Microinternships
Looking for more formal experiences to get hands-on work beyond volunteering? Microinternships are common pathways for graduate students to build industry-specific skills while pursuing your academic career. These flexible opportunities connect students with employers across a variety of industries and functions. Use these resources below to find short-term opportunities to strengthen your resume, expand your professional network, and apply classroom knowledge to real-world challenges in a low-risk, high-impact setting.
Federal Semester of Service Program
The U.S. Office of Personnel Management Semester of Service Student Volunteer Program connects students with part-time, project-based volunteer opportunities across federal agencies. This program provides valuable hands-on experience, exposure to public service careers, and opportunities to build professional skills while enrolled in graduate studies.
Graduate students interested in areas such as public policy, cybersecurity, data analytics, research, communications, international affairs, and government service are encouraged to explore available opportunities.
Handshake AI MOVE Fellowship Referral Program
The Handshake AI MOVE Fellowship Referral Program offers graduate students the opportunity to earn approximately $65–$80/hour while contributing domain expertise to datasets used by leading frontier AI labs. This flexible micro-internship opportunity typically requires 6–10 hours per week and does not require prior AI experience.
This is a strong opportunity for students seeking:
– Flexible, paid experience
– Exposure to emerging AI-related work
– Skill development alongside coursework
– Resume-building experience while pursuing internships or full-time opportunities
Students from a variety of academic backgrounds are encouraged to explore the fellowship.