What You’ll Gain as a McCausland Internship Scholar
Apply to become a part of our inaugural class of McCausland internship scholarship recipients to gain career experience and receive professional support every step of the way. As part of this experience, you’ll receive:
- A $3,000 scholarship to support your internship.
- A kickoff orientation lunch designed to help you make the most of your internship experience and connect you with McCausland faculty, staff, and peers.
- A signature McCausland Internship Program celebration at the end of the summer to network and share your success.
- Guidance and support from McCausland faculty and staff mentors throughout your internship.
- Exclusive professional development events and career resources tailored for McCausland Scholars.
- Invitations to McCausland special events during the following academic year.
- Recognition on the college website and social media.
- A comprehensive evaluation from your internship supervisor to help you reflect on your growth.
Internships have been a cornerstone of my college experience. Over the past four years, I have had multiple opportunities to learn beyond the classroom through internships with the South Carolina Supreme Court and the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals. Thanks to the McCausland’s gift, the McCausland College of Arts and Sciences will be able to support future generations of Gamecocks so that they can have experiences that shape their lives and careers, just like the internships I had have shaped mine.
— Emily Rabon, class of 2025
Who Can Apply
The McCausland Internship Scholarship is open to undergraduate students in the McCausland College of Arts and Sciences who are ready to take the next step in their academic and career journey. Check your eligibility below.
To qualify, students must be a current undergraduate degree-seeking student in the McCausland College of Arts and Sciences during the application period, their internship, and the following fall semester. Students need to have completed at least 24 credit hours at USC Columbia, maintain a minimum 2.5 GPA, and be in good academic and financial standing. Applicants must also uphold the Carolinian Creed, secure an internship between May 11 and July 28, 2026, totaling at least 120 hours, and submit all materials by March 27, 2026.
Eligible internships must be paid unless it’s with a government entity or nonprofit organization. It cannot be at a home-based business, supervised by a relative, or part of a program that charges tuition or fees. The internship employer must sign an official McCausland College of Arts and Sciences employer agreement.
See our tips on finding an internship and why internships matter.
Recipients must enroll in and successfully complete at least one credit hour of an internship course during the summer term. Students are required to attend the orientation lunch on April 24, 2026, and recipients cannot receive another internship scholarship (such as the South Carolina Internship Program, South Carolina Honors College, or Center for Integrative and Experiential Learning) during the same summer. Students may only receive this award once while enrolled at USC.
Award recipients are selected by a committee based on their statement of purpose, which explains how the award will support their academic and professional goals, as well as the availability of funds.
Important Dates
- January 5, 2026: Application opens
- March 27, 2026: Application deadline
- April 15, 2026: Notification of decisions
- April 24, 2026: Orientation lunch
- August 21, 2026: Networking celebration