Apply for an AIP Course
Please carefully review the information below for key details on AIP course options, as well as the enrollment process and deadlines. Academic internships should align with one of UC San Diego's academic quarters, and the application/enrollment process is completed the quarter prior to the internship.
The enrollment process begins after students have secured an internship offer. Students seeking opportunities my search the REAL Portal catalog and see our Finding an Internship page for additional internship search strategies.
Course Comparison Chart
Independent Internship Courses
AIP 197/AIP 197P/AIP 97/AIP 197EX
Review Course and Unit Options
AIP Courses and Unit Options
See this chart to comppare courses.
AIP 97 (Lower-division)
Eligibility: 30 units complete, 3.0 UC GPA
Unit Options/Required Hours**:
- 2 units: 5 hrs/wk (50 total)
- 4 units: 10 hrs/wk (100 total)
AIP 197 (Upper-division)
Eligibility*: 90 units complete, 2.5 UC GPA
Unit Options/Required Hours**:
- 2 units: 5 hrs/wk (50 total)
- 4 units: 10 hrs/wk (100 total)
- 6 units: 15 hrs/wk (150 total)
- 8 units: 20 hrs/wk (200 total)
- 10 units 25 hrs/wk (250 total)
- 12 units 30 hrs/wk (300 total)
AIP 197P (Public Service Internship)
Eligibility*: 90 units complete, 2.5 UC GPA
Internship must be in a non-profit or government setting
Unit Options/Required Hours**:
- 4 units: 10 hrs/wk (100 total)
- 8 units: 20 hrs/wk (200 total)
- 12 units 30 hrs/wk (300 total)
*Not eligible yet? Talk with us about how you can prepare to engage in internship opportunities. Exceptions to Special Studies eligibility requirements must be approved by AIP and the student's College via the EASy enrollment request.
**Hours listed reflect the minimum hours required for the unit option elected, and assume participation of the entirety of a 10-week quarter. Students are not required to enroll for the maximum units units allowed based on hours worked (e.g., a student interning 20 hrs/week may opt for 2 or 4 units, if preferred)
Repeatability: AIP 97/197/197P courses may be taken up to three times. Units may not exceed 16 total.
AIP 197 EX: Internship Seminar (Summer only)
Eligibility*: 90 units complete, 2.5 UC GPA
Unit Options/Required Hours**:
- 2 units: 5 hrs/wk (50 total)
- 4 units: 10 hrs/wk (100 total)
- Designated Instructor
- Cohort model: facilitated online reflection and discussion with interns across disciplines (asynchronous)
- Final online presentation (scheduled)
- Special Summer Session only
Repeatability: May be taken twice for academic credit.
Apply by the Quarter Deadlines
AIP 97/AIP 197/AIP 197P Quarterly Deadlines
Note: Deadlines differ for special programs, including BISP 197 and UCDC
Internship dates for which credit is requested must fall within one academic quarter
Fall 2026 Internships
Internship Dates: Sept 28. - Dec. 4, 2026
- Priority Learning Agreement Deadline: Sept 7, 2026*
- Priority Booking (TEA) Request Deadline: Sept 26, 2025
*Extended Deadlines: The Learning Agreement deadline will be extended through Tuesday, Sept. 29 for requests meeting all criteria described here. TEA requests may be submitted no later than Monday, October 5.
Anticipate approximately 5-10 business days for review and approval processing. Requests for expedited approval cannot be accommodated, and students are strongly encouraged to apply by the priority deadline to facilitate enrollment prior to the start of the quarter.
Winter 2027 Internships
Internship Dates: Jan 4- Mar 12, 2027
- Learning Agreements accepted: October 20-December 5
- Priority Booking (TEA) Request Deadline: Dec 12, 2025
Spring 2027 Internships
Internship Dates: March 29- June 4, 2027
- Learning Agreements accepted: January 25-March 12.
- Priority Booking (TEA) Request Deadline: March 20, 2025.
Summer 2026 Internships*: CLOSED
Internship Dates: June 29-Sept. 5, 2026 (Special Summer Session III)
- Learning Agreement Due: June 5, 2026
- Priority Booking (TEA) Request Deadline: June 12, 2026
*See Summer Session website for Summer Session fees and payment deadlines
Know the Course Requirements
Visit our AIP 97/AIP197/AIP 197P Program page for an overview of AIP courses and requirements. Prior to enrolling in an internship course, students must:
- Secure an internship
- Identify an eligible Faculty Advisor (except for AIP 197EX).
Students enrolled in an AIP internship course will:
- Commit to completing a minimum number of internship hours aligned with the unit option selected
- Independently complete a final deliverable (paper, project, or presentation) under the direction of a UC San Diego Faculty Advisor that demonstrates learning from the internship
- Engage in reflection assignments facilitated by the AIP team
Enrolled students may access the course syllabus and assignments via the AIP Canvas course.
