Priority for internship selection is given to currently enrolled students and recent graduates. See Internship Descriptions for any additional restrictions or requirements.
Internships are directed at current or recent undergraduate students. High school students will not be considered.
Applicants who are currently in graduate school or recently were awarded a graduate degree (within the past year of the application deadline) may apply.
All Internship applicants must have, or obtain, valid legal status to be considered. US Citizens and permanent residents are eligible to apply, as well as other applicants who can demonstrate the ability to legally stay in the United States for the length of the internship. In the event that the applicant is NOT a US citizen or permanent resident, it is the applicant’s responsibility to prove in writing that he or she has, or can obtain, valid legal status.
Each internship varies in objective and goals. For a summary of each current Internship, see Internship Descriptions.
The Internship experience is designed to provide the tools needed to begin a career in the underwater world. Our previous interns have gone on to work in government, non-profit organizations, academic institutions, pursue a graduate degree, dive tourism industry, environmental law and policy, as well as many other fields outside of the underwater world. For a complete list of all internships, see Previous Internships.
Yes. Previous interns can apply for a different internship.
Yes. We encourage previous applicants to re-apply. Please make note you are a returning applicant in your application.
Yes, please email any supporting materials that cannot be uploaded to [email protected]. Please ensure they are clearly labelled.
Applicants may upload unofficial transcripts and copies in their initial application. However, finalists WILL be required to provide official transcripts to OWUSS. We require all official transcripts to be sent in a sealed envelope stamped with a signature or school stamp.
Yes. While we prefer your application be submitted complete, we understand if this is against your school’s policy. In this case, your transcript may be submitted separately.
Please upload transcripts for all relevant institutions, not just the current or primary school.
Yes. Proof of current health insurance is required in the Internship application process.
For Internships where diving is involved, yes, dive insurance is required. This insurance can be obtained through organizations such as Divers Alert Network (DAN), www.dan.org
Use of a personal vehicle, while not a requirement, is highly valuable. Evidence of proper insurance is required if a personal vehicle is to be used during the internship.
Our World-Underwater Scholarship Society can only accept recommendation letters directly from the referees. In the application, you will need to provide the name and email address for each of your referees. They will be sent a request for a letter of recommendation on your behalf and provided with instructions on how to login and easily upload the recommendation into the system.
All scholarship and internship application fees are payable online within the application system via the Stripe payment processing system.
The North American Internship application fee is $25.00 per internship.
Your application will be complete after all materials have been submitted and payment has been received.
Selection by the internship review committee occurs in February, with a goal of notifying finalists in March 2026.
Internships are typically completed late May to August. For some internships, the dates are fixed and cannot be changed. For others, start and end dates are determined through communication between the intern and the sponsor.
