Scholarships
UT Austin students have access to funding that supports career exploration and participation in unpaid internships.
Texas Career Engagement provides career-related scholarships to help reduce the financial barriers to career exploration and internship participation. Through financial support, we aim to increase access to experiential learning and professional development.
Summer Exploration Grant
Amount: Up to $2,000
Term: Summer 2024
Application Deadline: April 26, 2024
Texas Career Engagement offers grants to students seeking funds of up to $2,000 for academic and career exploration, and professional development for summer 2024. The application will require students to communicate how their academic or career plans will benefit from the experience or resource.
Summer Exploration Grant students are encouraged to be creative with their planned exploration or professional development opportunity. Since the program’s inception in 2010, students have put their grants toward a variety of diverse experiences, including:
- Attending a screenwriter’s workshop
- Taking certification courses or enrolling in skill boot camps, like coding
- Participating in dental assistant training
- Creating a blog and podcast of interviews with people working in social justice
- Building a greenhouse and growing sustainable crops
- Participating in the Halliburton Summer Business Foundations Institute
- Teaching English to elementary students in Cuzco, Peru
Professional development opportunities and independent exploration may include:
- Conference attendance fees
- Subscriptions, books, and other professional development materials
- Course and/or program fees
- Supplies for personal projects, research, etc.
Student Eligibility
Degree-seeking UT Austin undergraduate students enrolled in regular programs are eligible to apply. This is a needs-based grant and students must have submitted a FAFSA and/or TASFA to UT Austin to be eligible; priority to the limited funding is given to students based on the highest financial need.
Deadline & How to Apply
Applications are due April 26, 2024 by 11:59 pm.
This application will require you to submit a resume and a detailed budget. Applicants should use the Summer Exploration Grant Budget Prompt as a template. Budget items should clearly relate to the experience and may include program costs, tuition/fees, travel, materials, and/or living expenses for the duration of the program or project. Any other funding you have been awarded should be included.
W. Sue Ragle Career Exploration Grant
Amount: Up to $1,000
Term: Spring 2024
Application Deadline: November 3, 2023
This scholarship offers encouragement and financial support to students who make effective use of career exploration services to develop their academic plans. These career exploration services may include self-assessment tools, online resources, resource libraries, and professional counseling.
Choosing a major or degree program is best accomplished in the light of both self-knowledge and knowledge of the varied career opportunities that exist. However, many students enter The University without a deep understanding of what majors or careers might best suit their interests and abilities in the long term. Likewise, students often choose a major or degree program before adequate exploration and then begin to realize that a change in plans might be for the best. Making such a change is not always easy, but doing so in the light of well-considered career exploration can be a very smart move. Fortunately, a full complement of career exploration services is available to university students.
Student Eligibility
Degree-seeking UT Austin undergraduate first and second year students enrolled in regular programs who are making or have made effective use of career exploration services in formulating their academic plans are eligible to apply. This is a needs-based grant and students must have submitted a FAFSA and/or TASFA to UT Austin to be eligible; priority to the limited funding is given to students based on the highest financial need.
Deadline & How to Apply
Applications open October 9, 2023, deadline is November 3, 2023 by 11:59 p.m.
To apply, students need to have engaged with some form of career exploration programming at UT-Austin. If you are unsure of what your major or career path might be, this scholarship can provide useful funding to explore your options. This needs-based scholarship application includes submitting a resume and an essay reflecting on how these services, in combination with other factors (such as job or volunteer experiences, discussions with family members or mentors, etc.), have influenced their decisions about career and academic plans.
TCE Internship Fund
Amount: $15/hour up to $2,000
Term: Summer 2023
Deadline: Rolling Deadline through May 29, 2023 | Students are encouraged to apply early, as applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis and priority will be given to eligible students with the highest financial need and earliest application date.
UT Austin students have access to funding that supports participation in unpaid internships during summer 2023. When applying for internships there are many things you might consider, including your income needs. Texas Career Engagement created the Internship Fund to help reduce the financial barriers to internship participation. Through financial support, we aim to increase access to internships for all UT Austin students.
Students with financial need who are participating in unpaid internships are encouraged to apply for the TCE Internship Fund.