NCA - Summer Internship Grant Program (SIGP) Evanston Campus Application (and SoC & Medill Internship Awards)

The SIGP application includes the SoC Internship Award Program and Medill Internship Grant Program (MIGP). Students interested in those opportunities should apply to SIGP; applications for these programs have merged.

The Summer Internship Grant Program (SIGP) was established to support current Northwestern undergraduate students with a demonstrated financial need who are participating in unpaid internships. Since 2007, SIGP has made it possible for undergraduate students to pursue unpaid internships with a $3,500 award to support summer living expenses.

For more details, visit: https://www.northwestern.edu/careers/programs-opportunities/sigp/

For more information or questions please contact:
Maggie Smith
Email: sigp@northwestern.edu

School of Communication (SoC) Internship Award Program – combined application with SIGP

The SoC Internship Award Program has merged its application process with SIGP. The SoC Internship Award Program is funded by generous donors to support students who have secured unpaid or low-paid internships. For more details, visit: https://epics.soc.northwestern.edu/internships/funding-your-internship/

For more information or questions, please contact:
Kate Holst Test
Email: kate.test@northwestern.edu

Medill Internship Grant Program (MIGP) – combined application with SIGP

The Medill Internship Grant Program (MIGP) has merged its application process with SIGP. MIGP is funded by generous donors to Medill to support students who have secured unpaid or low-paid internships related to journalism and integrated marketing communications, with typical awards of around $1,000. When you apply, you’ll be considered for SIGP first, so you have the best chance of receiving the highest possible award. If you are not selected for SIGP, your application will automatically be reviewed for MIGP.

For more information or questions, please contact
Email: medillcareers@northwestern.edu.

Award
Varies
Scopes
Career
Deadline
01/15/2026
Supplemental Questions
  1. Students with majors in the School of Communication will automatically be considered for both the SoC Internship Award Program and SIGP (both awards are $3,500). SoC majors please make sure that you answer any questions marked “For SoC majors ONLY”.
  2. Students with a major in the Medill School of Journalism, Media, Integrated Marketing Communications will be considered for SIGP funding first, so you have the best chance of receiving the highest possible award. If you are not selected for SIGP, your application will automatically be reviewed for MIGP. Medill majors please make sure that you answer any questions marked “For Medill Majors ONLY”.
  3. Campus:
  4. What is your hometown? Please list city and state (and country if outside the United States).
  5. Permanent Address:
    • 1. Permanent City:
    • 2. Permanent State/Province:
    • 3. Permanent Country:
    • 4. If you selected "Other", please list your country below (write "N/A" if it is listed):
  6. Have you applied for an appeal with the Office of Financial Aid within the last two months of the academic year (end of Fall Quarter/ beginning of Winter Quarter)?
  7. Are you a student-athlete? (this DOES NOT include intramural or club sports)
  8. What sport do you play? (Please select "N/A" if you aren't a student-athlete)
  9. How did you learn about SIGP and additional funding opportunities for unpaid internships (SoC Internship Award Program, Medill Internship Grant Program, etc.) Check all that apply:
  10. If you selected "Other" above, please elaborate. If you did not select "Other", please write "N/A".
  11. Have you *already* accepted an unpaid summer internship/experience?
  12. If you have accepted an unpaid summer internship/experience, please answer the following (please answer "N/A" to all questions if you have not secured a summer internship/experience):
    • 1. Name of organization where you have secured your summer internship/ experience.
    • 2. Title of your position
    • 3. In which industry is this summer internship/experience?
    • 4. If you selected "other" above, please list what industry your summer internship/experience is in. Please write "N/A" if you selected an industry from the list above or have not accepted/secured a summer internship/experience.
    • 5. What is the location of your summer internship/experience? Please list city and country if outside the United States.
    • 6. Short two or three sentences that describe the experience.
  13. If you have *not* accepted an unpaid summer internship/experience, please answer the following:
    • 1. In which industry would you like to secure an unpaid experience?

      If you have accepted a summer internship/experience, please select "N/A".
    • 2. If you selected “Other” above, please list what industry you would like to secure an unpaid summer internship/experience in this summer. Please write “N/A” if you selected an industry from the list above.
    • 3. Please describe the type of experience you’re working to secure this summer. Please be specific about the type of role.

      If you have accepted a summer internship/experience, please write "N/A".
    • 4. What is your intended location for the summer? Please indicate city, state, and/or country.

      If you have accepted a summer internship/experience, please write "N/A".
  14. For Medill students ONLY: In 3-4 sentences, describe how your internship will tie into journalism or integrated marketing communications. What will you be doing that aligns with these fields? If you are not a Medill student, please write “N/A”
  15. Are you planning to travel outside of the United States of America for your summer internship/experience?

    If you plan to travel outside of the United States for your internship/experience, you must inform SIGP and complete University Travel Policy requirements by May 20, 2026.
  16. Please answer the questions below about the location of your summer internship/experience:
    • 1. List your destination country or countries here:
    • 2. Is this summer internship/experience located in your country of citizenship and/or permanent residence?
    • 3. Pre-Departure Requirements: If awarded and traveling outside of the United States, I acknowledge that I must complete University pre-departure requirements, including travel registration: https://www.northwestern.edu/global-safety-security/travel-registry/international-travel-registry.html, unless I am traveling to my country of citizenship and permanent residence. If I decide on an experience within the United States, I will not have to complete pre-departure requirements.