Documentation Requests
Although UC San Diego facilitates many internship opportunities, we are aware that there are additional opportunities available which students may secure independently. Should you choose to participate in a program or opportunity not associated with a UC San Diego program, please be aware that the University may be unable to execute agreements with the external institution on your behalf. In some cases this may preclude you from participating in the opportunity. We strongly encourage students to identify what, if any, documentation an opportunity requires, and to inquire with AIP about whether the University will be able to support your participation before you apply. Current students may send inquiries to the Academic Internship Program via the Virtual Advising Center (VAC).
For students enrolling in AIP and partner internship courses, the Academic Internship Program can provide:
- A copy of the AIP Learning Agreement outlining internship details, which is electronically approved by AIP and the internship site
- Verification of enrollment in an internship course
Students not enrolling in an internship course may request
- Verification of standing as a current UC San Diego student (send requests to the Registrar’s Office)
- A non-objection letter
AIP 97/197/197P Application Process
1. Submit a Learning Agreement
Submit a Learning Agreement via REAL Portal by the posted deadline
Note for Incoming Students: Newly admitted students will be able to search the REAL Portal to explore opportunities, but will be unable to log-in, apply to positions, or submit a Learning Agreement until their first admitted quarter begins.
Students need to have an internship secured before submitting a learning agreement. Check out our tips on Finding an Internship.
How do I submit a Learning Agreement to AIP?
- Gather needed information about your internship, including dates, planned time commitment, and contact information. Be prepared to describe your internship role and projects, as well as the planned training and mentorship you will receive.
- Log into REAL Portal and navigate to Academic Internship Program.
- Apply for the internship course in which you plan to enroll, and you will be prompted to submit a Learning Agreement.
Guide for submitting a Learning Agreement
If you are still in the process of identifying a Faculty Advisor in advance of the priority deadline, you may proceed with submitting the Learning Agreement.
Note: The Learning Agreement will be sent to your internship site Supervisor for approval, and should be treated as professional communication.
What happens after I submit a Learning Agreement?
- AIP reviews the Learning Agreement to determine whether an internship meets the criteria for academic credit.
- Learning Agreements approved by AIP will be routed to the Internship Supervisor for their approval.
- Once the internship has been approved via the Learning Agreement, you may request enrollment in an AIP course via the Triton Enrollment Authorization (TEA) system.
- Anticipate 5-10 business days for review of the Learning Agreement
What can I do to help speed approval of my Learning Agreement?
Accurate and thorough information helps AIP to approve Learning Agreements more quickly. Learning Agreements that must be returned for edits will experience delayed approval. We look for the following:
- Internship dates align with the quarter for which you are requesting credit.
- Hours/week meet or exceed the minimum hours required for your elected course and unit option.
- Internship Description includes details about your planned role and/or projects, and includes opportunities/structures in place that demonstrate opportunities for learning
- Evidence of professional level supervision and mentorship (e.g., opportunities for regular feedback, training provided by the organization, etc.).
- Learning Objectives are well thought out and meaningful to you. They should be clear and specific enough that others will understand the objective and can provide support to help you achieve them. For each of the three objectives,
- Think about what you would like to take away from the internship.
- Consider opportunities/resources at your site and include strategies to reach those goals.
- If you are continuing at an internship, the Learning Agreement must demonstrate how your work will progress to create opportunities for new learning, and include different Learning Objectives than the previous quarter. Internships cannot be continued for a duration of more than three quarters, even if students did not receive prior credit, or switch internship courses.
- If your internship is not already in the REAL Portal's AIP catalog, be thorough in providing all requested info, including a complete address and a contact email with a business domain. AIP must be able to ascertain that the internship is with an established business entity or non-profit.
2. Connect with a Faculty Advisor
Connect with a Faculty Advisor
Students participating in AIP 97/197/197P work with individual faculty advisors to develop a final deliverable (paper or project) relevant to the internship experience. See our Finding a Faculty Advisor Guide (PDF) for advice on approaching faculty to serve in this role.
Faculty Advisors must have a Senate/ladder-rank appointment (Assistant Professor, Associate Professor, Professor, or Teaching Professor series). Most Lecturers do not hold a Senate appointment. You'll find faculty information on each academic department's website, including titles and bios.
- Identify a planned final deliverable (paper/project) with your Faculty Advisor
- Make a plan regarding how you will connect over the course of the quarter, including how often.
Faculty who have questions about the AIP Faculty Advisor role can consult our Faculty Advisor web page, and/or reach out to the AIP team.
3. Submit a Booking/Enrollment Request
Submit an enrollment request via the Triton Enrollment Authorization (TEA) system by the posted deadline
- Download a PDF of your approved Learning Agreement from the REAL Portal.
- Submit a booking/enrollment request via the Triton Enrollment Authorization (TEA) system
Application Support
Have questions about the AIP application process, or identifying internship opportunities? Visit our Advising page for information on how to connect with AIP staff, or send us a message via the Virtual Advising Center.