Winter Term Internships

A Winter Term internship for credit involves significant, high-level exposure to the core work of an organization, tied to a student’s academic or professional interests.  

Credit is earned for completing both the internship (as verified by your internship supervisor) and the academic work (assigned by your academic sponsor, a Middlebury faculty member) that demonstrates your learning through the internship.

• A Winter Term internship for credit must be unpaid. 
   
• The minimum internship requirement is 4 weeks long and 25 hours per week, totaling at least 100 hours. If you have exceptional circumstances, clearly outline them in your application for credit.
   
•  Internships should start on January 6, 2025 and end on January 31, 2025. Contact Amy Gibans McGlashan if your experience falls outside these dates.
   
• Only sophomores through Super Seniors are eligible for Winter Term internships. First-years and Sophomore Febs must enroll in an on-campus Winter Term class.
   
• Only students enrolled in Fall 2024 are eligible to earn credit for Winter Term 2025. 
   
• A student cannot repeat the same Winter Term internship.
   
• A relative may not serve as your internship supervisor.

The Center for Careers and Internships (CCI) administers the Winter Term internship program, and the Curriculum Committee approves all internships for credit.

Deadline: Applications for credit are reviewed on a rolling basis. However, you must submit your application by December 2. We strongly encourage completing the process before Thanksgiving, as the College is closed during the break.

Follow these steps (also found in the downloadable 2025 Winter Term Internship: Application and Approval Timeline and Steps document): 

1. Résumé Approval: Have your resume approved by a CCI Peer Career Advisor at Quick Questions. Résumé approval may require more than one visit, and a CCI-approved résumé is required for both the internship and credit application.
2. Secure an internship: Visit go/findinternships for tips, make an appointment with a CCI advisor, or consult a Peer Career Advisor (PCA).
3. Find an Academic Sponsor: Identify a faculty member willing to serve as your academic sponsor (see related FAQs below).
4. Write a Personal Statement: Use the essay prompt provided, including at least 3 scholarly sources (see related FAQ or samples here).
5. Review the Internship Agreement Form: Read the Internship Agreement Form in full, as it contains essential conditions. Do not sign the agreement in your application until you have read it thoroughly.
6. Submit your Application: Complete your application in MiddApply no later than December 2.
7. Apply for funding (if applicable): Several grants are available on a first-come, first-served basis for students on financial aid or those with internships related to conflict transformation. Apply for funding in MiddApply if eligible. 

After submitting your application:

• Your internship supervisor will need to complete an Intern Sponsor Agreement Form, and your faculty sponsor will need to complete an Academic Sponsor Approval Form. These forms are due 1 week after you submit your application, and your application will not be processed until these forms are received.  
• Remind your internship supervisor and academic sponsor to look for emails from MiddApply (and check their spam or clutter folders).
• CCI will notify you via email once your application (and funding, if applicable) has been approved. The process usually takes 2-3 weeks. 

An Academic Sponsor is a Middlebury faculty member who acts as the academic connection between your internship experience and the learning goals associated with it. The sponsor’s role includes:

• Collaborating with you to develop a plan that ties your internship experience to scholarly exploration.
• Helping you identify learning objectives and at least three scholarly sources to include in your application.
• Signing the Academic Sponsor form, indicating their willingness to guide you during the internship.
• Evaluating your post-internship academic work to determine whether it merits credit.

The three scholarly sources you include in your application provide relevant academic content for your internship experience and should be incorporated into your final project (typically a research paper or journal). See samples here.

Yes, thanks to generous alumni donors, CCI offers two types of grants for Winter Term 2025 internships. Please note that funding is extremely limited and awarded on a first-come, first-served basis. To be eligible, you must meet one or both of the following criteria:

• Your internship relates to Conflict Transformation (see definition below), OR
• You receive financial aid from Middlebury College or an affiliated scholarship program (e.g., Posse, College Match, QuestBridge, etc.).

Grants are intended for students who are not living on campus and need financial support for internship-related expenses. Exceptions may be made based on available funds.

Students may apply for both grants but can receive only one. Grants can cover travel, housing, food, and loss of wages from an on-campus job. Apply early, as grants are limited.

Conflict Transformation Grant: Up to six $1,500 grants are available for internships related to conflict transformation (i.e., work focused on addressing the root causes of human conflict and advancing peace and justice). To apply, you’ll need to describe how your internship aligns with conflict transformation and provide details of your internship-related expenses.

Internship Funding Grants: These $1,500 grants are available for students receiving financial aid. To apply, explain your financial need and provide detailed budget information (e.g., commuting costs, housing expenses, etc.). Note that airfare from Middlebury to your home is not eligible for funding.

If awarded a grant, you must write a donor letter in addition to completing the required paperwork at the end of your internship. 

The Center for Community Engagement also offers funding for internships related to international or cross-cultural community service, advocacy, or activism. See Cross Cultural Community Engagement Grants.  

Most 2025 Winter Term internships are expected to be in-person, but remote or hybrid internships are also eligible for credit.

If you’re doing a remote internship, you may live on campus only if you were (or will be) enrolled and living in campus housing for both the Fall 2024 and Spring 2025 semesters. Students studying abroad or away during either semester must do their remote internships from home or another location; they are not eligible for on-campus housing. Students studying away or taking the Spring semester off must vacate their room at the end of the Fall term. For exceptions, please contact Residential Life.

Students returning from abroad or away in the fall, and who are taking an on-campus Winter Term class or doing a local in-person Winter Term internship for credit, are eligible for campus housing. 