      Northwestern undergraduate travel policy: https://www.northwestern.edu/global-safety-security/travel-policies/undergraduates/international-travel-policy/
    • 4. High-Risk Destination Travel: Unless I am traveling to my country of citizenship and permanent residence, I understand that applying for SIGP with a summer experience outside of the United States requires me to take additional steps if my destination is rated Level 3 or 4 by the U.S. Department of State (DOS): https://travel.state.gov/en/international-travel/travel-advisories.html#ta-chart, or The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC): https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/destinations/list
    • 5. Please indicate the Department of State (DOS) Advisory Level for your destination country. If you have multiple destinations in mind, list each Advisory Level. If you’re not planning to travel outside of the US, write "N/A".
    • 6. If your destination is considered high-risk (DOS or CDC Level 3 or 4), you will need to apply for Travel Permission. Contact the Office of Global Safety & Security (globalsafety@northwestern.edu) and SIGP (sigp@northwestern.edu) at least 6 weeks before departure to begin the travel permission request: https://www.northwestern.edu/global-safety-security/travel-policies/undergraduates/international-travel-policy/
    • 7. Experience Location Change: I understand that if the location of my summer experience changes from domestic (United States) to international or to a different international country than I am originally applying with, I must inform SIGP (sigp@northwestern.edu). Changes to travel plans need to be approved by May 20, 2026.
  17. Have you applied to summer internship funding in the past?
  18. For SoC majors only: have you received a SoC Internship Award in the past?
  19. Have you attended or viewed an information session? Your answer does not affect your application for funding.

    You can view the virtual information session here: https://www.northwestern.edu/careers/programs-opportunities/sigp/how-to-apply.html
  20. Are you planning to live at home and/or with family or family friends during the summer internship/experience you have secured or planning to secure?
  21. Are you receiving any money (stipend or hourly wage), housing assistance, or any other form of compensation from the employer to complete the summer internship/experience?
  22. If you are receiving any form of compensation from your summer internship/experience employer, please answer the questions below (please write "N/A" for each question if you are not receiving any compensation).
    • 1. What is the amount or form of compensation you will be receiving?
    • 2. What is this intended to be used for?
  23. Are you receiving academic credit for the summer internship/experience? As a reminder, SIGP funding cannot be used to cover the cost of tuition or fees for academic programs or coursework.
    • 1. Are you receiving credit for your summer internship/experience?
    • 2. If you selected “Yes” above, please indicate which credit-based internship program you are participating in this summer:
    • 3. If you selected “unsure” or “other” above, please provide additional information below. Write "N/A" if you selected an option above.
  24. Do you plan to take classes over the summer (in addition to your summer internship/experience)?
  25. Do you plan to study abroad over the summer (in addition to your summer internship/experience)?
  26. Please list any additional summer funding you have applied for or plan to apply for within Northwestern or outside the University (ex: Weinberg Summer Grant, Summer Undergraduate Research Grant, etc.):

    If you have not applied to any other funds on or off campus please write “N/A”.
  27. Photo Release:
  28. Thank You Notes:
  29. SIGP (and Medill & SoC awards) strives to relieve the financial burden for students who are pursuing unpaid summer internship/experiences. In addition, SIGP (and Medill & SoC awards) provides learning opportunities and support as students engage in and connect their summer internship/experiences to their ongoing career development. Your response to the following essay question will give the review committee more insight into your goals, interests, and career development.

    Please be sure to write your essay in a word processing program such as Microsoft Word and then copy and paste the text into the text box to assist with grammar and spell check. This will allow for the SIGP reviewers to more easily read your application.

    The word count should not exceed 900 total words.
    • 1. Please write an essay that details your summer plans and how your summer internship/experience connects to your experiences and interests. Your response needs to address each of the following:

      - A detailed description of your summer internship/experience. If you have not yet secured an internship, choose an opportunity you’d like to secure or plan to pursue. If you have applied to multiple opportunities, choose one to focus on for this essay.
      - What do you hope to learn or gain from this internship/experience? Please be specific and provide multiple examples.
      - How does this summer internship/experience connect to your academic studies and/or extracurricular activities? Please be specific and provide multiple examples.
      - How will this experience impact you or the Northwestern community?
      - How does this summer internship/experience align with your academic and/or career goals?
    • 2. Supplemental Essay: If you have any financial information or additional details about personal or family circumstances that are not reflected on your One Form General Application or in your financial aid package from Northwestern, please elaborate on your financial need, and provide any relevant information you are comfortable sharing. We encourage any student who is not on full scholarship to respond to this optional essay. Your response provides the SIGP review committee with relevant details to best assess your application. (NCA will have access to your level of need based on your current financial aid package. Many students already receiving aid will not have additional details to share). PLEASE WRITE "N/A" IF YOU ARE NOT ANSWERING THIS QUESTION.
  30. Please upload a copy of your resume as a PDF file using the naming structure “Last Name_First Name_SIGP Resume”.

    Do not include any special characters in the name of your file. One Form will not accept the upload with anything other than an underscore:"_"
  31. I understand that if I have any questions or additional information for the SIGP committee to consider, I will email sigp@northwestern.edu directly. For questions related to the SoC Internship Award Program, please reach out to kate.test@northwestern.edu.For questions related to the Medill Internship Grant Program, please reach out to medillcareers@northwestern.edu.
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