Undergraduate Career Accelerator Fund
The goal of the Undergraduate Career Accelerator (CAF) is to provide financial support for skill-building, networking, and professional development that will facilitate career exploration and education outside the classroom. This includes experiential learning (like internships or research) as well as other career building opportunities (like joining professional organizations, completing a certification, attending professional skill workshops, etc.) that can help a student develop valuable career readiness skills, professional networks, expanded understanding of an industry or a non-academic career pathway, and much more.
The application period for the 2026 summer term has ended. Please come back next year!
Application Status Notification -
Applicants will be notified of their application status by late April to early May. Please note that specific notification dates and times cannot be provided
To be eligible for an Undergraduate CAF award, students must:
Be currently enrolled as an undergraduate student in the College of Arts and Sciences – Refer to the Eligibility FAQ section
Remain enrolled for the award period (Summer 2026)
In good academic standing
Must currently have a minimum of a 3.0 GPA
Has not previously been awarded CAF
Complete drop-in Career Studio resume review during the application cycle and before submitting your application
If you have completed your Career Studio resume review and still have questions, please schedule a 30-minute CAF Coaching appointment.
Funds Available
The number of recipients and amount of support will follow current program guidelines and procedures. Awards are given in $250 increments, up to a maximum of $5,000 per student. Award amounts are not guaranteed
Primary Fund
The Undergraduate Career Accelerator Fund is open to all College of Arts and Sciences undergraduate students who are seeking career-building opportunities for the Summer of 2026.
In addition, there are specialized sub-funds within the Undergraduate CAF that support students pursuing specific types of career-building experiences:
Barnett Center Creative Fund
- Are you a student who dreams of making waves in the world of art and creativity? The Barnett Center Creative Fund is your gateway to turning artistic aspirations into reality. This specialized sub-fund of the Career Accelerator Fund (CAF) is dedicated to supporting students pursuing unique and dynamic opportunities in the arts.
Browning Public Policy Fund
- Are you driven to make a difference in the world of public policy? The Browning Public Policy Fund is here to help turn your ambitions into achievements. As a specialized sub-fund of the Career Accelerator Fund (CAF), this fund is designed to support students pursuing impactful experiences in public policy and related fields.
Important: Being selected for funding does not guarantee support from a specific sub-fund. Your application helps us identify the most suitable opportunities for you. Consideration for any sub-fund will not impact your eligibility or selection for the Primary Fund.
Undergraduate Submission Criteria:'
Summer 2026 Application Period: CLOSED
You MUST have successfully obtained an unpaid or minimally paid internship, research role, or non-academic professional development experience prior to application submission.
To be eligible for the Undergraduate Career Accelerator Fund (CAF), you must complete either a drop-in Career Studio resume review or a 30-minute CAF coaching appointment with an ASC Career Coach during the current CAF application cycle and before submitting your application.
For the full list of required materials, please see Step 2: Prepare Your Documents. You’ll also find detailed explanations for each item in the FAQ section.
*International students: Please be advised that any paid or unpaid off campus work experience must have a Curricular Practical Training (CPT) form on file with the Office of International Affairs (OIA). International students can learn more about CPT here. We strongly encourage all international students to consult with OIA prior to submitting their CAF application.
*Important Note for Applicants with Proposals Abroad: If your proposed opportunity occurs partially or entirely outside the United States and is not an official OSU sanctioned Global Education Program, you must consult with the Office of International Affairs (OIA) Global Health and Safety. Career Success will then reach out to OIA in order to confirm compliance with all relevant international risk management policies.
Submission Deadline: Thursday, March 12th, 2026 (11:59 PM ET)
How to Apply for The Undergraduate Career Accelerator Fund
Step 1: Find a Summer Opportunity!
Students must have a confirmed summer career-building opportunity experience.
Step 2: Prepare Your Documents
ALL applicants are required to provide the following:
Career Impact Personal Statement
Opportunity Description
Step 3: Complete Your Career Studio or CAF Coaching Appointment
Visit the Career Studio for a drop-in resume review before submitting your application. Our trained Peer Career Coaches (PCCs) will be able to review your current resume. The Career Studio cannot review or assist with your application or other non-resume documents. For drop-in hours please visit the Career Studio.