Yes. Depending on where your internship takes place, you may need to take additional steps:

1. For internships in the U.S. (F-1 student status): You will need Curricular Practical Training (CPT) authorization. The Winter Term internship must earn academic credit and be related to your major. If CCI approves your internship, you’ll need to apply to International Student & Scholar Services (ISSS) for CPT authorization. This applies to both off-campus and on-campus internships. For more information about CPT eligibility, see this resource or contact ISSS (isss@middlebury.edu). *For international students not in F-1 status, contact ISSS to explore if you are eligible to pursue an internship in the U.S.
2. For internships outside the U.S.: You must check with ISSS to determine if you need specific visa status or employment authorization to pursue the internship in your home country or another non-U.S. location. Also, refer to the FAQ below about international internships and getting your travel approved by Middlebury’s Global Operations Committee.   

A great place to start is Handshake. You can do a keyword search for “Winter Term” to find internships (CCI begins posting Winter Term internships in Handshake in September). Keep in mind, securing an internship is the first step, but getting credit for it is a separate process. Be sure to read this website and the FAQs thoroughly to understand the process.

You can also find or create your own internship. Check out CCI’s Top Tips for Finding Internships.

If you need help, schedule an appointment with a career advisor in your interest area by visiting our See an Advisor page. Or drop into Quick Questions to meet with a Peer Career Advisor (PCA). 

To explore what other Middlebury students have done during past Winter Terms or summers, visit the Resources section of Handshake. You’ll find a list of internships sorted by industry (Arts, Business, Communications, etc.). This list can give you ideas and help you decide what might be a good fit for you.

If you’re interested in learning more, feel free to reach out to students listed with specific internships for additional details.

View past internships here.

Before applying for Winter Term internship credit, your résumé must be approved by a Peer Career Advisor (PCA). Ideally, you should have your résumé approved before applying for the internship itself. 

PCAs approve résumés during Quick Questions sessions. Check here for Quick Question hours and locations. Don’t wait until the last minute, as your resume may require more than one visit to get approved.

Yes, your faculty advisor can serve as your academic sponsor. An academic sponsor doesn’t need to be an expert in your internship area, as long as they can help you develop a plan for academic work and evaluate how your internship connects to a scholarly investigation of a related topic, issue, or idea.

However, if your internship is unrelated to your major (e.g., a music major interning at a law firm), the Curriculum Committee recommends finding a faculty member with expertise closer to the field of your internship to serve as your academic sponsor.

Yes, students can pursue international internships, but the following steps and guidelines must be followed:

1. Global Operations Review and Approval: All international internships must be reviewed by the Global Operations Committee on a case-by-case basis. Even if you’re doing an internship in your home country, whether in-person or remote, it still needs approval from the Global Operations Committee. 

*For all international internships: Check the State Department Travel Advisory page. 

• Level 2 advisory countries (where Middlebury does not have a school abroad), and Level 3 or 4 advisory countries, including your home country, require submission of an International Activity Approval Form.  Submit the form as early as possible, preferably before applying for Winter Term internship credit, to allow time for review.
• Requests for internships involving travel to countries with State Department Travel Advisories of Levels 2, 3, or 4 will necessitate additional paperwork and may be denied by the College based on a risk assessment analysis. 
• Level 2 advisory countries where Middlebury has a school abroad do not require additional review. 

Very Important: International internships require more planning time, as you may need to investigate visa requirements. You must also comply with Middlebury’s international travel registration, waivers, and insurance requirements (details below).

2. International Travel Registration: All students conducting internships outside the U.S. must register their travel plans online. This applies even if you’re an international student interning in your home country.

3. Insurance Coverage: Ensure you have medevac, repatriation, and health insurance. If you don’t, you must enroll in coverage, which costs approximately $75 per month. International students interning in their home country are exempt from this requirement. More details will be included in your internship credit award notification. You should also consult the CDC, Parton Health Center, or your health care provider for recommended vaccinations. 

• If your application for internship credit has NOT been approved before or during Winter Term registration: You must register for a Winter Term class. This ensures your spot for credit and on-campus housing, and it serves as a backup in case your internship proposal is denied.  
• If your internship credit application is approved after registration: Once CCI sends your approval email, the Registrar’s Office will automatically switch your Banner registration from the course to your internship. You don’t need to take any further action. 
• If you’re doing an internship NOT for credit: Students not seeking credit for Winter Term must still register during Winter Term enrollment by selecting the No-Credit “Opt-Out” option. Please note that students opting for No-Credit will not receive academic credit and will not be eligible for on-campus housing.

No, Winter Term internships for academic credit must be unpaid. However, students can receive a stipend from their internship provider to help cover living or transportation expenses.

Students are required to earn Middlebury credits during at least two Winter Terms, and they can earn credit for up to four Winter Terms.

No more than two Winter Term credits may be earned through credit-bearing internships.

If you don’t need the credit, consider doing the internship not-for-credit. This means you won’t need to complete any paperwork or assignments, and you may be paid by your employer. However, if you need on-campus housing, you must do the internship for credit.

For additional information about non-standard credits (such as AP credits and internships), click here .

An affiliation agreement is a written contract outlining the legal obligations of both the school and the internship site to facilitate experiential learning for students. Middlebury College does not enter into such agreements, so you would not be able to accept an internship that requires one. 

If you miss the December 2 deadline, you cannot earn credit for your internship.

If you don’t need the credit, you can opt out of Winter Term and do the internship on your own. During Winter Term registration, simply register for “Opt Out.” However, keep in mind that you cannot live in on-campus housing if you are not earning credit.