Prospective Interns

Prospective Interns

Everything you need before sending your application

The ITS Internship Program has fostered intern growth since 2014. Through hands-on projects, mentorship, coaching, and a collaborative cohort experience, interns build skills that prepare them for future careers.

Key Program Dates

  • Duration
    13-Week Program
  • Timeline
    Early May – Early August
  • Location
    Hybrid / Ann Arbor, MI

Application Timeline

Dec
Applications Open
Feb–Mar
Application Reviews
Mar
Candidate Interviews
Apr–May
Offer Letters Sent
Why Intern at ITS?

Hear From Our Interns

Qualifications

  • Be enrolled as a student at a U.S. college, university, or certificate-granting program throughout the duration of the program.
  • If you are a non-UM Ann Arbor international student, you are required to apply for CPT or OPT at your respective campus.
  • If you are a current U-M Ann Arbor international student, you do not need to apply for CPT.
  • Have authorization and availability to work 40 hours per week for the entire duration of the Internship Program.
  • Be able to commute to Ann Arbor, Michigan, at least two times per week to work at an on-campus location.

Work That Matters

Our internship acts as a matching program, pairing talented interns with university projects that need them. The following positions represent roles we typically seek. Availability varies by year.

Indicate your preferred role during the application. We'll cross-reference your preferences and experience to curate your internship.

Collaborate with business analysts and developers to produce technical requirements and prototypes for front-end or back-end integrations. Transform software designs into high-functioning code.

Desired Skills:

  • JavaScript/TypeScript
  • React or Vue
  • REST APIs

Partner with customers to understand needs and document business requirements. Collaborate with developers to ensure technology solutions meet customer expectations.

Desired Skills:

  • Process analysis
  • SQL basics
  • Stakeholder comms

Design user-centered digital experiences for ITS services. Conduct research, prototype, and iterate on interfaces used by thousands of U-M community members.

Desired Skills:

  • Figma
  • User Research
  • Prototyping

Support and maintain enterprise IT infrastructure including servers, networks, and services for the University of Michigan community.

Desired Skills:

  • Linux/Windows Server
  • Networking
  • Scripting

Extract insights from institutional data to support decision-making across ITS departments and partner organizations.

Desired Skills:

  • SQL
  • Python/R
  • Data visualization

Help plan and coordinate technology projects across teams, tracking milestones and communicating progress to stakeholders.

Desired Skills:

  • Project planning
  • JIRA/Asana
  • Stakeholder comms

Manage internal and external communication to represent the organization to the outside world. Create materials to be used for campaigns, such as presentations, posters, articles and videos. Support a range of online marketing projects. Track analytics for social media campaigns, create social media posting schedules, and write content for social media posts.

Answer phone calls, emails, chat queries and respond to help desk tickets to assist customers. Diagnose and troubleshoot simple problems related to computer hardware, software, and networks. Write and edit training manuals or help desk content.

Develop clear, user-friendly documentation for ITS services, tools, and processes for both technical and non-technical audiences.

Desired Skills:

  • Technical writing
  • Markdown/Docs
  • Information architecture

Support day-to-day operations of the ITS Internship Program, including scheduling, communications, and event coordination.

Desired Skills:

  • Office tools
  • Event planning
  • Communication

Compensation

$20/hr
Undergraduate
First-Year Intern
$21/hr
Undergraduate
Returning Intern
$22/hr
Graduate Student
First-Year Intern
$23/hr
Graduate Student
Returning Intern

Application and Interview Tips

Resume Framework

  • Show your websites: Link portfolio, GitHub, or LinkedIn. Ensure links work for electronic copies.
  • Keep it relevant: Show transferable skills from classes and volunteer projects to demonstrate real potential.
  • Make it measurable: Quantify achievements (e.g., number of mockups, team sizes managed).
  • List tools clearly: Create a separate technical skills block; embed non-technical skills within experiences.

Cover Letter Strategy

  • Reference connections: Mention if you spoke with any team members, we appreciate tracked conversations.
  • State learning goals: Explain clearly what you want to learn with us and why the position fits your aspirations.
  • Highlight suitability: Detail why you are a highly enthusiastic candidate and dynamic fit for our environment.
  • Be concise: Over 60% of our hiring managers review cover letters for 1–2 minutes, make every line count.

Interview Format

Interviews are primarily behavioral, though there may be a few technical questions. Interviews are conducted in a single Zoom session. Some candidates may interview with multiple teams if they are being considered for multiple roles across ITS and our campus partners. This helps us find the best fit for both the candidate and the hiring team.

Interview Tips

Do your homework. Know what ITS is and what this internship is about to show genuine interest.
Be confident. Be proud of your achievements, big or small. Your goal here is to learn.
Show your process. Elaborate on how you approach problems and think through solutions.
Be honest. If you don't know something, say it, then explain what you'd do to solve it.

Life at ITS

Get a glimpse of our workplace culture and what it's like to intern here at the University of Michigan Information and Technology Services.

View more Program Videos

Projects Showcase

See the departmental and cohort projects our interns present at the end of each cohort.

View Past Cohorts

Frequently Asked Questions

Our 13 week summer program runs from early May through early August. It's full-time (typically 8 a.m.–5 p.m.), and you'll work alongside your team and mentors on projects with real impact.

We evaluate potential, not just a polished resume. Strong candidates show curiosity, initiative, and transferable skills from coursework or personal projects. Following our application tips will help you present your best self.

Application reviews happen in February–March. Candidates selected for interviews will be contacted in March. Offer letters go out in April–May.

Interns work full-time on a specific project team, attend weekly cohort meetings, and participate in professional development sessions throughout the summer.

Yes! Over 50% of our interns have returned for a second summer. High-performing interns may also be considered for part-time roles during the academic year.

Each intern receives a dedicated mentor, attends weekly lunch-and-learns, and completes a professional development plan with their supervisor.

Business casual is the standard. When working on-site at U-M facilities, we ask that you dress appropriately for a professional university environment.