The Gordon Career Center’s Career Development Grant (CDG) provides financial support to offset costs associated with career exploration and preparation. Funds for this program are limited. Priority is given to those applicants with the highest level of financial need and grants are awarded until funds for the semester are exhausted. Learn about eligibility and funding below and complete the confidential CDG application form to be considered.
The Career Development Grant application will open on Monday, September 18, 2023.
Eligible expenses include:
- Interview attire such as suits, dress shoes, ties, and professional bags at reasonable price points
- Transportation, lodging, and meals for career-related travel (such as for recruiting events and interview costs not reimbursed by the interviewing organization) *does not include transportation related to a summer experience
- Fees related to professional conferences not reimbursable by academic departments;
- Graduate entrance exam fees (eg. LSAT, MCAT)
- Campus-sponsored career programs for which a fee is assessed, such as HBX CORe and Wall Street Prep
Career Development Grant funding may not be used for:
- Test prep courses
- Outside educational programming and/or coursework not sponsored by Wesleyan University;
- Credit-bearing coursework offered at Wesleyan University
- Income or expenses associated with a summer internship or career-related summer experience
- Apply for funding to pursue no- or low-pay career-related summer experiences through our Wesleyan Summer Grants program. Applications open annually at the start of spring semester classes.
Eligibility
You must be an actively enrolled full-time, undergraduate student at Wesleyan University in order to be eligible for funding. The Career Development Grant is available and awarded on a need-aware basis. While students may apply to the fund more than once, individual students are limited to $500 in total awards over their time at Wesleyan.
Application and Selection Process
Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis and are prioritized based on financial needs. Funds for this program are limited and grants will be disseminated until funds are exhausted for the academic semester.
To be considered,
- Complete the confidential Career Development Grant (CDG) application form, including the dollar amount you are requesting
- Allow up to 10 business days for your application to be reviewed, and for our office to verify your need level with the Office of Financial Aid
- Look for an email from our office notifying you if your request for funding is approved, denied, or requires additional information
If your request for funding is approved, you will receive information from our office via email pertaining to the amount of your grant award, the process for receiving funds, and a request to complete the Career Development Grant Fund Agreement Form. You must complete the Fund Agreement form in order for your award to be processed.
Funding and Receiving Your Award
The maximum grant awarded is $500. Students can apply for and receive funding through the Career Development Grant multiple times, up to, but not exceeding, $500 while an actively enrolled undergraduate student at Wesleyan University. Funds are generally distributed to your account through direct deposit. Please ensure that you have set up direct deposit with Wesleyan’s Payroll Office in advance. Payroll’s direct deposit form is available in your WesPortal. As these funds could be 1099 reportable, we recommend that students consult with a tax advisor on how to treat and report this grant for tax purposes.
Please allow up to 10 business days for your application to be reviewed and verified by the Gordon Career Center & Office of Financial Aid. You will be notified via email about the status of your request. If your application is approved, you will be required to complete the Career Development Grant Fund Agreement form (sent to you via email) in order to receive funding. Please note that it may take up to an additional four weeks for you to receive funds in your bank account once the agreement form is submitted.
If you have any questions or need assistance, contact us at careercenter@wesleyan.edu.
