The Internship Support Grant for RGPP Alumni was instituted by the Romani Studies Program at Central European University with a total amount of EUR 24,000, in the Framework of the Roma in European Societies (RES) project in order to support RGPP Alumni in engaging in substantive, professionally relevant remote/on-site internships.
The aim of the Grant is to support RGPP Alumni, transitioning from graduate studies to the job market on a competitive basis.
The applications are evaluated and ranked by a committee comprised of CEU faculty and staff.
Eligibility Criteria
In order to be eligible to apply for the Internship Support Grant, Alumni must fulfil the following criteria:
- Graduated from RGPP not earlier than 2015
- Applicant’s job occupation cannot exceed 20 hours/week at the start of the proposed internship
- Secure a remote/on-site internship with a host organization by the time they apply for funding (the Romani Studies Program only offers guidance and support in the internship search process)
Alumni will not be eligible for Internship Support Grant if they:
- Graduated from RGPP earlier than 2015
- Will have started or finished an internship in the year of 2021 by the starting time of the proposed internship
- Are employed full time at the time of the application deadline
- Internship recipients cannot do two internships during the same period.
Internship Criteria
• The remote/on-site internship should be clearly defined and designed to take place with specific project/s and clear goals, tasks, timeline and deliverables.
• The internship host organization may be in the public, private, education and research, non-profit or multilateral sector.
• The internship may be 20, 30, or 40 hours/week (time frames which correspond to three financial support categories detailed below).
• The internship can be unpaid or low paid. An internship is considered low-paid if the monthly payment is less than half of the potential monthly amount of the RSP Internship Support Grant.
• The Internship Support Grant for RGPP Alumni provides support for internships that start between January 2 and July 31 2021.
• The time frame of the internship should be between two to four months, in exceptional cases, longer internships are negotiable.
Securing an Internship
The responsibility of securing an internship rests with the Alumnus/Alumna. The Romani Studies Program offers guidance and support in the internship search process. Receiving an internship grant form other funds than RSP does not exclude applicants
Grant Calculation
Grant amounts are calculated at a monthly rate regardless of the geographical location of the internship. The grant will be disbursed in two instalments: 60% pre-financing upon the signature of the grant contract, and 40 % at the start of the internship.
Grants for internships will be calculated according to the intern’s weekly working hours for the host organization:
Financial support categories Hours/week Amount/month
Grant Level 1 40 hours 600 EUR
Grant Level 2 30 hours 400 EUR
Grant Level 3 20 hours 300 EUR
The total budget of the Internship Support Grant for RGPP Alumni is EUR 24,000
The Internship Support Grant for RGPP Alumni disbursement
The Internship Support Grant for RGPP Alumni is administered by the Romani Studies Program, disbursement of awards, however, is handled by the CEU Budget and Finance Office (BFO), which has its own timelines and procedures. After award recipients are selected, it is possible that they will be required to submit further documents and information in order for their grants to be disbursed.
Alumni who receive grants will be responsible for completing all required additional paperwork by communicated deadlines. Failure to do so may result in significant delays in disbursement or even in cancellation of awards.
Grant Recipient Obligations
Award recipients are expected to complete the internship and all additional relevant required documentation, outlined here, as described and within the timeframe indicated. Failure to do so may result in the grant being rescinded.
• Both the grant recipient and the internship host organization will be required to fill out a progress report halfway through the internship. An online form will be shared with each party for this purpose.
• Upon conclusion of the internship, the grant recipient will be required to submit the Final Report, and an Employer Evaluation Form (filled out by the intern’s supervisor). Failure to submit the required documentation or not doing so according to the established timeframe may result in the grant being rescinded.
Application Deadlines
Deadlines for the Internship Support Grant for RGPP Alumni are as follows:
December 15, 2020 11:59 PM. – Start of the Internship period between January 4 - April 30
January 15, 2021 11.59 PM. - Start of the Internship period after May 1
Please note that late applications will not be accepted.
Application Process
To apply, Alumni must submit the following documents before to res@ceu.edu before the deadlines:
• An internship description from the host organization stating starting and ending dates, highlighting all projects that will be completed by the intern, as well as deliverables and goals for the internship and the number of working hours (20, 30 or 40 hours/week).
• An up-to-date CV/resume.
• A 500-word motivation letter covering the following:
o Reasons for choosing the specific internship host organization
o Description of planned primary responsibilities during the internship
o Narrative on how the internship aligns with the applicant’s career plans.
Evaluation Criteria
Applications will be evaluated based on the following:
• Applicant demonstrates relevance of the chosen internship to their studies/professional skills and career goals.
• Applicant demonstrates professional and academic potential and achievement.
• Applicant demonstrates that the internship can be carried out effectively remotely as well.
• Applicant demonstrates clear deliverables and responsibilities, which correspond to the proposed weekly hours.
• Applicant demonstrates how the quality and progress of the internship and the intern will be monitored/ensured if possible, jointly with the host organization.