Frequently Asked Questions

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  • Can I apply for a UR Summer Fellowship if I am seeking an internship that is not listed on Handshake?
    Seeking your internship site and applying for UR Summer Fellowship funding are two separate, parallel processes. You can most certainly apply for internships that are not listed on Handshake; in fact, you are encouraged to do so. To help with your internship search, visit Career Services to meet with an advisor. Walk-ins are welcome Monday–Friday, from 2–4 p.m. You do not need an appointment during these times.
  • Do my hours all need to be at the same site or can they be combined from two or more different sites?
    Your UR Summer Fellowship hours must all come from the same site (a minimum of 240 over no less than six weeks). If you choose to do something additionally in the summer, you may, as long as you are within the guidelines of the program for which you are selected.
  • What is a third-party provider?
    A third-party provider is someone who sets up the internship for you—a middle man who charges you a fee for the work they do to secure the placement.  Third party placements for experiences in the US are eligible for funding.  For international experiences, Students may use any of the providers listed on the guidelines tab here . Providers of international experiences not on this list are not eligible for UR Summer Fellowship support.
  • My employer is requiring academic credit. Does this mean I am not eligible for a UR Summer Fellowship?

    If your prospective employer is requiring academic credit, Brendan Halligan will contact them on your behalf by preparing a letter that explains the structure of the UR Summer Fellowship program and states our support of you undertaking this experience. Some employers will accept this in lieu of academic credit. To begin this appeal process, send the following to Career Services:

    • The title of the internship
    • The name of the organization
    • The address of the organization
    • The name of the contact
    • The contact’s email address and/or phone number
    • Your year
    • Your major
  • I will not find out whether I’ve gotten the internship until after the applications are due. Can I still apply?
    Yes, of course! We know that’s likely to happen. Internship decision timelines often do not align perfectly with the award process. Just be sure to note your potential site in the proper place on the UR Summer Fellowship application. Once you have secured your internship, you will complete an award contract, which includes your supervisor’s signature. You will submit your completed contract in order to receive your funding.
  • May I live on campus if I have a UR Summer Fellowship?
    Yes, you may live on campus if you if you are awarded a research fellowship or if you apply by the initial internship internship program deadline and are awarded an internship program fellowship. Information will be available on the housing website in the spring.
  • How does a UR Summer Fellowship affect financial aid?

    Students are eligible to receive funding through UR Summer Fellowships regardless of their family’s financial circumstances or whether they are receiving financial aid. Funding may affect the amount of financial aid that a student is eligible to receive during summer session if the research or internship overlaps with the student’s summer school enrollment. Funding will not affect the amount of financial aid the student is eligible to receive during the academic year following the summer the fellowship is received; however, it may affect a student’s eligibility for need-based financial aid the year after that, as funding must be reported as student income on the next year’s financial aid application, just as income from any other summer job would, and will be assessed as part of the overall review of the student’s eligibility for need-based financial aid. We strongly encourage students to speak with a financial aid advisor to learn what, if any, impact funding might have on their financial aid eligibility.

  • May I work a part-time on-campus job if I have a UR Summer Fellowship?
    It depends on which fellowship you are awarded. If your fellowship is working on campus (for instance, as a researcher), you may not exceed a total of 40 hours a week between your fellowship and your other on-campus job. If your fellowship is off campus, you may work on campus as long as it is in compliance with the guidelines of the program in which you are participating.
  • I am a faculty member writing a recommendation letter for a UR Summer Fellowship applicant. What should it entail?
    Your letter or recommendation form will be used as a component of the student’s application, so anything you can say to indicate your level of support of the student and his/her proposal is likely to be helpful for the review committee. We particularly want to know if you think this student is ready for this research or internship experience.  For internship programs, you will be asked to rate the applicant on a series of questions related to their preparedness for their chosen experience. Your letter or form will remain confidential.
  • If I’ve received a UR Summer Fellowship previously, may I apply again?
    Yes, many URSF programs award funding to students who have received a fellowship in a past summer. Keep in mind that students who have not previously received funding will be given priority when awards are made. Students who have received funding from any of the programs that make up UR Summer Fellowships in a past summer are not eligible for Spider Internship Funds.
  • What if I don’t get my first choice internship for which I applied to a UR Summer Fellowship?
    You award will be based on the site for which you write your application. If you do not receive an offer to work with this site, you may request that your funding program consider an alternate site to which you have been selected. You must confirm a site by securing your supervisor’s signature before receiving your UR Summer Fellowship funding.
  • When will I know if I have received a UR Summer Fellowship?
    Awardees for research fellowships will be notified by March 17, 2025; Intern applicants who submit materials by March 24 will be notified on April 7, 2025 and internship applicants who apply by the final May 3 deadline  awards on May 16, 2025.
  • Can first-year students receive a UR Summer Fellowship?
    Yes! Twenty percent of the UR Summer Fellows in summer 2024 had just completed their first year at Richmond.