-OR-
Schedule a CAF Coaching appointment with one of our Professional Career Coaches. During the coaching appointment, a Career Coach can review and verify that your career-building experience is eligible, review your resume or other required documents, as well as answer any questions you may have. To schedule a CAF-Coaching appointment, please visit Career Coaching for more information
Studio and CAF Coaching visits must be completed during the application cycle and before submitting your application.
Step 4: Apply
The application period for the 2026 Summer term is over.
- Note: Refer to the Frequently Asked Questions section for more details regarding all required documents and more.
APPLY HERE
Done!
Review of Applications:
CAF applications are reviewed by a committee of ASC faculty and staff. Reviewers are asked to consider the potential impact of the proposed experience on the student’s non-academic career exploration/goals relative to its cost.
- Applicants will be notified of award decisions in April. Please note that specific notification timelines will not be shared, and additional updates will be communicated as they become available.
Questions?
Thoroughly read our FAQ section on this webpage before and during your application process. We encourage prospective applicants to attend our CAF Information Session to ask initial CAF-related questions. No registration required. Use the link below to join.
For all other questions, You are encouraged to email the CAF administrators - under Who To Contact
For those of you who require additional guidance we encourage you to watch the Career Accelerator Fund Information Session linked bellow. For future info sessions both online and individual we encourage you to visit our events page for a list of all upcoming events.
Frequently Asked Questions about the Undergraduate Career Accelerator Fund (CAF)
Any College of Arts and Sciences undergraduate student who:
has obtained an unpaid or minimally paid internship, research role, or other career-building experience
has NOT received a Morrill Scholarship or other ‘full-ride’ scholarship
is NOT a full-time Ohio State employee
has NOT received a CAF award in the previous semester
is in good academic standing (NOT on academic probation or special-action probation).
Students must currently have a minimum of 3.0 GPA
Master’s and PhD students are NOT eligible for the Undergraduate CAF but are eligible for the Graduate CAF
Do I have to be a student on the Columbus campus to apply for the CAF?
Yes. Students on the regional campuses are NOT eligible for the CAF scholarship.
Can I be a first-year undergraduate student and apply for the CAF?
Yes
Do I have to have an internship, research opportunity, or other career-building opportunity before I apply for the CAF?
Yes
I am graduating in the Summer of 2026. Am I eligible to apply for CAF funding?
Yes, if the applicant is still a current student in good standing within the College of Arts and Sciences, they are eligible for CAF. Students graduating in May are not eligible.
How many times may a student receive CAF Funding?
Students are only eligible to receive the CAF once during their undergraduate career.
What if my experience takes place outside the award dates? For instance, I want to apply for an experience that will occur in the fall. Am I eligible for a CAF award.
The CAF award will only be applied toward activities taking place during the summer term. The activities that extend into the fall (or begin early in the spring) cannot be covered by the award. For instance, for an internship that begins on April 1 and runs through July 31, the CAF funding could not be used prior to the start of the summer term.
How is it decided who will get the CAF?
There are several factors that the selection committee considers when determining recipients: the merit of the internship experience, the applicant’s financial need, the total number of applicants, and the amount of funds that are available. The funding amount and number of applicants can vary.
Who decides if I get the CAF?
A selection committee that may consist of any number of Arts and Sciences faculty, alumni, staff, and Career Success CAF administrative team.
"Minimally paid" is defined as a level of compensation (salary or stipend) that is not financially sustainable for an applicant based on the location's cost of living, the professional nature of the work, the amount of hours the applicant is expected to work, and other sources (if any) of income/stipend the applicant receives during the summer term.
We encourage all applicants to use this Living Wage Calculator, or similar resources, to help calculate how much they will need to make based on the location of their opportunity.
Applicants must submit a current resume with the CAF application.
Applicants must use this template when crafting your resume. Resumes must feature any scholarships received, major/minor, expected graduation and degree, GPA, and research involvement.
NOTE: All applicants MUST visit the ASC Career Studio to have their resume reviewed by a Peer Career Coach (PCC) before submitting. The Career Studio is located near the eastern entrance of Denney Hall. No appointment is required to meet with a PCC. They will record the purpose of your visit for your CAF application. Remember to record the date, time, and name of the PCC for future verification.
