Career Exploration and Development
Summer Experience Funding
Thanks to support from Oberlin alumni and friends, Career Exploration and Development offers this need-based funding program to help cover expenses related to unpaid internships, music training programs or festivals, research experiences and academic immersion programs.
Funding is open to first years, sophomores, and seniors who are enrolled and returning the following year. Graduating seniors are not eligible.
*Note to third-year students (juniors*): It is strongly recommended that you participate in the Internship+ Program to help with funding for your summer experience.
Program Overview:
Summer Experience Funding Eligibility
Funding is available to students who:
- Are in good academic standing and NOT on a fall academic leave
- Scheduled and completed a resume review with a career advisor
- Secured (accepted) an eligible unpaid summer experience.
- Paid experiences will not be eligible to apply for funding.
Experience Requirements:
- Internship must be 6-12 weeks with a minimum of 240 hours total.
- Undergraduate Research must be at least 6 weeks with a minimum of 240 hours total.
- Music Festivals or Music-based experiences must be a minimum of 4 weeks and can include multiple non-concurrent experiences.
- Music Festivals or other music-based experiences offering significant mentorship opportunities.
- This can include participation in a music competition that requires significant preparation and practice and must include additional extracurricular activities such as master classes, professional development workshops, etc.
- Independent projects, such as self-organized tours or recordings are not eligible experiences for musicians.
- Academic Immersion Programs (June Block Intensive Courses & Language Immersion programs)
- 3-2 Engineering Students (may participate in the summer after their first year)
- BA+BFA Integrated Arts Students (must participate in their experience during the summer between 4th and 5th year)
Funding is need-based, limited, and competitive. Eligibility is determined by the Office of Financial Aid at the time you submit your application. Please note that submitting an application does not guarantee funding will be awarded.
To apply, you must submit a budget worksheet and an offer letter confirming that the experience is unpaid. Awards are based on need and expenses, up to $4,000.
Paid experiences are not eligible for funding.
Summer Experience+ funding is designed to help cover expenses directly related to your summer experience and is not intended to serve as compensation. Eligible expenses include:
- Travel and Local Transportation/Commuting: Costs associated with airfare, train, bus, etc. Any daily commuting expenses, such as public transit or fuel.
- Housing/Rent: Accommodation costs for the duration of your experience. Use reliable sources for estimates.
- Food Expenses: Ranging from $120/week in lower-cost areas to $150/week in higher-cost areas.
- Program Fee(s): Include any fees directly related to your program or experience such as music festival application and/or registration fees, music festival tuition, fee-based programs, and research opportunities.
When will there be information sessions about Summer Experience Funding?
We’ve put together a short video to walk you through everything you need to know to successfully navigate the Internship+ program. It covers the Summer Experience Funding main page, the Application & Expectations Guide page, and the FAQ page: including where to find all the materials and downloadable documents you’ll need to apply once you’ve secured a summer opportunity. Watch anytime and prepare at your own pace!
Housing is often one of the highest expenses during the summer. To help reduce this cost, visit the Career Exploration and Development's website for tips on finding low-cost or even free housing options. Starting your search early can substantially lower your housing expenses.
Tips For Housing
Review summaries from previous summer funding recipients to gather ideas and inspiration for your own summer opportunities. These insights can help you identify potential experiences and better understand how to make the most of your internship or professional development experience.
Previous Recipients:
2025 - 2026 Summer Experience Funding Application will open January 2026.
Visit the Application & Expectations Guide for more program requirement details.