Internship Search and Timeline
An internship is a professional learning experience that offers meaningful, practical work related to a student’s field of study or career interest.
It is important to note that the internship search timeline looks different for everyone, depending on your field of interest. However, for CALS students, we typically advise that the search process begins 4-5 months before you would like to start your internship.
See our resources below to assist you in your search process!
Internship Search Websites
- UW Student Jobs
- Join the CALS Career Services LinkedIn Group
- For a more tailored list of interest-specific websites, set up an appointment with a career advisor to discuss
💡Tips from an alum: How to secure an internship
Explore all your options within the industry. When I was an undergraduate, I was laser-focused on academia and didn’t know what options were outside of that. CALS Career Services is a great way to network and learn about opportunities outside of the University.
– Eric ’11, Biochemistry
See What Our Students Do (and Go) On Internship!
- Agricultural Business Management, Feed Sales Intern with Purina
- Animal & Veterinary Biosciences, Wildlife Rehabilitation Intern with Dane County Humane Society
- Animal & Veterinary Biosciences, Diversity in Conservation Intern with the Natural Resources Foundation of Wisconsin
- Biochemistry, Forensic Toxicology Intern with Labcorp
- Biological Systems Engineering, Interior Design Engineering Intern with Toyota
- Biological Systems Engineering, Public Drinking Water Section Intern with the Wisconsin DNR
- Environmental Sciences, Environmental Policy & Permitting Intern with Burns & McDonnell Engineering
- Environmental Sciences, Quality Standards and Sustainability Intern with Whole Foods Market
- Food Sciences, Product Development Intern with PepsiCo
- Genetics & Genomics, Nephrology and Hematology Research Intern with Yale University School of Medicine
- Global Health, Health, Safety, & Environmental Intern with the Miami Dolphins
- Global Health, Health Policy & Government Affairs Intern with Todd Strategy Group
- Life Sciences Communications, Science Engagement Intern with Bayer
Handshake is the the #1 way college students find jobs.
Handshake is a free job-search tool for all UW–Madison students and is the best way to connect with employers, find jobs and internships, and learn about career events. Handshake is different from other job platforms because it was created specifically to connect employers with college students. All the jobs you see on Handshake are posted for students and the employers are actively recruiting from UW-Madison.
As a UW-Madison student, you already have a Handshake account! All you have to do is activate it by logging into Handshake through the mobile app or by visiting wisc.joinhandshake.com and making your profile public to employers. The more information you add to your profile, the easier it will be for Handshake to give you recommendations and content for you!
Internship Course – Inter Ag 340
Build a portfolio of personal career tools while learning from your peers! CALS Career Services offers Inter-AG 340, a 1-credit, asynchronous course for STEM students wanting to participate in an internship for credit.
- Inter-AG 340 is appropriate for international students seeking Curricular Practical Training (CPT).
- Offered during the fall, spring, and summer terms. Students are allowed to repeat this course.
- Open to any UW-Madison student in a STEM major with an internship in the United States, with enrollment priority given to CALS students.
- Students participating in an International Internship are ineligible for Inter Ag 340.
- UW-Madison students participating in international UW Signature Internships will automatically be enrolled in IS-523.
- UW-Madison students who have found their own internship outside the U.S. can apply to the UW Undergraduate Internship Credit Program. If approved, you will also be enrolled in IS-523.
Have an unpaid or underpaid summer internship? Consider applying for a CALS Internship Fund!
Awardees can receive an award up to $5,000. Preference will be given to students who would not have the ability to complete an internship without additional funding.
Students can access the application on Wisconsin Scholarship Hub (WiSH) in February. The deadline to apply is 7 days before the last day of classes for the Spring term. Recipients will be notified the first week of May.