Wesleyan Summer Grants

Student Eligibility
This program prioritizes sophomores, juniors, and students who are receiving need-based financial aid.

• Actively enrolled undergraduate student
• Current First Year, Sophomore, Junior, or Senior (December graduates only)
• An approved resume on Handshake – View Wesleyan Resume Guide & Resources
  • Please note that when you upload your first resume to Handshake it will be reviewed, not necessarily approved, within 48 hours or 2 business days. Plan accordingly and expect that your resume may not be approved. It is strongly encouraged that you schedule a resume review appointment with a peer career advisor before you upload it to Handshake for the first time.proved resume by the Gordon Career Center uploaded on Handshake

Students Not Eligible

• Seniors graduating in May
• BA/MA students
• Previous recipients of any grant through the Wesleyan Summer Grant program
• Students participating in the following Wesleyan sponsored programs: Shapiro Center Fellowships & Internships; Daniel-Clee Scholarship

Experience Eligibility & Requirements
To apply for funding, students must have one confirmed summer experience. Only one experience may be submitted for funding. The following types of experiences are eligible for grant funding:

• Internship
• Volunteer Position
• Research Opportunity (with institution/employer)

Students with unpaid positions or an income of less than $5,000 (pre-tax) from their summer experience will be prioritized.
Students with an income of $10,000 (pre-tax) or more from their summer experience are not eligible for funding.

There is limited funding available for the following experiences:

• Entrepreneurial Venture (visit the Patricelli Center for Social Entrepreneurship for additional funding opportunities)
• Academic Summer Program (Individual courses will not be considered. Grants cannot be used to pay Wesleyan tuition.)
• Independent Project or Research
• Thesis Research – Juniors only
• Fee-Based Internship Programs – Students considering fee-based internship programs are strongly encouraged to meet with an advisor to review the program’s legitimacy, educational value, and overall merit. Programs that do not meet Wesleyan’s standards for quality or merit are not eligible for funding.

All experiences must meet the following requirements:

• Career-focused: Opportunities must be related to career development and/or exploration
• At least 6 weeks long with a minimum of 225 total hours. ( ie 37.5 hours/week)
• Take place during Summer 2026 (May-August)
• Must be in-person or hybrid – *Remote experiences are not eligible for funding.

*We recognize that some students may have specific circumstances that prevent participation in person. In limited cases, exceptions may be considered. Students seeking consideration for a remote opportunity must email wsg@wesleyan.edu to request approval prior to submitting their application.

Traveling Abroad
Experiences can take place in the United States or abroad. Students who plan to travel abroad will need to complete the following:

• Health Clearance Form (recommended to complete asap)
• Country Specific Waiver (provided in post-award form)
• Travel Registry Form

Travel Advisories
Students who plan to travel to countries under a Level 3 or Level 4 Travel Advisory will undergo a review. If the University determines that the risk level is too high, the student will not be eligible for funding. This policy applies even if the destination is the student’s home country. Check destination countries here. Scroll to “Learn about your destination” and type in the country. 

Internship, Volunteer Position, Research Opportunity
Applicants will need to include their offer letter in the application. If awarded funding, a supervisor from the organization will be required to submit a confirmation form. Supervisors cannot be family members or current Wesleyan students.

Academic Summer Program
Applicants will need to include their offer letter in the application. If there is no application process to participate in the program and requires a payment to enroll, you will indicate this on your application. If awarded funding, a supervisor from the organization will be required to submit a confirmation form. Supervisors cannot be family members or current Wesleyan students.

Entrepreneurial Venture, Independent Project/Research, Thesis Research
Applicants are required to have a Wesleyan faculty member serve as their advisor. Faculty members will be required to complete a form confirming your experience as part of the application process.

Applying for funding on a project or venture with other classmates?
Grants are awarded to individual students. Each student that would like to be considered for funding must complete a separate application.

The Wesleyan Summer Grants program is divided into the following three applications:

• Main Application
• The Wesleyan Israel and Jewish Student Life Endowed Program Fund
• The Wesleyan Black Alumni Council Memorial Fund

Please read through each to determine which application to apply to.

All applicants will be required to answer two essays.

Essay 1 – See corresponding question based on your experience

Internship, Volunteer, Research Opportunities

• Please provide a detailed description of your planned, career-related summer experience. Include the organization or institution you will be working with, the nature of the opportunity (e.g., internship, volunteer work, or research), your role, key responsibilities or projects, any anticipated challenges, and any additional information that will help us better understand your experience. (500 words maximum)

Academic Summer Programs

• Please provide a detailed description of the academic program you will be participating in. Your response should include what you will be studying, the course(s) you will be taking, any anticipated challenges, and any additional information that will help us better understand your experience. (500 words maximum)

Entrepreneurial, Independent Projects, Research

• Please provide a detailed description of your venture, independent project or research and how it will be structured over the summer. Your response may include phases of work, weekly focus areas, major milestones, and any additional information that will help us better understand your work. (500 words maximum)

Essay 2 – All Applicants

• How does this experience connect to your career interests or ideas about what you might want to do in the future? Describe what draws you to this experience and how it relates to your academic interests. Be specific about the skills and knowledge you hope to gain and explain how you think this opportunity will help you grow personally and professionally over the summer. (750 words maximum)

Applicants will remain anonymous to the review committee. We ask that you not disclose your name in your essays.

View Rubric – Used by committee to review and score essays.

If you are applying to the Wesleyan Israel and Jewish Student Life Fund or the Wesleyan Black Alumni Council Memorial Fund, you will be required to complete an additional fund-specific essay. Please review the details under “General Overview & Available Grants.”

