Funding Opportunities
Looking for funding to support students participating in experiential learning?
The Career Design Center partners with departments across campus to provide funding and support for student programs that build career readiness. Learn more about our funding, scholarships, and collaborative initiatives below.
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Experiential Learning Summit, 2025 | Photos: Nancy J Parisi
We don’t want money to get in the way of your career goals. That’s why we created the Internship Support + Emergency Fund—to help you take advantage of meaningful opportunities without added financial stress.
Here’s how it works:
- Internship Support: Got an unpaid or underpaid internship? This fund can help cover costs like transportation, professional attire, or other essentials that make it possible for you to fully participate.
- Emergency Support: Life happens. If an unexpected financial challenge pops up while you’re in an internship or other experiential learning opportunity, this fund can provide extra support so you don’t have to put your experience on hold.
Our goal is simple: to make sure every student has access to career-building opportunities, no matter their financial situation.
Learn more about eligibility and apply through the scholarship portal.
Want hands-on experience without leaving campus? We’ve teamed up with the Experiential Learning Network and the Office of the Vice President for Research and Economic Development to bring you opportunities to get involved in real research and creative projects right here at UB.
These experiences let you build skills, grow your network, and explore new interests—all while making an impact.
Learn more about how you can get started in the Experimental Learning Network’s Project Portal.
Taking on an unpaid internship at a non-profit or government organization? We know that can be tough financially, and we don’t want money to hold you back.
The Internship Equity Fund is here to support current undergraduate and graduate students with financial need who are gaining experience through unpaid internships. This funding can help ease the burden so you can focus on building your skills and making an impact.
Learn more about eligibility and apply through the scholarship portal.
About the Fund
- Be an actively enrolled UB student during your internship
- Have a minimum 2.0 GPA and remain in good academic standing
- Commit to at least 75 internship hours
- Be supervised by an employee at the host organization
- Have CPT authorization if you are an international student on an F-1 visa and participating in an off-campus internship
- Have a site supervisor complete the Site Supervisor Verification Form (imbedded within application)
- Have a Social Security Number (SSN) or Individual Taxpayer Identification Number (ITIN)
- Participation in two Career Design Center offerings (e.g. skillshop, job fair, 1-on-1 appointment, etc.)
- Completed final evaluation near end of semester by both student intern and site supervisor
- Awards range from $2,100-$3,600 (dependent on # of internship hours)
- Award issued through U.S. Bank Expense Card
- Disbursed in two parts:
- 2/3 of award disbursed near beginning of semester
- 1/3 of award disbursed near end of semester
Internship Equity Fund awards will be considered taxable income as awards exceed $600 threshold.
| Semester | Application Opens in UB Scholarship Portal | Application Closes |
|---|---|---|
| Fall | Late July | Late August |
| Spring | Mid-December | Late January |
| Summer | Late March | Late April |
Conditional opportunity applications—for students awaiting internship confirmation—must be submitted early in the cycle; a priority review period and all specific deadlines will be advertised in the UB Scholarship Portal.
Meet our team
Hunter Lane
Assistant Director, Experiential Learning
Cassidy Phelps
Experiential Learning and Student Employment Coordinator