful summer job search with other demands on your time. Being better informed will help you make better use of academic breaks to investigate summer job possibilities.

But whatever the time of year, starting now is better than tomorrow.

Summer internships are particularly challenging because of the limited amount of time involved and competition for them in the Bay Area. Rule #1: Start early! Many of the larger organizations which offer summer internships begin listing them the previous Fall Semester. The Career Center lists most paid summer positions online: CalJobs and Work Study Positions.  During Spring Semester, attend job fairs (the Cal Career Fair, the Diversity Career Fair, the Nonprofit/Public Service Career Fair, the Internship & Summer Job Fair), to meet people recruiting for summer opportunities. Use the Internship Index in the Information Lab to research specific internships in directories such as America's Top Internships. Lastly, tell everyone you know what kind of summer internship you're seeking. Networking helps!

In addition to searching CalJobs, use our Info Lab to locate employer contact information for your desired Location. Two examples located in the Info Lab are: "Student Guide to Southern California Internships & Part Time Employment" or the "Student's Guide to Boston Internships." Contact potential employers directly, with the type of position you are seeking, your qualifications and time availability. Follow up with employers if you don't hear from them in a reasonable period of time. Let employers know if you will be in their geographical area during one of the University breaks.

If you are seeking other locations in California, most other UC Career Centers are open to you, but be sure to take written proof of your current UC Berkeley registration since the code on your Cal Photo ID can't usually be read by machines off campus.

Attend our Career Fairs to meet employers recruiting for summer positions in a variety of geographical locations.

Some students have successfully found employment by using the Internet. Check the websites of universities in the area you're targeting. Other students have subscribed to the Sunday paper in a chosen location in order to respond to classified ads.

Don't let housing needs and worry about competition deter you if you are heading for unfamiliar territory. Universities often rent housing to students working in their city during the summer. Your summer employer may have suggestions for you. Finding suitable housing may not be as difficult nor as expensive as you think. Many employers would like to have qualified UC Berkeley students among their staff; your reputation travels far. Give it a try.

Check the International and Internship Indexes for overseas internship-related books in the Information Lab. For example, sample materials include Directory of International Internships - A World of Opportunities, Overseas Summer Jobs - Your Complete Guide to Thousands of Summer Employment Opportunities Abroad, and Work Your Way Around the World - the Authoritative Guide for the Working Traveler. Also, check out our International Career Field section for comprehensive information on opportunities and resources.

Attend the International Career Symposium in October. Learn how to start your international job search and hear from seasoned professionals with global experience. Watch our website for details.

For students who are legally eligible to work in Hong Kong, Malaysia, P.R. China, Singapore, or Thailand, you can apply through the Asia Pacific Home Country Co-op Placement Program for a six-month paid Co-op internship back in your home country.

Yes. See Summer On-Campus Recruiting (OCR).

Check out the OCR Frequently Asked Questions. If you still have questions, contact the Recruiting Office at (510) 642-0464 or by email.

Employers value skills developed through academic work, volunteer experiences, extracurricular experiences, or other experiences which demonstrate skills useful in work. Not all of these skills are job type specific; some of these skills are general such as communication skills and analytical skills, and can transfer to different settings. And routine types of student jobs can demonstrate to employers that you have been a successful employee.

If a job does require some very specific experience, you might consider finding a more routine position in a setting similar to where you would eventually like to hold a job with greater responsibilities.

In addition to looking at our job listings diligently, network with people who may have contact suggestions for you, approach employers of interest to you directly, be sure you have put your best effort into writing your resume and are prepared to handle interview questions well. Consider being more flexible if you are having difficulty. For a summer position, can you consider other geographical areas? Would you be able to work part-time year-round since these positions are easier to find than summer only positions? Be sure to look at our Job Search Strategies information. Talk to one of our Career Counselors if you need additional help with your job search.

In addition to wages earned, student work experience is valuable for exploring fields of work which you may wish to enter after graduation. Experience develops new skills and strengthens existing skills. Work experience helps you establish professional contacts in a potential field of interest. You will be able to demonstrate work setting accomplishments in your resume.

Salaries vary according to experience and skills required, year in school, type of position, type of employer, and location. For student jobs here in the San Francisco Bay Area, it is not unusual to find positions of $10/hour and up (substantially higher for special skills and significant experience).

If possible, wait to commit to a job until you have a feeling for how much time you have beyond coursework, extracurricular activities, and some time for yourself. And note that our office receives job listings year-round and also receives short-term, project positions which do not require a long-term commitment.

When classes are in session, students are advised to work no more than 20 hours/week.