Bright Futures Unpaid Internship Scholarship Fund Application

The Bright Futures Unpaid Internship Scholarship awards undergraduate students with need-based scholarships ranging from $100-$1,000 to help offset expenses incurred during unpaid internships in the summer with government agencies and non-profit organizations. Scholarships are generously funded by the Eisen Family, the University Career Center & The President’s Promise, and individual donors through Maryland Giving Day.

The Bright Futures Summer 2026 Application will open on Mon, March 30, 2026 and close on Mon, May 4, 2026.


ELIGIBLE CANDIDATES
All registered University of Maryland, College Park undergraduate students returning to campus for the fall 2026 semester, who have an unpaid internship for summer 2026, are eligible to apply. Graduating seniors are not eligible. Preference will be given to juniors and seniors graduating in December. Preference will also be given to those who have not previously received this scholarship.


In order for your internship to qualify for funding support, it must satisfy the following criteria:
1. Unpaid on-campus or off-campus internship with a non-profit organization or government agency.
2. New internship experience during summer 2026 and completed by the start of the fall 2026 semester.
3. Supervised by a professional in the field.
4. Along with your completed Bright Futures application (available March 30, 2026), our Supervisor Agreement form is also completed and submitted by your internship supervisor. Download & save this document onto your computer - do not fill out in the web browser or it will not save properly.
More details can be found at go.umd.edu/brightfutures26

Summer 2026 Internship Opportunity with the Federal Trade Commission

The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) is now soliciting interest for unpaid Interns in the Bureau of Economics for Summer 2026. This is a great opportunity for rising juniors and seniors with coursework in Economics, Statistics, Data Science, or Computer Science. This position is part of a person’s academic course of study (e.g., used for credit or independent study).

Duties

In this role, you will gain real-world experience by working alongside PhD economists to protect consumers and promote competition in the US economy. Interns work with economists to support FTC matters, including:
- Providing economic and statistical analysis in support of antitrust investigations, consumer protection cases, and rulemaking.
- Conducting academic research and developing reports on the functioning of markets in the economy.



The ideal candidate for this position has

- A strong interest in and intuition for applied microeconomics.
- Proficiency in programming languages widely used in economics, statistics, and/or data science such as Stata, R, or Python.
- Excitement about conducting data analysis on a wide range of datasets in support of consumer protection and competition missions of the FTC.
- Interest and aptitude in working with PhD economists on economics research projects that serve the mission of the FTC.
- A desire to grow and build on skills in data analysis and microeconomics.



Position details

- Internships will run approximately from late May/June through mid-August, with exact start and end dates determined based on candidate availability.
- The job location will be on site at the FTC Headquarters Building in Washington DC.
- Candidates should plan to be on-site full-time at the FTC during the duration of the internship.



How to apply

- Send a resume, cover letter, and unofficial transcript to econ_interns@ftc.gov
- The deadline for applications is 4/12/2026 at 11:59PM EST.



Tips for the application

Cover letter: A strong cover letter will include the following:

- A discussion of your interest in economics and the FTC.
- Details on your experience with statistics, econometrics, and programming, including through coursework, class projects, employment, or any other experience.
- Details about your interest and experience with economic research, including any noteworthy projects, employment, or oral presentations.
- Details about your interest and experience in public policy, including in any topics related to antitrust or consumer protection, though these are not required.
- Any other relevant experience or interest.

U.S. Intelligence Community - Accelerated Hiring Opportunity

An agency in the U.S. Intelligence Community is hosting an Accelerated Hiring Information Session on Friday, April 10 from 1-4pm at the UMD University Career Center.

Join representatives from an agency within the U.S. Intelligence Community for a UMD exclusive three-hour session at the University Career Center. Several directorates will discuss accelerated hiring opportunities and share insight into the application process.

Why Attend:

- Learn about career paths within the Intelligence Community.
- Hear directly from professionals representing multiple directorates.
- Receive an event specific hiring code.

Registration Process:Register in Handshake (Spots will fill quickly)
This is an in person event and will not be recorded.
Registration is on a first come, first served basis.
There will be a waitlist.
Only register if you can attend.
You are expected to attend as much of the 3-hour event as you can.

Eligibility Criteria:

- U.S. Citizen, 18 years or older
- Alumni, juniors, seniors & masters-level students
- All degrees and majors welcome
- Willingness to relocate to Washington, D.C.
- Willingness to undergo a background investigation

If you are unavailable or remain on the waitlist, email spayne13@umd.edu for alternate instructions.

Location: University Career Center - Hornbake Library, South Wing, Third Floor, Multi-purpose Resource Room (3135)