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The GAIN Fund
Apply for the GAIN Scholarship
The Gaining Access to Internships (GAIN) Scholarship is for Sac State students pursuing non-paid academic internships who may qualify for up to $1500 per semester if eligible. Interested students should apply in the link below.
Applicants are encouraged to apply early. Here are the deadlines to apply:
Fall semester - apply August 25-October 31. Awards distributed ~November
Spring semester - apply January 26-March 31. Awards distributed ~April
Please note that applicants are NOT guaranteed an award. Applicants must be verified as eligible by the Financial Aid Office to receive any funds, and the minimum GPA is 2.5. You must also provide evidence of having been hired for an internship with your application. You will be notified if you are NOT eligible.
Award amounts range from $100 - $1,500 and will vary based on time of application, academic internship priority, need, and amount of funds available to meet eligible requests. Awarded funds are deposited into students' school accounts.
Increasing Student Equity and Access to Career Opportunities
Too often, Sacramento State students— who are 46% Pell Grant-eligible and 30% first-generation—are confronted with a difficult choice: keep a steady frontline job needed for essential living expenses or take a temporary, unpaid, career-building internship.
The Gaining Access to Internships (GAIN) Fund was established to increase equity and access to career opportunities by eradicating students' agonizing choice between paying bills today and securing their professional futures. Students who obtain unpaid academic internships to fulfill degree requirements or get opportunities to gain real-world experience in the their fields of interest could apply for up to $1,500 per semester. To ensure support is available for every student in need, support from private, alumni, foundation, and corporate donors is vital.
We invite you to help students gain access to internships by making a donation to The GAIN Fund online. Or make a check payable to The University Foundation at Sacramento State, indicate GAIN Fund on the memo line, and mail to Development Office, Sacramento State, 6000 J St. MS 6030, Sacramento, CA 95819.
Your gift can ensure Sacramento State students have equal access to experiences that position them to be the next generation of government, nonprofit, and industry leaders that advance our region, our state, and our world!
For more information, contact Career Center at careercenter@csus.edu