For a deeper resume review, log into Handshake to schedule an appointment with a professional Career Coach.
Resume reviews must be completed during the current CAF application cycle. Appointments that occurred before the CAF cycle will NOT fulfill the requirement.
The CAF is different from many other funding opportunities in the College of Arts and Sciences. For example, the CAF is specifically seeking applications for non-academic career development. These opportunities could range from minimally or unpaid internships, job shadowing programs, non-academic conferences, bootcamps or certification programs, etc.
To determine eligibility, we highly recommend reading through all FAQs prior to accessing the application, attending the CAF Info Session [TBD] (see above for information), or schedule a CAF coaching appointment. You are encouraged to email the CAF administrators - under Who to Contact.
Meeting with a Career Coach:
If you're applying for the CAF and need assistance with your documents, you can meet with one of our professional Career Coach. You can schedule this appointment through Handshake before submitting your application.
Before meeting with a coach, please be prepared to describe your career-building opportunity, as well as any application documents. Your proposal should include the following:
The point of contact for the opportunity
A description of the opportunity
The duration of the opportunity
The frequency of check-ins with a supervisor
An applicant is limited to only TWO appointments maximum for their CAF planning. The CAF coaching appointment is NOT designed solely for resume review and is not to learn more about the fund.
For questions or difficulty in scheduling a CAF coaching appointment, you are encouraged to email the CAF administrators
Would professional conferences, summer schools, internships, etc. taking place abroad be eligible for Undergraduate CAF funding?
Yes, professional conferences and bootcamps/workshops abroad are eligible activities for the CAF. Please note that it will be important for applicants to demonstrate that there is a clear and strong connection between the professional conference/workshop/boot camp and their professional and career development outside the classroom.
Please see *Abroad Experiences FAQ section below for information and disclaimers for risk assessment, directions, and considerations for CAF funding for opportunities abroad.
You will need to provide a description of your summer opportunity. You must include:
Description of position or activity from organization’s website.
Acceptable documents include (which makes the most sense may depend on your proposed activity):
Position posting from the company’s website, Handshake, or other job board
Description of position or program from organization’s website
Letter or email from on-site mentor, supervisor, or leader detailing the primary duties and responsibilities of experience
Detailed daily/weekly schedule.
You may also include any other relevant information or details that accurately conveys your opportunity.
You are required to submit a Career Impact Personal Statement with your application. Your statement must articulate a clear connection between this opportunity and your career exploration/development. Specifically, address how this opportunity will advance your academic goals, career goals, and overall career exploration. You must identify the specific skills or knowledge you expect to gain and outline the concrete actions you plan to take to apply these learnings directly to your career path/interest(s). Additionally, you should address how the CAF award will be able to support your career readiness and exploration. Limit 3,000 characters.
To ensure a smooth application process, we'll verify your internship, research experience, or other career-building opportunity directly with your supervisor. This helps us to validate your learning opportunity. Click here to access the Career Opportunity Confirmation Template. Using this template, your supervisor will need to confirm your experience and explain your role. Before you send your letter, make sure it contains a business address, phone number, and email address, as well as the name and title of your supervisor. Please note that applications with unconfirmed experiences will not be considered.
Letter of Support from a faculty member:
If your opportunity is research, field work, lab focused, or other career-building opportunity with a faculty member, you will need to have the CAF Faculty Support Letter completed by the faculty member and submitted along with your application materials
The letter should be one page maximum and make clear the faculty member’s role in relation to the applicant’s academic work, articulate their support for the proposed activity, and how the proposed activity relates to the applicant’s career development/exploration outside the classroom. Click here to access the Faculty Support Letter template.
- If the internship is research-based AND the applicant has previously conducted research with the faculty member, the letter should also briefly state the nature of that involvement and the approximate number of research hours completed prior to the internship. The faculty member should also clarify how the internship period will differ in scope and time commitment from any prior research engagement. The letter should clearly delineate the specific career development elements that distinguish the proposed internship experience.
How do I determine my expenses?
Start by considering the financial obligations you will have while completing your internship. If the responsibilities of your internship will prevent you from working or will cause you to reduce your hours at work, those expenses should be reported. Travel costs to and from an internship site, materials needed for your internship, and temporary relocation fees are other expenses to consider when asking for aid.
