Summer Internships

Aim

Graham Centre Summer Internships are designed to encourage undergraduate students to increase their interest in research by working on a current research project aligned with the Centre's Research Pathways.

Important dates

• Applications open: 15 September
• Applications close: 21 October

Value

A tax-free payment of $4,000 (or a pro-rata amount, where applicable) is payable in either one or two instalments (as determined by the Centre Director or nominee) and will be based on hours worked during the Internship.

Eligibility

Who can apply?

NOTE: Students are only eligible to apply for one Summer Internship in the current round and may only work on one project.

• Students who are enrolled in an undergraduate degree at CSU, and have completed at least one full year of their undergraduate degree.
• Students who have demonstrated a commitment to undertaking research in one of the Centre's Research Pathways.
• Students who have achieved an academic standard that will allow entry into the CSU Honours program (usually a Grade Point Average of at least 5.00 points over the previous two years).
• Students who have not already commenced an Honours degree.

Guidelines

Member consultation

The internship project must be supervised by a Full or Associate Member of the Graham Centre. To identify a suitable project, applicants are encouraged to make contact directly with Centre Members who are engaged in an area of research that is of interest.

Before you apply:

1. Review the Centre's current portfolio of externally-funded research projects on Our Research page.
2. Review the projects targeted for Summer Internships, included on the Summer Internships Project list
3. Discuss your research interests and/or potential project with one or more Graham Centre Members.

If you need assistance contacting Centre Members or with project identification, please email grahamcentre@csu.edu.au

Research projects

Successful applicants will spend up to 200 hours during the Summer session break working on a single project supervised by a Graham Centre Member who holds Full or Associate status. Students must be available for on-site work. The required days/hours and the length of the internship will be negotiated with the individual project supervisors and approved by the Centre Director or nominee prior to commencement.

Project choice will be reviewed for the purpose of ensuring, where possible, that successful applicants are placed on projects that are suited to their research interests.

Suitable projects might include a component of an existing externally-funded research project, or may form part of a Research Centre Fellowship or other internally-funded research project, or may be a body of work that is linked to other research activities currently being undertaken by Centre Members.

Potential projects are included on the Summer Internships Project list. These and other opportunities may be discussed with a Graham Centre Member.

A specific project must be detailed on the application form.

Other information

Successful applicants must attend an Information Session at the Graham Centre prior to commencement. This is usually before the end of November.

The internship cannot commence before 15 November in the year awarded, and must not extend beyond the commencement date of Session 1, (end February) the following year.

Students are not permitted to work during the University's official Christmas close-down period nor on weekends or public holidays and must not work more than 200 hours in total.

Successful applicants must submit a Work Plan developed in conjunction with their supervisor by early November. Interns will be required to submit timesheets each month for the hours worked, as well as a report at the end of their internship.

Supervisors must also provide a report at the end of the internship.

By applying, the student agrees to comply with all requirements of the Internship, including an intention to complete the full 200 hours.

Criteria for Assessment

• Demonstrated interest in research related to the Centre's Research Pathways
• A commitment to further research related to the Centre's Research Pathways through the Honours program
• Suitability of nominated project
• Communication with the proposed supervisor, who also the capacity and availability to supervise the internship
• Proposed supervisor is a Full or Associate Member of the Graham Centre
• GPA and stage of completion of current undergraduate degree
• Level of prior access to Graham Centre internship schemes

Apply

To complete the application, you will need information on your project and your supervisor.

Summer Internship Application Form

Forms for successful applicants

1. Work Plan & Report template
2. Summer Internship Timesheet
3. Student Feedback form
4. Supervisor Feedback form