Santa Clara University

Compensation

• Will my internship be paid?

   The majority of internships offered to Santa Clara University students are paid. Hourly wages for interns vary according to the student’s experience, academic level, and the particular field or discipline of the internship.
  
  
  Unpaid internships also have value for students as long as the duties and responsibilities, learning objectives and outcomes, and commitment to supervision are of the highest quality.
  
  
  
  While some employers are forced to offer unpaid internships due to limited financial resources, they are encouraged to limit the hours required for unpaid internships so that students may concurrently have a part-time job or internship which is paid. This enables you to earn money to defray the costs of tuition. However, a 40-hour-per-week unpaid summer internship may offer so much value to you because of the unique experience involved that you choose to accept it.

• What do students typically earn in paid internships?

   The average pay rate for most undergraduate internships is $10-14 an hour, sometimes higher for technical students, finance/accounting majors, or for students with extensive work experience.
  
  
  However, compensation doesn't always come in the form of a weekly paycheck. Some employers offer a stipend (a "lump sum”) at the end of the internship as a reward for your hard work. Some enterprising employers offer terrific perks – work-related travel (all expenses paid), breakfast with the CEO, catered lunches, holiday parties, etc.
  
  
  But regardless of the pay and perks, it is always important to keep in mind that an internship is a valuable experience in itself. Many students working in non-paying internships have agreed that the experience and lessons learned were more valuable than a paycheck.

• Will I receive credit for an internship?

   A few majors require an internship as part of the academic curriculum. Each department has certain requirements that must be completed in order to receive credit. A faculty advisor may provide on-going monitoring of the internship including reading assignments, a term report, or doing a critical analysis of a project. You may also be asked to keep a journal to help you reflect on what you've learned from your internship experience.
  
  
  For most majors, academic credit is not required to do an internship – it's an option. For more information on doing an internship for academic credit, please check with your faculty advisor.
  
  
  Keep in mind that it is easier and less expensive for you to earn credit for an internship during the academic year rather than during the summer. During the year your internship units are included in your tuition fees for the quarter. During the summer you will need to pay the per unit tuition rate.
  
  

• Where do I go to get a Hold Harmless Agreement signed?

   Faculty, staff, and other representatives of Santa Clara University are not at liberty to sign Hold Harmless Agreements. The few employers who request these documents will need to make an exception to this custom when recruiting Santa Clara students.
  
  Please contact Enzie Lagattuta for additional information about these documents and refer employers to him for assistance.