Whitman Internship Grant (WIG)
What is the Whitman Internship Grant?
The Whitman Internship Grant (WIG) is a competitive grant that provides funding to students who secure or build an unpaid internship opportunity at nonprofit organizations, some for-profit organizations, and government offices. A Whitman Internship Grant may be provided for a semester or for a domestic or international summer experience.
The number of awards available during each cycle is limited, and preference will be given to students who are seeking their first grant. Students may receive up to $1,300 for a fall or spring semester internship, up to $4,000 for a domestic summer internship, and up to $5,500 for an international summer internship. Students may be eligible to apply for and receive up to three terms of funding or two summer WIGs.
If you are an employer interested in posting an unpaid internship opportunity to hire a student through the WIG program, please visit our WIG Information for Employers page and review the details and guidance given at Recruit at Whitman College.
Student Eligibility Requirements
- Students must be currently enrolled as a full-time student (graduating students may not apply for the summer WIG)
- Students must be eligible to work in the U.S.
- If the internship is U.S.-based, international student applicants must have officially declared their major and will need to either be enrolled in a corresponding independent study course or plan to use the internship for research required as part of their thesis
- Students must attend a WIG information session, which are offered 3+ times per application period
- Students must have their resume reviewed by a Student Career Advisor (SCA)
Internship Eligibility Requirements
- Internships must abide by the U.S. Department of Labor Fair Labor Standards Act
- Internships must be high-impact and relevant to the student’s educational goals and/or career interests
- Internships cannot take place at Whitman College, involve religious work, or involve political work that benefits a political party or candidate
- Internships must last the duration of the grant timeframe the applicant is pursuing (whether semester or summer); during the fall or spring semester, interns must work an average of 80-100 hours in total, or 200 hours in total for a summer internship
Resources for Applying
- Browse the list of WIG-eligible internships on Handshake
- The Whitman Internship Database contains information on years of past internships held by Whitman students
- Find inspiration from previous WIG recipients' Student Internship Stories
- Student Career Advisors (SCAs) are available to help students with the WIG no matter where they are in the application process; SCAs can also help students learn more about the OPT/CPT process.
- Students can schedule an appointment with a CCEC staff member to develop an application plan
How to Apply
- Students must have secured an unpaid internship before applying for the WIG
- Attend a WIG information session; find dates and times for the current cycle's info sessions on Handshake
- For more information on the summer International WIG, please see the page For International Students
- Have your resume reviewed by a Student Career Advisor (SCA)
- Complete the Google form WIG application (see button below), which includes:
- Online Google form
- Student-Supervisor contract
- 1-page resume
- Important Information About the Spring 2026 WIG
- WIG Student-Supervisor Contract (PDF)
- Whitman Internship Grant Rubrics used for evaluation of applications:
Application Cycle Deadlines
- Fall 2025 Application
- Opens Friday, August 1, 2025
- Deadline: Monday, September 15, 2025, by 11:59pm PT (no extensions)
- Spring 2026 Application
- Opens Friday, October 31, 2025
- Deadline: Monday, January 26, 2026 by 11:59pm PT (no extensions)
- Summer 2026 Application
- Opens Monday, February 2, 2026
- International internship deadline: Monday, March 9, 2026 by 11:59pm PT (no extensions)
- Domestic internship early submission deadline: Monday, March 30, 2026 by 11:59pm PT (no extensions; late submissions will be considered for the final deadline instead)
- Domestic internship final submission deadline: Monday, April 27, 2026 by 11:59pm PT (no extensions)
Frequently Asked Questions
If you have questions about the WIG that are not answered here, please submit them to Nadine Stecklein, Associate Director for Employer Engagement and Internship Programs, at stecklen@whitman.edu. They may end up as a part of this FAQ!
Student eligibility information can be found above and within the WIG application materials linked on this page. If you still have questions after reviewing this information, contact Nadine Stecklein. International students should also connect with International Student & Scholar Services and Lindsay Szramek to determine their eligibility to work internationally.
If you had planned to apply for the WIG during a previous cycle but then chose not to, you will still need to complete all steps again for your present application. Prerequisites must be completed within four months of the application deadline and they do not carry over academic years.
Yes, an internship must be secured before applying for the WIG. Extensions to the deadline cannot be made if you are still waiting to hear back from an organization by the time the WIG application is due.
If you would like to apply for a consecutive term of WIG funding with the same internship, there must be an indication of increased responsibility and job function. For more information, please refer to the criteria for application evaluation on the rubric included with the WIG application above.
No. The option for a WIG lasting a full academic year has been eliminated.
WIG information sessions are held at least three times per cycle, and once they have been scheduled you can find their dates and times on Handshake.
To be eligible to recieve the WIG, you should be available to complete your internship during the timeframe for which you are applying:
Fall semester: September to December
Spring semester: January to May
Summer: May to August
Students are eligible to apply if they will be enrolled full-time during the academic year. Students applying for a summer grant must be enrolled for the following term. International students completing their third year at Whitman, who will be transferring to their second school in the fall, are not eligible due to restrictions with OPT/CPT; domestic students, however, may be eligible.
If you have secured an unpaid internship in your hometown, it is WIG-eligible for you so long as it abides by the U.S. Department of Labor's Fair Labor Standards Act. It must also be high-impact and relevant to your educational goals and/or career interests.
The internship secured must last the duration of the term for which you are applying and also abide by the U.S. Department of Labor's Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA). One part of the FLSA, for example, states that the internship must coalesce with the academic year schedule, and thus you will not be able to work for the internship during Spring Break, since that time period is an academic break.
Employers eligible for the WIG include non-profit organizations and public offices. Some for-profit businesses may be eligible; these are approved on a case-by-case basis.
An internship with a religious institution is possible; however, the scope of the internship cannot involve religious ideology or mission work. Both the scope of the work and the purpose of the internship must be well articulated to indicate and confirm that there is no religious aspect within the work of the internship.
All necessary information, forms, and other application materials are available above under the header "How to Apply." The WIG application itself is a Google form. If you need assistance with accessing any part of the materials, please email ccec_info@whitman.edu.
It is a good idea to get a head start on preparations for application. The application process involves multiple steps that involve different parties, and late applications are not accepted.
- Be familiar with the application period and plan time in your schedule to complete prerequesites.
- Search for eligible internships. See the "Resources for Applying" section above for suggested sources to explore. You may apply for an offered internship or work with an organization to create your own unique opportunity.
- Update your application materials - i.e., your resume and cover letter. Connect with a Student Career Advisor (SCA) or CCEC staff member for assistance.
- Complete the application prerequisites: attend a WIG Information Session and have your resume reviewed by a Student Career Advisor (SCA).
- Watch for the release of the WIG application. Once available, complete all materials.
No. Incomplete and/or late applications will not be considered. Note that an application is considered incomplete if you have not completed the prerequisites.
Students are notified about their application status by two weeks after the deadline.
WIG award amounts are announced each year and depend on available funding. You can find the current award amounts at the top of this webpage.
If you are awarded a WIG and have questions about its potential impact on your work study or financial aid award, please connect with Whitman's Office of Financial Aid. They will be able to answer specific questions regarding your aid.
Questions? Contact:
- Nadine Stecklein, Associate Director for Employer Engagement and Internship Programs
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