The University of Chicago Booth School of Business
Chicago Booth

Entrepreneurial Internship Program and Chicago Booth Accelerator Program

Overview | Eligible Companies | Sponsors | Internship Seminar

Entrepreneurial Internship Program (EIP) Overview

Summer internships between a student's first and second years provide an opportunity to gain hands-on experience in an entrepreneurial environment through training in real-world business situations. An internship helps a student determine a career path, as well as the subsequent courses which will be the most valuable in their final MBA academic year.

Through the Entrepreneurial Internship Program, full-time first year students participate in internships locally and globally, with a company in a traditional entrepreneurship track or within the social entrepreneurship sector. Internships must be at eligible companies. During the 10-week program, interns might find themselves rewriting a business plan, presenting to investors and/or customers, performing a market survey, identifying alternative distribution channels, exploring alternative financing structures, or improving information systems.

Through a competitive application process, a limited number of full-time first year students will be selected to receive financial support to supplement their entrepreneurial summer internship salaries. This support is made possible by the generous donations of our sponsors. Subsidizing students also means companies can enhance their firms with the assistance of top-notch MBA students with diversified backgrounds, fresh ideas and professional perspectives without incurring the high costs of a full-time consultant.

Students may receive credit for their summer internships by taking an internship seminar in autumn quarter of their second year. The seminar focuses on an analysis of the host company.

Applying to the Entrepreneurial Internship Program

All students and companies interested in applying for the summer Entrepreneurial Internship Program must fill out the appropriate application form below and submit it to the Polsky Center by the deadlines outlined on the forms. For additional program information, please read the frequently asked questions (PDF).

EIP company approval does not guarantee intern placement for 2013, only that your internship will be marketed to Chicago Booth MBA students through the GTS system. Non-EIP approved companies are also welcome to post their internships in the GTS system but hired interns would not receive the EIP subsidy.

Polsky Center Accelerator Program

The Polsky Center Accelerator Program gives full-time first year MBA candidates, qualifying evening and weekend MBA candidates, and other University of Chicago students the opportunity to develop their own businesses for a summer in the Polsky Center for Entrepreneurship. Students are supported with office space, access to Polsky Center staff, alumni entrepreneur and Chicago investor mentors, as well as programming designed to help them overcome many of the hurdles to launching a business. Please read the program frequently asked questions for more information.

Applying to the program: The application deadline is Monday, April 15, 2013 at noon. Applications consist of the following:

Please  review the program application information for more information on the application, essays, and company slides.

If you have questions, contact Tom Ancona.