How many interns does the Art Museum accept each summer?
The Princeton University Art Museum offers a summer internship program program as well as academic year positions. The Museum accepts between eight and fourteen interns each summer and supports three to seven internship positions during the academic year.
Is there an application fee to apply for the summer internship program or for academic year positions?
No, there is no application fee.
Is there an application form that I need to fill out?
There is no application form for the internship program or for academic year positions. However, please refer to the University student resources page for the required application materials.
Should I apply electronically or by mail?
Each applicant should send application materials electronically to PUAMint@princeton.edu for the summer internship program and to PUAMacad@princeton.edu for academic year internship positions.
What instructions should I give to my recommenders?
The letter(s) should be from professors or instructors who are familiar with your academic work and can speak specifically about your research and writing skills. Please note that letters from Princeton University Art Museum staff cannot be considered as part of your application package due to potential conflicts of interest.
The letter(s) should be sent via email, directly from the recommender(s) to the respective email account.
Which Museum departments currently have summer internships or academic year positions?
Please refer to this webpage for current opportunities.
Summer applicants are encouraged to state their internship preference; however, the Museum cannot guarantee that applicants will be offered a position in their preferred department. Summer internship opportunities are usually posted in December. For the academic year program, specific positions are advertised as part of the call for applications—they are usually posted at the end of the spring term for the following academic year.
What are the eligibility requirements?
For the summer program, undergraduate students enrolled in any accredited university or college program, and graduate students enrolled in any accredited post-baccalaureate program are eligible to apply. For the academic year, positions are limited to Princeton University students, except in cases where the position requires specialized expertise in a field of study not offered at Princeton. In all cases, Princeton University students are given priority.
Applicants who will have graduated from college the semester prior to the start of the internship period are eligible to apply for the summer internship program but are not eligible for the academic year positions. Applicants who have already completed a graduate degree (or who will have completed their degree by the start of the internship program) are ineligible to apply for a summer internship at the Museum.
While students who previously held an academic year internship position are eligible for a summer internship, previous summer interns are not eligible to apply for a second summer internship. Conversely, while previous summer interns are eligible for an academic year position, students who previously held an academic year position are not eligible to apply for a second academic year position.
I graduated from college more than a semester before the start of the summer internship. Am I still eligible to apply?
The internship is intended as a co-curricular experience for current students. Therefore, you are ineligible to apply if you have received your degree earlier than the semester just prior to the start of the summer internship.
As a foreign student, am I eligible to apply?
All participants must offer proof that they are legally permitted to receive a stipend in the United States. Non-U.S. citizens or permanent residents are responsible for securing their own visa status and authorization to receive a stipend. Princeton University is unable to provide visa sponsorship for the summer internship opportunity. Students are ineligible for an internship if they do not have proper work authorization or cannot be paid.
Are there internship opportunities for high school students?
The Princeton University Art Museum does not offer paid or volunteer internship opportunities for high school students or recent high school graduates.
Do I need to be an art history major to be eligible for a summer internship or an academic year position?
No. Students from all majors and backgrounds are encouraged to apply.
How many hours per week do students dedicate to their positions?
During the summer, undergraduate students (and recent college graduates) usually participate full-time (36-40 hours per week). Graduate students can participate part-time or full-time (depending on their institution's restrictions as well as the Museum’s needs).
During the academic year, students generally work 10 hours per week (not to exceed twenty hours per week).
Can I begin or end a summer internship outside of the eight-week program?
All interns participate in an intensive four-day orientation during the first week and in weekly discussions in the following weeks. Therefore, all interns must be available for the entire eight weeks of the program.