Michigan Sea Grant Environmental Internship

Applications Closed

Description

Michigan Sea Grant’s undergraduate internship program coordinates and funds undergraduate students from any accredited community college, college, or university in Michigan to work with private businesses, local government, state and federal agencies, or environmental non-profit organizations to plan or implement environmental stewardship projects in the Great Lakes. Students can work with academic faculty if their project also involves strong partnership with an organization outside the school.

Applicants have two options when applying:

  1. Applicants can apply with their own project idea and a host organization they are coordinating with; or
  2. Applicants can apply to work on a project that was pre-submitted by a sponsoring organization. Please see the guidance document below for additional details about these opportunities.

Some examples of host organizations include:

  • State agencies, such as Michigan Department of Natural Resources (MDNR) or Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE)
  • Campus sustainability offices
  • Parks and recreation departments
  • Watershed or river protection groups
  • Tribal natural resources departments
  • Museums, libraries, nature centers

Previous interns have worked on projects like:

  • Partnering with a southeast Michigan watershed group to run and improve their hands-on stream sampling program for K-12 students.
  • Mapping tree canopy cover in an urban forest in Detroit.
  • Helping Michigan DNR stock and study juvenile lake whitefish in northern Michigan lakes and rivers.
  • Setting up experiments to track the spread of invasive algae.
  • Engaging visitors at a fish hatchery and crafting newsletters and program documents. 
  • Watch the internship symposium videos on this page to see more!

Eligible Applicants

Applicants should be enrolled undergraduate students at any level of study at a Michigan academic institution. Preference will be given to students who plan to pursue a career in environmental science.

How to Apply

Applicants can submit their own project idea or express interest in a project submitted by a potential host organization (as listed in the application guidance document). Either way, applicants must contact their potential host before submitting their application. For pre-submitted projects, use the host organization contact information provided in the application guidance. Applicants are encouraged to reach out to any organization whose project catches their interest, but each applicant should focus on submitting one single application that they make as strong as possible. 

Michigan Sea Grant provides interns with a stipend of $9,000. Applicants can also request travel funding (up to $1,000) in the project narrative page to directly support project work for situations where support is not provided by the host.

Contacts and Questions

Michigan Sea Grant
(734) 764-8678
[email protected]

2026 Internship Timeline

  • November 3-December 5, 2025: Host organizations submit ideas for intern projects; MISG incorporates the projects into our application documents for interested students.

  • December 9, 2025- January 31, 2026: Application window for students is open.

  • February 2026: MISG coordinates a peer-reviewed process to select the 2026 interns.

  • Mid-March 2026: Selection decisions are announced (pending approval from our national office)

  • May 2026: MISG hosts a kick-off meeting with interns, and their projects begin.

  • August 2026: Intern projects conclude; MISG hosts a closing symposium for interns to present about their projects.  Intern final reports and sponsor wrap up surveys are due.

Funding

This program is funded in part by the Michael Fraker Student Research Memorial Fund, which was initiated by a gift from Mike Fraker’s family and matched by MISG to support and expand student opportunities.

Help promote the internship!

2025 Internship Symposium

Open in YouTube to see time-stamps for specific presentations.

Watch previous recordings

Find recordings from 2020-2024 in this YouTube playlist.

Intern representation

Check out this map to see where our previous interns are from. Don’t see your college or university on the map? Apply now so you can represent!

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Frequently asked questions

Q. What are some organizations that have worked with interns in the past?

A. In addition to the Sponsoring Organizations mentioned in the internship guidance, interns have worked with watershed councils, conservancy organizations, state parks, NOAA Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary, Charlevoix Fisheries Research Station, and more.

Q. Can I apply for more than one project?

Please submit one application that you make as strong as possible. You’re welcome to contact multiple potential hosts to learn more about the projects and narrow down the best fit. This might involve working with the project host to tailor the project to your skills and interests. We ask that you let any partner that you do not move forward with know.

Q. I want to work in a particular area for the summer; can MISG help me find a partner organization there?

Q. Michigan Sea Grant staff live and work in communities all across Michigan, from the Upper Peninsula to Detroit. If you have a specific region in mind, let us know, and we can put you in touch with our Extension educator in or near that area. They may be able to point you toward organizations to contact.

Q. Do I need to propose a new project in order to qualify for funding?

A. You can apply for internship funding to support work you or a partner organization is already doing. Just make sure your project narrative reflects which milestones or tasks you plan to pursue during the summer and how your activities fit into the overall goals for the organization and for your own education/career. 

Q. How many interns do you support each year?

A. The total number of interns changes each year, depending on our funding availability and the size of the applicant pool. In 2026, we anticipate supporting a limited number of interns. In the last few years, we’ve supported 5 a year.

Q. Do you have similar funding for graduate students?

A. Every two years, we release a request for research proposals (RFP) that includes funding for graduate students. The RFP has passed for 2025. Watch the “Research” tab on michiganseagrant.org for upcoming information.

Q. Is this internship limited to U.S. citizens only?

A. As long as the student is enrolled in an accredited university/college in Michigan and can receive work sponsorship from that institution, they are eligible for this opportunity. They do not necessarily have to be a U.S. citizen. The University of Michigan can only provide work sponsorship to internship applicants that are enrolled at UM.

Q. What are some ways to meet the "match" requirement?

Students are not responsible for providing or figuring out the match. The 50% match can come from many non-federal sources and can be paid “in-kind” (in other words, by assigning financial value to services the organization provides). For example, the partner organization might pay for you to travel to Ann Arbor for the August internship symposium or other travel opportunities. Match funds can also include office space for you, equipment usage, or the time a mentor spends working on the project with you. Contact [email protected] for more ideas. 

Q. Can multiple students apply from the same school?

A. Yes; however, depending on how many schools are represented in the application pool, we will likely try to distribute the funded internships broadly across institutions. If multiple students apply from the same school, they should plan to work on different projects so each intern has a chance to learn and grow. 

Q. How will I receive my stipend?

A. Our fiscal officer will work with each intern to verify financial details for the stipends. The University of Michigan requires undergraduate stipends to be processed through payroll. You are able to set up direct-deposit or receive a check by mail. More details regarding the payment process will be provided at the internship kick-off meeting.

Q. Will I receive a W-2 or other tax form for my stipend?

A. For MISG stipends, the University does not provide any tax forms relating to taxable income. It will be your responsibility to self-report the income. If you have questions, contact the University of Michigan Payroll Service Center at (734) 615-2000 (select option 2, prompt 1) or (866) 647-7657 (select option 2, prompt 1).