How do I go about creating a budget for my CAF application?
Applicants must use the budget template available here: Undergraduate CAF Budget Worksheet
It is recommended that you save your completed worksheet, as the selection committee may request clarification or additional details.
Detailed guidelines on what can and cannot be included in your budget worksheet may be found here: Undergraduate Student CAF Budget Guidelines
Applicants are strongly encouraged to review two sample budget worksheets here: EXAMPLE Grad Student CAF Budget Worksheet 1 (Internship) and EXAMPLE Grad Student CAF Budget Worksheet 2 (Other Career Building Opportunity)
This video walks you through the steps for creating your budget plan.
How To Complete CAF Budget Worksheet Video
- It is recommended that you save your completed Excel file, as the selection committee may request clarification or additional details. The fillable budget worksheet PDF must be used for final submission..
How to complete and submit the budget worksheet?"
- Add all budget information into the fillable PDF, save the file as LASTNAME_BUDGET, and make sure the tables and information are shown clearly.
- After reviewing the budget guidelines and sample worksheets, input all budget information into the required fillable PDF.
- This fillable PDF is the only accepted budget document for submission.
Important Note for Applicants with Abroad Experiences: If your opportunity occurs partially or entirely outside the United States and is not an official OSU sanctioned Global Education Program, ASC Career Success will consult with the Office of International Affairs (OIA) Global Health and Safety to ensure compliance with all relevant international risk management policies.
Prior to any consideration by the selection committee:
Office of International Affairs Approval: You are strongly encouraged to review the OIA Global Health and Safety website to confirm necessary travel approvals and procedures for the proposed country/countries.
Risk Assessment: ASC Career Success reserves the right to adjust or withdraw funding for any CAF award to high-risk destinations that are deemed to pose an unacceptable level of risk by OIA Global Health and Safety.
Vetting Opportunities Abroad: Exercise extreme caution and best judgment when choosing experiences abroad that are not OIA Global Education programs.
For more information on OIA Global Education Programs, click here for OIA’s Study Abroad: Education for Global Citizenship flyer.
Visa Services: Please be advised that international travel may have an effect on the type of visa you currently have and/or the type of visa needed to travel to/stay in a destination. For more information on visa services, please click here.
Mandatory Traveler Insurance: CAF applicants with an international opportunity not affiliated with OIA Global Education programs are required to purchase supplemental traveler insurance for the duration of their stay. For information and rates for traveler insurance, please click here.
When filling out the required Budget Worksheet, please do include the traveler insurance costs in your requested total amount for funding.
Can the CAF cover expenses for study-abroad experiences?
Yes. However, CAF cannot cover tuition costs or other expenses bundled with tuition packages.
Do I have to receive credit for my study-abroad expenses?
No. You do not have to receive credit.
What documentation is needed to confirm my study-abroad experience?
You will need to submit your OSU acceptance letter for all OSU global education programs. This document will confirm your permission to travel.
Written confirmation that you will be participating in an abroad program. (i.e. supervisor from the organization, OSU Professor, or other verifiable professional to confirm your participation in a non-traditional learning experience)
What if I am receiving (or wish to receive) academic credit for my opportunity?
Consult with your academic advisor about opportunities to register your opportunity for academic credit through a major-specific internship course, or one administered by the Center for Career and Professional Success. Click here to learn more.
Note to international students: Before enrolling in one of the ARTSSCI internship courses, an international student must have a Curricular Practical Training (CPT) form on file with the Office of International Affairs (OIA). International students can learn more about CPT here.
A student may not receive financial aid and other resources in excess of the annual cost of attendance at the university in accordance with federal guidelines. If you receive additional financial resources and/or assistance after the date of confirmation from Buckeye Link, it may impact your eligibility for the CAF.
Where can I find the CAF application?
The application period for the 2026 summer term begins on Friday, January 2nd, 2026, and ends on Thursday, March 12th, 2026 (11:59 PM ET)
The CAF application can be found in Scholarship Universe, your single source for Ohio State and external scholarships. Simply log in to the platform using your OSU credentials and make sure to search "Career Accelerator Fund"
If you are faculty or staff with questions, please reach out to Barbara Harvey (harvey.669@osu.edu).
For students with questions, contact Barbara Harvey (harvey.669@osu.edu).