2026 Budget Sheet – Click to Access and Follow Directions Carefully. You must use your @wesleyan.edu email to access.
All applicants must use the provided budget sheet. If another form is submitted, your application will not be accepted.

Budget Sheet Guide – Please read through this guide for complete information on the updated 2026 budget sheet, including required resources, how to fill out your budget correctly, eligible items, and more.

Overview
All applicants are required to submit a detailed budget outlining the expenses that are directly related to their summer experience. The required budget form provided by the Gordon Career Center is the only form that can be used. If another form is submitted, your application will not be accepted. If selected to receive funding, you may receive an award that is equal to or less than your request based on the information you provide and available funds.

An applicant’s anticipated income (if any) should be less than the total expenses. If your total income is greater than your total expenses, there will not be a deficit and you will be ineligible for funding. Do not inflate your request to appear eligible for funding. 

Although the total amount requested by an applicant does not influence the selection process, those applying for funding with a considerable gross income of over $5,000 pre-tax should be mindful.

Students with a gross income of $10,000 or more (pre-tax) are not eligible for funding.

As you work on your budget, please remember that this program is intended to help alleviate costs associated with pursuing a career-related summer experience. Funding is not guaranteed to cover all expenses, though it may do so for some students. The maximum award is $5,000.

Items Not Eligible for Funding

The following areas are not eligible for funding and cannot be included on the budget:

• Purchasing or leasing a vehicle
• Wesleyan University tuition
• Personal cell phone payment
• Payments to individuals – yourself, family members, actors, research participants, etc.
• Healthcare expenses – unless required for the experience (eg, immunizations to enter a country)
• Insurance of any kind
• Non-mandated extracurricular expenses (post-work outings, gym memberships, etc.)
• Programs/courses that are not the primary experience or required by the experience (eg, funding for an online course in addition to an internship)
• Personal expenses deemed unnecessary to completing the experience
• Other discretionary expenses deemed unrelated to the opportunity

Resources
Please visit our Internship Prep Guide which includes information on how to search for housing, transportation, attire, etc.

Taxes
Wesleyan University does not make any determination on the taxability of these awards. 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.

Non-US Citizens: If selected for funding, the award amount for non-US residents working in the United States will automatically be taxed at 14%.

Application Review & Selection
Applications are reviewed AFTER each deadline. Applications are evaluated based on the following criteria:

1. Essays: The Wesleyan Summer Grants Committee, made up of staff outside the Gordon Career Center, reviews and scores all essays using the rubric.
2. Budget: Overall feasibility and appropriateness of proposed expenses and funding request.
3. Application Quality & Preparedness: Review of all submitted materials and the student’s readiness for the proposed experience.

Students are selected for funding based on their overall score, with priority given to:

1. Students receiving need-based financial aid
2. Current sophomores and juniors
3. Unpaid or low-paid experiences (less than $5,000)
4. Students who have not received other Wesleyan funding for the experience

Timeline
1st Application Window
Open to eligible students who are receiving need-based financial aid only.
Application Open: February 9, 2026
Application Closes: March 26, 2026, 11:59pm
Award Notifications: April
Accept or Decline Award: April 30, 2026
Students not selected for funding in this window will be considered in the second window. You cannot reapply.

2nd Application Window
Open to all eligible students.
Application Open: April 1, 2026
Application Closes: April 23, 2026, 11:59pm
Award Notifications: early May
Accept or Decline Award: May 14, 2026

If selected to receive a summer grant, you will be required to complete a post-acceptance form. Once the form is submitted, it may take three to four weeks for your award to be deposited.

Students selected for funding must have direct deposit set up in order to receive payment. If you need assistance completing this step, please email aphelp@wesleyan.edu.

Once your grant award is processed, you will receive a payment notification email from donotreply@jpmorgan.com. Follow the instructions in that email to enter your banking information and accept the payment. If payment is not accepted within 14 days of the notification, a paper check will be mailed to your WesBox (during the academic year) or to your home address.

Please note that mailed checks may take up to three weeks to arrive.

1. How does the grant affect my taxes?
   • Wesleyan University does not make any determination on the taxability of these awards. 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. Non-US Citizens: If selected for funding, the award amount for non-US residents working in the United States will automatically be taxed at 14%.
2. Can I receive a Wesleyan Summer Grant more than once?
   • In an effort to provide a greater number of students with the opportunity to receive summer funding – grant recipients can only receive a Wesleyan Summer Grant once.
3. Will students who apply in the second window be at a disadvantage?
   • No. Funding is reserved for both application windows, and students who apply in the second window are reviewed using the same criteria and have the same chance of receiving funding.
4. How many students receive a grant each year?
   • This is a very competitive application process. The number of grant recipients varies depending on the funds available in a given year. In previous years, approximately 40%-45% of total applicants were selected for funding.
5. What if my summer experience is going to take place outside the United States? 
   • Please register your travel with the Office of Study Abroad prior to your departure. The Office of Study Abroad can also help you with information about your destination, health and safety, budgeting, etc., so feel free to contact them with these questions as you are applying. Students who intend to travel to countries with a level 3 or 4 travel advisory will be reviewed and if the University deems the risks too high, the student will not qualify for funding.
6. What if I need help completing my application?
   • Questions can be directed to wsg@wesleyan.edu. If you need assistance with your application, please make an appointment on Handshake. For accessibility resources, please visit Wesleyan’s Accessibility Services.