Internship applicants are assessed on the following criteria for all GFA classes you have already completed:

• Final Class Grade
• Semester Attendance
• Instructor Evaluation

Instructors submit student evaluations at the end of every semester for every student in their class. These evaluations grade students in areas such as professionalism, commitment to industry, and other key areas. You can find the full rubric for this evaluation at the bottom of your course syllabus.

The selection committee is looking to hear that students are hard workers, show initiative, and are helpful to their classmates in completing tasks. More than anything, we recommend that you speak with your instructor about how to stand out. Communication is key, and your instructors are ready to provide feedback on how you can best succeed in class.

This course is offered at both the 2000 and 4000 level. You would take one or the other, not both. The equivalent  courses cover the same industry knowledge. The 4000 level course typically includes a little more academic rigor and extra academic assignments for students who need upper-level coursework as part of their degree requirements. Which one you take mostly depends on which one your school offers. If your school offers both, speak with your academic advisor about which one is the best option for you.

Our application opens on a rolling basis allowing students to apply only for the upcoming semester. Generally, this is the open application schedule:

Fall Semester Internship: Application open June-July
Spring Semester Internship: Application open October-November
Summer Semester Internship: Application open March-April

No! You do not need to wait for your final grade or to finish the class before you apply. The internship application will close before grades are finalized for the semester and late applications are NOT accepted. We will pull your final grades to add to your application once the semester ends. We don't make our selections until the current semester has ended. If you meet the above eligibility, then submit your application before it closes!

All you have to do is submit the application! Students should NOT submit any additional material. All we need from you is a completed application.

Don't stress too much about this section! We just want an idea of what departments students would like to work in. A lot of students put something to the effect of “I’ll do anything” and that’s fine too! You're not locked in to what you put the application, it just helps us as we’re picking applicants.

Absolutely! There is no limitation on the number of times a student may apply for the internship. If you were not accepted previously, we would encourage you to review your application, consider taking an additional craft course, and apply again in the future. 

The number of interns we will accept in a given semester depends on how many placements we believe we will be able to find in a given semester. While there is not a guaranteed number of spots each semester, generally, the Summer semester tends to be the most competitive given a high number of applicants and a limited amount of spots.

Accepted students are typically notified about a week or two before the semester starts. We highly recommend that applicants (especially those who need GFA credits to graduate) go ahead and register for a back-up class. If you are not selected for the internship, most other GFA classes may already be full by the time you are notified. If you are selected, you can drop the other GFA class you are registered for at that time.

While internship students will participate in a placement as part of this class, there is also other required coursework throughout the duration of the semester. Both the placements and assignments provide students with techniques to improve their skills in “real world” settings, add to their resumes, and facilitate networking opportunities.

While this course will be a semester-long class, your Internship/Apprenticeship placement will last a minimum of 20 days (160 hours) and could start at any point during the semester. Because of the compressed and sometimes unusual scheduling nature of film production, students must have flexibility in their own schedules to potentially work beyond the end of the semester.

Keep in mind: because the GFA internship may potentially run 4 weeks, 8.5 hours a day for 5 days a week, it may be difficult for students to complete other traditional college courses at the same time as the GFA Internship. If selected, students may speak with their advisor about the possibility of accommodating the internship schedule with other courses they may be enrolled in at their home institution for Spring. Students must drop all other GFA courses in order to participate in the internship/apprenticeship course.

Because the GFA internship may potentially run 4 weeks, 8.5 hours a day for 5 days a week, it may be difficult for students to complete other traditional college courses at the same time as the GFA Internship. If selected, students may speak with their advisor about the possibility of accommodating the internship schedule with other courses they may be enrolled in at their home institution for Spring.

Students must drop all other GFA courses in order to participate in the internship/apprenticeship course.

If you are registered for another GFA class for the semester you are accepted for the internship, you must drop that course. The tuition you may have already paid will simply be transferred to cover your registration for the internship. Some schools automatically drop you from all other GFA classes upon acceptance while others require you to confirm your registration first. Should you be accepted, more specific information will be provided to you about how to drop your other GFA classes.

Some of our internships are paid, but not all. Typically, if students are placed on a union production, they are required to be paid the federal minimum wage, which is currently $7.25/hour. Whether or not paid opportunities are available depends on what placements are offered in a given semester.

Yes. The tuition for this course is the same amount as all other GFA courses.

The GFA Internship/Apprenticeship course is available to students through application and acceptance ONLY. Students are not able to register for this course without applying and being accepted. Should you be accepted, you will receive more information at that time about how to get registered.

Students are only permitted to take the internship course once. If you are trying to complete multiple pathways, keep in mind that your internship can only count towards one certification.