Start Early - Don't miss out on getting the internship of your choice.
Although internship deadlines vary each year, there are a number of internships that require students to apply much earlier than most. These programs are usually very competitive and structured and usually run for a period of ten to twelve weeks with a specific start and end date for all students. Many of these internship programs tend to be in the areas of finance, journalism and government.

NGO’s and government agencies (some requiring lengthy application processes and security checks) often have extremely early deadlines. There are some prestigious journalism internships with early deadlines as well. Depending on the firm, some finance companies list early deadlines for internships as well as their tendency is to also recruit early in September for entry-level jobs.

Due to the nature of these programs and the competitiveness to get in, it is wise for students to begin looking early for spring, summer, and fall internships. Fall semester is the best time to uncover which opportunities need to be applied to early for the following summer. Once students identify internships in career fields of interest, they can act accordingly based on the internship deadlines they find listed on the posting.

Some actions students can take to learn more about internships with early deadlines are:

• Make an appointment with a counselor in your Career Services Office.
• Review company websites for available internships and deadlines.

• Search internship databases by industries and locations.
• Contact organizations of interest to see if they offer internships or if they would be interested in hiring an intern.

Once you have identified internships with early deadlines, you can keep an eye out on other internship opportunities you find interesting. Many employers post internships with deadlines as late as March and April. By identifying these various opportunities, you will have a better chance of getting an internship that meets your personal goals and expectations.

Government Internships:

• The White House Internship Program
• The U.S Department of State's Student Intern Program
  Journalism Internships:
  
  
• The Dow Jones Newspaper Fund
  Finance Internships:
  
  
• Goldman Sachs

Find out more about internships with early deadlines by contacting your Career Services Office, checking out company websites, looking at online internship databases, and prospecting with companies directly to see if they offer any internships.