[ILR] Summer Funding
Eligibility
- ILR undergraduate students (first-years, sophomores, juniors—which includes those graduating in December 2025) who have secured unpaid or minimally paid summer internships are eligible to apply for funding.
- Allowable expenses must be internship-related and include (but are not limited to): housing, transportation for work, food, and cost of clothing).
- Funding cannot be used for the student contribution, family support, entertainment, or for fall semester needs.
- You must have a secured internship offer in order to be eligible for any of the funding sources.
- Ineligible programs/experiences include ANY ILR-sponsored programs such as (but not limited to):
- ILR Summer High Road Fellowships (New York or Buffalo),
- ILR Vietnam Engaged Learning Program in Winter,
- ILR India Engaged-Learning Program at SVYM in Mysore,
- ILR Zambia Global Service Learning Program at SAIPAR or any fee-based
- Or experiences that are for academic credit or fee-based.
- More information can be found here – under “Non-Eligible Experiences.”
- Candidates for the MS ILR – Labor Research and Policy degree program are not eligible for funding through these sources.
- MILR candidates may apply for limited funding, specifically for internships in conflict resolution or labor relations, including public sector labor relations.
- If you have an opportunity in one of these areas, please contact Sabel Bong, Assistant Director, at sb74@cornell.edu for more information.
Application Details
- Complete one application, and you will be considered for all funds that apply to you (refer to the list below). Please note the application portal is managed through Cornell Career Services and is used for several university funding sources, as well as for all ILR-specific grants. All ILR student applications are forwarded to ILR Office of Career Services (OCS) staff for review.
- For Summer 2026 cycle, there is a rolling application deadline. This means that throughout the cycle, the committee will review those applications received by that deadline. Some ILR alumni-funded awards will be accepted as on a rolling basis beyond the May 1 deadline. Around May 1, we will share information on the types of ILR Alumni funding that remain and how to apply.
- Apply for the Summer Experience Grant (SEG) & ILR Alumni Funds here: Experience Cornell site
- February 1: Application Opens
- March 1: Application Deadline #1 (11:59pm)
- April 1: Application Deadline #2 (11:59pm)
- May 1: SEG Application Final Deadline (11:59pm)
- May 15: ILR Alumni Funds Final Deadline (11:59pm)
- Learn about eligibility criteria and application details.
- You must have a secured internship offer in order to be eligible for any of the funding sources.
University Funding
All applicants are considered for several university funding sources, including the Student Assembly Summer Experience Grant (SASEG). However, MS – ILR Labor Research & Policy students are not eligible for the funding sources listed below: please check with your program coordinators for funding assistance.
ILR Alumni-Funded Awards
All eligible ILR student applications (see Eligibility list above) are considered for the ILR alumni-funded awards listed below. You do not need to specify these awards in your application or apply separately to them.
Chaim and Ida Miller Award (ILR first-years, sophomores, juniors)
This fund is open to eligible students who have secured an internship with a labor organization, are involved with organizing or labor education, and would not be able to accept the internship without this aid. This fund was established by Marcia Miller and her brother, Gerry, in honor of their parents. Internships with government agencies, the International Labour Organization (ILO), and National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) are NOT eligible.
Clem Miller Scholarship (ILR sophomores and juniors; preference for juniors)
This fund is open to eligible students who are working in the US House of Representatives.
Karl Groskaufmanis ’84 and Janice Ziegler ’84 ILR Fund for Summer Internships (ILR first-years, sophomores, and juniors)
This fund is open to first-generation students working in any career field. The fund was established by Karl Groskaufmanis BSILR ’84 and Janice Ziegler BSILR ’84.
Melvin H. Osterman Internship Award (ILR first-years, sophomores, juniors)
This fund is open to eligible students interested in public sector labor relations. The award is for a student who:
- is selected for a summer internship with a Public Employment Relations Board (PERB) and/or a Governor’s Office of Employee Relations (GOER)
- will research issues of labor relations, labor law, and collective bargaining under PERB and/or GOER staff
- will observe mediation sessions and hearings regarding labor arbitrations and employment practices
- has completed courses in labor and employment law or collective bargaining (preferably both)
Internships with government agencies, the International Labour Organization (ILO), and National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) are NOT eligible.
This fund was established by Mr. Osterman’s widow, Norma Grace Meacham BSILR ’74, JD ’77, and his colleague, Rosemary Townley.
The Price Family ILR Student Experience Fund (ILR first-years, sophomores, and juniors)
This fund is open to eligible students interested in pursuing opportunities outside of the traditional human resources and labor relations fields. The fund was established by David M. Price BSILR ’87.
Scheinman Summer Fellowship (ILR first-years, sophomores, juniors)
This fellowship is open to eligible students interested in pursuing an unpaid summer internship related to conflict resolution or labor relations. This fund was established by Scott Buchheit MSILR ’77.
Vicki Saporta Social Justice Internship Fund (Cornell first-years, sophomores, and juniors; preference for ILR students)
This fund is open to eligible students working in nonprofit organizations, domestic or international, that pursue progressive agendas, including, but not limited to, women’s rights, women’s reproductive health and rights, human rights, workers’ rights, organized labor, immigrants’ rights, environmental conservation, gun control, animal welfare, and labor unions. The intern role itself should involve active engagement in the organization’s focus. The fund was established by Vicki Saporta BSILR ’74.
Additional Resources for Funding
We will continue to share information on other funding as we learn of them.
- Experience Cornell: includes grants, fellowships, scholarships, and other funding sources, in addition to a wide range of experiences
- ILR International Travel Grant: provides partial funding for international activity
- Cornell University Library: search for applicable grants and funding options
- Off-Campus Opportunity Fund: includes Global Learning Travel Grant (for domestic and international travel experiences and opportunities), OADI Student Funding, and Engaged Cornell (application for these opportunities will be updated later, likely in April)
- The Access Fund: a resource through the First-Generation and Low-Income Student Support office within the Dean of Students (available for BSILRs, MILRs and MS ILR – Labor Research and Policy). The Access Fund application is now open and will close on April 22, 2024.
- Develop Your Own (DYO) Summer Internship Program: for students who are Federal Work Study eligible (currently unavailable)
- Cornell Tradition Fellow Support Account: for Cornell Tradition Fellows (available for BSILRs only)
- Dr. JW Landau Summer Experience Fund for Veterans: The Fund was created in 2021 to support veteran students pursuing unpaid or minimally paid summer experiences, such as internships and research. This award is available to undergraduates who have served at least one year of honorable service in one of the US military branches. Up to $3,600 will be awarded each summer. Apply through the Summer Experience Grant portal for consideration.
- Internship Funding Options: This list consists of larger and broadly applicable funds and grants for internships, but we cannot guarantee it is exhaustive.
If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to email us at ilrcareers@cornell.edu.