Philadelphia Summer Internship Award

Summer 2025 Award Description

The Wharton Undergraduate Division offers limited funding on a competitive basis to Wharton undergraduates who accept an offer for an internship at a government entity, non-profit organization, or think tank in the City of Philadelphia. The internship must be either unpaid or come with only modest compensation (less than $500 per week).

For internships that are unpaid, the Wharton Undergraduate Division can provide up to $500 per week to undergraduate students for up to 10 weeks, for a maximum of $5,000 for the summer.¹ To be eligible for funding, undergraduate internships must be at least 8 weeks in duration.

Undergraduates receiving some compensation or funding from other sources that falls short of $500/week may apply for supplementary funding to make up the difference.

In exchange for funding, recipients will be expected to:

1. Write one blog post during the summer on a topic relevant to the internship.
2. Complete an evaluation at the end of the summer about your internship experience.
3. Serve as an “ambassador” for Wharton in Philadelphia, sharing your experience with fellow students and friends, and assisting with Wharton information sessions as needed. Remember that as a Wharton student, you represent the school at all times and are expected to practice good public relations and maintain a level of professionalism both on and offline including on personal social media platforms.
4. Pay it forward: help identify and promote worthwhile Philadelphia internship opportunities for fellow Wharton students.

All Wharton undergraduates in good standing are eligible. The Philly Summer Internship award is only open to Wharton students.

How do students apply?

The review committee will be reading applications on a rolling basis through April 20th. Should your summer plans change after you have submitted an application, please alert Dr. Utsav Schurmans as soon as possible.

Applicants are required to submit the following documents:

• An unofficial copy of their Penn transcript
• A description of the internship opportunity
•  A personal statement explaining how the internship fits with their academic and career goals.

Apply Now

Any questions should be directed to Dr. Utsav Schurmans (schurman@wharton.upenn.edu), Director of Research and Scholars Programs.

How do I find a summer internship?

Search for “Philadelphia internship” on the Career Services website to get started.

Where can I get more information about research opportunities?

Subscribe to the Undergraduate Research listserv to receive information on upcoming student opportunities:

1. Go to Wharton Mailing Lists
2. Choose the Find a Wharton List link on the top of the page.
3. Search for the “undergraduate-research” mailing list.
4. Click the “Subscribe” link.

¹ Monetary awards constitute taxable income. If you are a U.S. citizen, taxes will not be withheld from your award, but you will receive a 1099 tax form from the University of Pennsylvania at the end of the year for tax reporting purposes. If you are an international student, the University will withhold 30% of your award amount for tax purposes, barring any tax treaties that may exist with your home country. International students can find information about Penn’s tax policies at the Office of the Comptroller.