Wesleyan Summer Grants

Student Eligibility

• 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

Seniors graduating in May and previous Wesleyan Summer Grant recipients are not eligible for funding.

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

Experience Eligibility & Requirements
Students must have one confirmed experience for the summer. The following types of experiences are eligible for grant funding:

• Internship
• Volunteer Position
• Academic Summer Program (Individual courses will not be considered. Grants cannot be used to pay Wesleyan tuition.)
• Research Opportunity (with institution/employer)
• Entrepreneurial Venture
• Independent Project or Research
• Thesis Research – Juniors only

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 2025 (May-August)

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.

Wesleyan Summer Grants Budget Sheet – 2025 Version Coming Soon!

All applicants must complete this sheet. Other budget sheets will not be accepted.

All applicants are required to submit a budget sheet, detailing the funding request for your summer experience. All items included in your budget must be directly related to your experience. Please be mindful of this when submitting your application. Generally, the more detailed your budget, the stronger your application. If selected to receive funding, based on the information you provide and available funds, an amount may be awarded to you, equal to or less than your request.

Your anticipated income (if any) should be less than your expenses. If your income is greater than the expenses outlined in your budget, you will not show a deficit and will be ineligible for funding.

• Funding can be used to help alleviate costs in the following areas:
  • Living/Personal Expenses: Rent/Housing, Utilities (if not included with rent/housing), Food, Clothing (if specific wardrobe is required for your experience)
  • Travel Expenses: Airfare, Train Tickets, Bus Fare/Tickets, Subway/Metro Fare, Mileage ($.67 cents per mile)
  • Program Expenses: Tuition (non-Wesleyan), Supplies (ie notebooks, pens), Books and Equipment (student will retain)
• Funds may not be used for any of the following
  • Purchasing or leasing a vehicle
  • Wesleyan University tuition
  • Payment to yourself
  • Personal expenses deemed unnecessary to completing the experience
  • Other discretionary expenses deemed unrelated to the opportunity

All funding requests must be in US Dollars. Please check the exchange rate if you will be located where the US dollar is not used.

Budget Sheet Breakdown

• Expenses: Select the eligible items from the drop-down list that you will need funding for.
• Description of Expenses: Provide detail on the item selected for expenses and provide its relation to your experience.
• City, State(s) or Countr(ies) Associated with Expense: In what location(s) will this be purchased.
• Source: Where did you find the amount listed on your budget. For example the website you found the price on. Applicants need to show they researched their expenses and are not making cost assumptions.
• Total Dollar Amount: List the dollar amount for the item in that row.

Additional Resources

• Cost of Living Estimator – Help understand how costs vary in different cities.
• Cost of Food Estimator – Daily and Monthly, USDA

The Wesleyan Summer Grants Committee, comprised of staff outside of the Gordon Career Center, will review and score all essays with a rubric. All applicants will remain anonymous to the committee. Please do not disclose your name in your essays. All applicants will be required to answer the following two essays:

• Provide a detailed description of your summer experience and your role. Dependent on your experience, this should include your main responsibilities, focus of work and/or project information, information about the employer/organization/program, anticipated challenges you foresee, and any other additional information you would like to include. (500 words maximum)
• What personally motivates you to pursue this summer opportunity? Discuss how this experience aligns with your academic and career goals, highlighting the skills and knowledge you hope to gain. Additionally, share your expectations for personal and professional growth throughout the duration of this summer endeavor. (750 words maximum)

View Rubric

Additional Essays
Please note the following grants require an additional essay. If you would like to be considered, you will select the grant on the application and upload the corresponding essay. These grants are part of the Wesleyan Summer Grants Program and are NOT additional funds.

Wesleyan Black Alumni Council Memorial Prize Summer Stipend
Essay: The Wesleyan Black Alumni Council (WBAC) honors the memory and spirit of alumni Bruce D. Hall ’77, James “Donnie” Rochester ’74, and Dwight L. Greene ’70 through a summer experience grant to support projects or research pertaining to the African American experience. Please share how your proposal aligns with this intention. (750 words maximum)

The Wesleyan Israel and Jewish Student Life Endowed Program Fund
The Wesleyan Israel and Jewish Student Life Endowed Program Fund was established by anonymous donors to assist students in financing summer experiences related to Jewish and Israel studies (Israeli history and culture) and/or contemporary Jewish life. Upon return, the awarded student(s) will be asked to share their experiences with the rest of the Wesleyan community in a meaningful way.
Essay: Please describe, in detail, how your proposal and/or experience will inform and enhance your understanding of Jewish and Israeli history and culture, and/or contemporary Jewish life. (750 words maximum)

2025 Timeline will be announced in late fall/early winter

1. 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.
2. 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.
3. 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.
4. 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.
5. 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.