Social Science Career Readiness Internship Program

Social Sciences Career Readiness Internship Program

Social Sciences Career Readiness Internships Program

Frequently Asked Questions

Fall Career Development Course & Spring Internship Prep Activities

The course is Pass/Not Pass.
No, they are not graded but they will be reviewed and input may be given.
Students who agree to participate in SSCRIP need to attend the orientation, the majority of the class meetings during the Fall semester, and 1-2 of the activities held in the Spring semester. Missing more than 3 classes may result in a student being asked to leave the program.

We consider all activities as integral components of the program but we also recognize that students may be unable to participate in every activity. Students must let the SSCRIP Coordinator know if they cannot attend a Spring activity.
We envision the Spring activities as opportunities for students to continue growing their professional skills and to network with UC Berkeley and prior SSCRIP alumni. They are designed to provide continuous support to students as they prepare to successfully secure and participate in a paid summer internship.

Internships

SSCRIP students do not have to find an internship on their own, though some students may choose to do so. SSCRIP partners with international and domestic internship placement providers to assist students with internship placement–from matching each student’s interests with potential employers, to securing interviews.
  1. For international internships, SSCRIP partners with international placement providers.
  2. For domestic public service internships, SSCRIP partners with the campus Public Service Center
Yes. For domestic nonprofit and domestic corporate internships, SSCRIP will post a google sheet listing opportunities and will share that with the SSCRIP cohort. Students must apply directly for those positions, but the SSCRIP Coordinator is available to assist with resume prep, cover letter editing, and mock interview prep for those applications and interviews. The Coordinator as well as the UC Berkeley Career Engagement Team for L&S are available to advise students on how to leverage SSCRIP program participation when applying for these positions, and they will assist along the way, as requested. The SSCRIP Coordinator will be maintaining the google sheet/internship list, and students will be responsible for alerting the Coordinator
  • when they apply,
  • when they are interviewed,
  • and when they hear back — either yes or no.
If a student prefers to find an internship on their own and not through SSCRIP partners or alumni, that is allowed, but that student will need to communicate with the Coordinator before they apply and then let the Coordinator know the results of the application process, even if the position will be paid by the employer rather than SSCRIP.

Unpaid internships that are secured independently by the student must be approved by the SSCRIP program before the start of the internship in order for the student to receive a SSCRIP internship stipend. We consider all activities as integral components of the program but we also recognize that students may be unable to participate in every activity. Students must let the SSCRIP Coordinator know if they cannot attend a Spring activity.
Because the program offers different paid internship options, there are also different processes.
  1. If a student is interested in international internships (in any sector) they do not have to apply. They simply need to confirm their interests with the SSCRIP coordinator and then submit relevant materials (e.g. resume, cover letter), which the Coordinator will share with the internship placement partners. Once a student has been matched with a potential employer, they will have to interview for the position.
  2. If students are interested in interning in the domestic public service sector, they will apply to the Public Service Center (PSC) Cal-in-Local Government Program. If they are accepted into that program, PSC will assist them with the rest of the process– from matching with potential employers, to securing interviews for the student.
  3. If students are interested in non-profit, domestic corporate sector, or in other opportunities not offered through our internship placement partners, they can consult the list of internships that SSCRIP will have compiled (see #2). For those internships, they will have to apply directly to the employers and engage in the entire process independently. The SSCRIP Coordinator will be available to assist students with those applications as needed, but students must keep her apprised of their situation throughout the process– from application to completion of the internship.
  4. Throughout the application process, regardless of how a student finds their internship or where they choose to apply, the SSCRIP Coordinator and the Career Engagement Advisors for L&S will be available to assist with resume, cover letter, and mock interview prep.
  5. Regardless of which internships a student pursues, any time they apply or are asked to interview, receive an offer, accept or decline an offer, they must email the SSCRIP Coordinator directly to let her know. The Coordinator is responsible for tracking the process of each student in the cohort. This update via email can be less than a sentence: e.g.,“Was asked to interview with Doctors Without Borders on 2/17/25.”/li>
  6. the entire internship application process, the Coordinator has weekly office hours available, as well as drop-in hours so that students can share any questions or concerns, get advice on communicating with internship providers, prep for interviews, write thank-you emails, etc.
  1. Most domestic internships are paid, either by SSCRIP or by the employer. SSCRIP guarantees that students will be paid at least the California minimum wage.
  2. Some domestic internships outside of the Bay Area are not paid. In those cases, SSCRIP will cover the airfare from Berkeley to the internship location, assuming the employer does not cover it, and may provide a housing allocation and a small living stipend. If the internship is secured through a placement partner, SSCRIP will cover the program fee.
  3. International internships are not paid, but SSCRIP covers the major costs: airfare, housing, the internship program fee of the Internship Placement Partner, and also provides a modest stipend.
No. SSCRIP pays for the students’ airfare, accommodations, and internship program fee. The internship program fee generally includes at least 1 cultural activity (students can pay for more activities on their own). In some locations, it also includes transportation (e.g., metro tickets etc.). In addition, SSCRIP also provides a modest stipend. The international internship provider(s) can also assist students with their travel visas, if needed. Each student’s airline ticket will be purchased by SSCRIP.
SSCRIP requires that the summer internship is a minimum of 6 weeks long. Most of the internships are 6-8 weeks long, beginning in the first week of June and ending at the end of July or the first week of August.
  1. We expect that all SSCRIP students will begin and end their internships during the dates provided by the internship provider or employer.
  2. If, for whatever reason, an employer needs to adjust the beginning and end dates, it is the responsibility of both the student and the employer to communicate that request to the internship provider and to the SSCRIP Coordinator. No changes or independent arrangements should be made without prior approval by the SSCRIP program, as this may affect the student’s stipend.