Guaranteed Paid Internship Program (GPIP) for Transfer Students

two interns at a worksite

UIC offers a unique opportunity to transfer engineering students. Designed and supported by the faculty and the dean of the College of Engineering, the Transfer Guaranteed Paid Internship Program (GPIP) gives incoming fall transfer students the opportunity to serve as paid interns during the summer months, providing they meet certain criteria.

The GPIP application for the 2024-2025 academic year will open in October 2024. All students who are eligible to apply will receive an email invitation to apply at that time. Only new, degree-seeking transfer and freshman students starting in the College of Engineering the fall will be eligible to apply.

Transfers who started at UIC Engineering in Spring 2024 received an email to apply in April 2024.

Requirements for Guaranteed Transfer Internship Program Heading link

  • Attended UIC Engineering for at least two semesters full‐time and completed at least 20 semester hours of UIC Engineering courses.
  • Complete certain courses that are required for your major.
  • Maintain a GPA of 3.2 or greater for your first AND second semesters at UIC. (Please note: the GPA requirement is no longer being raised to a 3.5, as we previously stated). A cumulative GPA of 3.2 does not qualify you if you earned under a 3.2 in either semester.
  • Be a U.S. citizen, permanent resident, or otherwise obtain permission to work lawfully in the United States. International students on the F-1 visa are eligible.
  • Transfer directly into the UIC College of Engineering; unfortunately intercollege transfer students are not eligible.
  • If a transfer student participates in an off-campus internship, which they secured on their own, they will not be placed by GPIP.
  • Complete mandatory questionnaires as well as deadlines that will occur throughout the academic year(s). This involves responding to emails from GPIP administrators in a timely fashion.
  • Students are required to complete courses in their major prior to being placed in a GPIP internship. For many students this will take more than one full academic year

Required courses by major to qualify for guaranteed internship

  • Transfer students must apply their very first semester in the College of Engineering. This is the only opportunity to join the GPIP program.
  • Students will be notified by email when the GPIP program is made available to join.
  • Transfer students who qualify are provided a placement the summer prior to their expected graduation date.
  • Placements occur on campus in research labs or at other UIC departments.
  • If a transfer student participates in an off-campus internship, which they secured on their own, they will not be placed by GPIP.
  • Transfer students who are placed in UIC research labs or other entities on campus will earn $17/hour.
  • GPIP interns may work total of 256 hours during the course of their internship. Students cannot accrue overtime, so, you cannot work more than 8 hours in one day, or more than 40 hours in one week. It is up to the student and professor/supervisor to track the total number of hours worked and not exceed 256 for the summer.

Additional Questions?

Email us at gpip@uic.edu. Program staff will reply to you within two business days.