STEM Internship Program

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Business Engagement

The Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) internship program provides grant awards to Iowa businesses to help grow and support student internship opportunities in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) with the goal of transitioning student interns to full-time employment in Iowa upon graduation.

  • Eligible employers may qualify for awards up to $50,000 per fiscal year.
  • Funds are disbursed on a reimbursement basis. For every two dollars of wages earned by the student intern, one dollar paid by the employer is matched by one dollar from the Iowa Workforce Development during the designated internship period (IWD) and (up to $5,000 per intern).
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Who Qualifies?

Businesses

  • Eligible Employers:
    • Iowa-based businesses with significant employment presence in Iowa.
    • Pays intern(s) twice the minimum hourly wage or more (minimum $14.50/hour).
    • Offers internship(s) to students who meet the outlined eligibility requirements below.
    • Offers summer and/or semester internships.
      • Summer internship(s) is a minimum of eight weeks (averaging no less than 30 hours per week).
      • Semester internship(s) must last a minimum of 14 weeks (averaging no less than 10 hours per week).
      • Internships are substantive experiences in an area closely related to student intern’s STEM field.
  • Ineligible Employers
    • Employers engaged in retail sales.
    • Employers who have or will apply to the Targeted Industries Internship Program (877 IAC, Ch. 23) during the same fiscal year.

Interns

  • Eligible Interns:
    • An undergraduate or graduate student at an Iowa community college, private college, or regent university.
    • An undergraduate or graduate student who graduated from an Iowa high school if attending an institution of higher learning outside of Iowa.
    • Within 1-2 years of graduation
    • Employed at an Iowa location.
    • Has declared major in a STEM field.
      • STEM field includes all majors listed on the ACT-defined STEM majors and occupations by area list.
  • Ineligible Interns
    • Students who have not declared a major in a STEM field
    • Students who recently graduated, are no longer current students, or are more than 2 years from graduation
    • Students who are immediate family members of management employees or board members of the awarded employer.
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How Do I Apply?

  • The FY25 application period is closed.  Applications for FY26 (Fall 2025, Spring 2026, Summer 2026) will open on July 1, 2025.
  • Applications are completed in IWD’s internship portal. To create or update an employer account, please visit https://internships-iwd-csm.symplicity.com/
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Are You a Student in Need of an Internship? 

  • Log into IowaWORKS to browse internship job postings
  • Visit your local IowaWORKS Office to get connected to a wide array of career services.
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Resources

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Contact

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