Frequently Asked Questions
Find all the information to get started and apply for a WOW Fellowship. If you have additional questions, please contact the Hiatt Career Center at hiattcenter@brandeis.edu.
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Find all the information to get started and apply for a WOW Fellowship. If you have additional questions, please contact the Hiatt Career Center at hiattcenter@brandeis.edu.
There are four parts to the WOW application:
Please carefully review and follow the application instructions. All materials must be delivered by the deadline. We do not accept partial or late applications.
Summer 2024 Applications will be due by 11:59 p.m. on April 14, 2024.
Fellows will be notified in late April.
The internship must be a minimum of eight weeks and at least 200 hours.
The internship should involve substantive duties and meet a set of goals agreed upon by the student and the sponsor/supervisor at the worksite. The length of time is important to the program as it allows time for building relationships, learning about the organization and completing substantial projects.
Review the application information page.
Please Note:
International students must discuss their plans with the ISSO before applying to learn about any visa issues related to their proposed internship. If you are doing an internship in the United States, international students must be enrolled in a credit-bearing course in the summer and have CPT authorization. Contact ISSO for more information.
If granted a WOW fellowship, international students' stipends will be lower than advertised due to required taxes.
Students can propose internships in any field. The internship should involve substantive duties and meet a set of goals agreed upon by the student and the sponsor/supervisor at the worksite.
Students applying for specific awards must have internships that fit the appropriate subject matter. If you have questions about whether your internship fits within the criteria of the different WOWs, please contact the Hiatt Career Center.
Yes, you can work for any type of organization.
Students applying for specific awards must have internships that fit the appropriate subject matter. If you have questions about whether or not your internship fits within the criteria of the different WOWs, please contact the Hiatt Career Center.
No. The WOW program is designed to support student internships at organizations that do not have the resources to pay interns for their work.
No. The WOW program currently supports students pursuing summer internships only.
No. The program aims to support students pursuing workplace career objectives in organizational environments.
See the Application Information page.
Unfortunately, we cannot accept partial or late applications.
However, many employers are willing to expedite their decision-making process if they are aware that you are applying for funding through your university. Follow up with the organization to indicate that you are hoping to apply for WOW. You may choose to include this letter explaining the WOW program to employers.
Yes, applicants can propose internships in any country.
However, please know that the Hiatt Career Center is concerned about your health and safety while traveling and living abroad. Please consult the State Department Travel Advisory when deciding on places where you would like to gain your experience.
No. Past WOW recipients are not eligible to receive additional WOW funds in subsequent years. If you have previously applied to WOW, and were not selected, you are encouraged to apply again. There is no limit to the number of times you can apply for WOW funding.
No. The program is designed to fund a single internship at an organization providing an opportunity to learn about and explore a specific set of career-related goals. The benefit of one internship site is that it fosters a commitment between two partners — intern and employer — to an in-depth and sustained work experience where mentors learn about the student’s needs over time and the student makes a substantive contribution to the organization’s work.
Students will receive payment via Direct Deposit. To sign up for Direct Deposit in Workday, type "Payment Elections" in the search bar and the Payment Elections task will appear. From there, you can add or edit your bank account information. If Direct Deposit is established, we intend to pay students no later than May 30.
Selected WOW Fellows do not have to account for their expenses. The program expects that students will pursue the internship for which they were selected and that the funds will support this effort. If for any reason a participant drops out of the program, the Hiatt Career Center will discuss returning any remaining funds back to the program.
Yes, you will be assigned a Hiatt liaison who will check in with you at least once during the summer.
You can always contact Hiatt over the summer for information and advice as you pursue your WOW internship. Hiatt is open during regular business hours throughout the summer.
If you are abroad in the spring, you may still submit your application materials online.
No. Internships that are secured for students by an internship placement service through a third-party organization are not eligible for WOW support. In addition, organizations that require mandatory contributions/donations, fee-for-services (housing, travel, etc) or fee-for-materials will not be supported by WOW.
The primary goal of WOW funds is to support your exploration of the world of work. Broadening your experiences by working off-campus, and thus creating a larger career network, should be your priority when researching potential internships. However, we recognize that in certain cases (for example, laboratory research), continuity of work on campus would be more beneficial for your career. In such cases, you must be explicit in your application statement as to why the on-campus internship rather than an off-campus experience better fits your specific goals.
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