Become a CUIP Mentor
Be a mentor for the Chancellor’s Undergraduate Internship Program (CUIP)
The Chancellor’s Undergraduate Internship Program (CUIP) is an opportunity for full-time students to develop valuable professional skills while supporting campus divisions.
Interns work within programs and departments throughout the university and attend a two-unit leadership seminar during the academic year. With direct support from mentors, they will develop leadership skills and participate in professional development opportunities.
CUIP positions are 300 hours (averaging 10 hours per week) with a corresponding scholarship of $5,500. Host sites provide $3,000 (half the scholarship + a $250 admin fee) and the Chancellor’s Office sponsors the remaining half. CUIP intends to maintain a cohort of 55 students.
CUIP faculty/staff host site timeline
Host site schedule for 2026–2027 CUIP application process
- August: Applications to host an intern open
- October 24, 2025: Deadline to submit CUIP host site application
- November: CUIP committee makes approvals or recommendations
- January: CUIP positions posted on Handshake
- January – February: Student applications accepted
- February – March: Host sites conduct interviews
- Student applicant names will be confirmed for good academic and conduct standing (placements will not be confirmed until standing is complete)
- March: Rankings are due for Students and Hosts (ranking forms will be emailed directly)
- Early April: Decisions and offers made (CUIP places students in internships based on rankings. Host sites do not directly hire students)
- May: CUIP Orientation
- Fall: Internships begin
Dedicated to student success
CUIP is different from many internships for the following reasons:
- CUIP is scholarship based, which means all full-time students in good academic standing may apply, regardless of citizenship status or work authorization.
- There are networking opportunities and activities that bring the intern community together, even though students work in different roles across divisions.
- CUIP has a leadership focus, which means interns are expected to be industrious self-starters, comfortable engaging in independent work that benefits their divisions. All interns have a designated mentor who provides consistent support during their experience.
- CUIP students take a leadership seminar that focuses on building a professional identity, advocacy in the workplace, resumes, time management and career exploration.
Hosting a CUIP intern: application guidelines for divisions
To ensure a wide variety of relevant and consistently excellent opportunities, divisions apply annually to host a CUIP intern. Remote and hybrid options are permissible in addition to in-person roles, and divisions may apply to host more than one CUIP intern. The application to host a CUIP intern consists of a detailed description of the anticipated role. The core principles of the CUIP experience form the rubric by which the CUlP committee reviews the applications. The committee decides whether applications should be:
- Referred to the Chancellor’s Office for final approval
- Adjusted to better reflect the intended CUIP mission
- Recommended for work-study or student employment instead
- Deferred until next year
Core principles of the CUIP experience
Four key criteria are central to the CUIP experience and are used by the committee when reviewing host site applications:
- Leadership
- Professional development
- Engaged mentorship
- Student-serving
Leadership:
Taking initiative and holding responsibility are hallmarks of CUIP. With support as-needed, all positions should engage CUIP students in opportunities requiring initiative, independence, management, and orchestration. This could look like planning and hosting events, interviewing, developing content, facilitating sessions, arranging networking opportunities, etc. The goal is for students to conclude their CUIP experience having developed skills that align with the NACE Career Competencies. By intentionally structuring opportunities to develop these competencies, mentors provide high-impact skill building that supports career readiness.
Professional development:
Included in the internship experience should be intentional and relevant professional development opportunities that encourage students to develop a professional identity and speak clearly to their skills. Professional development can include certifications, reference material, webinars, networking, conferences, literature, etc. The time spent on professional development counts toward CUIP hours and any required costs should be covered by the host site. LinkedIn Learning is a free resource available to all UCSC students, and is encouraged for host sites to use. Requiring students to have a specific major or enroll in specific coursework is not appropriate for CUIP (though an internship encouraged towards specific intended majors is acceptable).
Engaged mentorship:
CUIP interns require a consistent mentor with the time and capacity to be engaged in the intern’s role, professional development, and wellbeing. At the beginning of the internship, mentors should establish a clear system of responsibilities, communication, and expectations which they place on the timesheet contract page. Mentors should provide opportunities for goal setting, feedback, and reflection, and prioritize weekly or bi-weekly check-ins with interns.
Mentors are expected to read the quarterly updates sent by the CUIP coordinator, promptly loop the CUIP coordinator into any intern-related concerns, inform the CUIP coordinator of changes in mentorship, and attend the CUIP End of Year Event. Mentors are invited to community gatherings and are provided supportive resources, including mentorship best practices and the Career Success Supervision Toolkit.
Student-serving:
CUIP positions are intended to be student-facing and serve the UCSC student community. Roles that require students to focus entirely in the wider community, or are primarily academic or research-based should consider work-study or standard student employment instead.
CUIP Committee Recommendation Process
The process and criteria used to recommend excellent, mission-appropriate CUIP positions to the Chancellor’s Office for final approval are selected using this Example CUIP Committee Rubric.
Contact our team
Questions about the Chancellor’s Undergraduate Internship Program (CUIP): cuip@ucsc.edu
Phone: (831) 459-4420