Summer Internship Program

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

 

I am currently a senior. Can I still apply for the internship?
It depends- if you are in your last semester now (i.e., graduating this spring) then we are not able accept you into the summer intern program. One of the requirements is that students have more schooling between the internship and the award of their bachelors degree. However, if your last semester is the next fall then please do submit an application!

I am not a citizen of the United States. Can I still apply for the internship?
No, because this program is sponsored by the National Science Foundation, one of the requirements is that students are citizens or permanent residents of the United States.

I am really interested in working at Minnesota. Even though I do not meet the eligibility requirements, is there any way I can apply to the internship program?
If you do not meet the requirements, then you cannot be admitted into the formal program. HOWEVER, if your interests are such that Minnesota is your best option then we suggest that you contact the faculty member(s) with whom you wish to work. Sometimes they have other grants that will allow seniors or non-US citizens. Please be sure to tell them why you are not eligible for the formal program.

What do you want in the cover letter?
The minimal information we require consists of name, address, phone, email and top three choices of advisor. This is to assure that students who do not yet have a lot of geology experience can be considered for the program. If a student has more experience and has specific goals, then a more detailed letter is welcome and encouraged.

Can I have two letters of recommendation mailed?
Yes. You certainly can have more than one letter mailed. One letter is the minimum so that some students with less experience can be considered for the program.

I cannot work within the full 10-week time frame of the program.
I cannot work the whole 10 weeks.
I have field camp in the middle of the 10-week time frame of the program.
Dates for the internship are flexible. Interns can work less than 10 weeks if needed, the stipend will be prorated accordingly. Upon acceptance into the program, the intern works with his/her advisor to determine the schedule. Start and end dates can go outside of the noted 10-week period, however if at all possible, we do prefer to remain within that time frame. It seems to be the most beneficial to the students when everyone is in attendance at the same time.

I am not really sure what type of research I want to do.
Please look at the list of participating faculty (http://www.geo.umn.edu/dept/programs/intern.html#faculty), which provides a link to their individual web pages. Read through their research and if you find someone with whom you would like to work, you can contact him/her directly. If you are in a field other than geology, for instance physics, your top three choices could be faculty in the field of geophysics (e.g. Revenaugh, Kohlstedt, Banerjee).

 

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