FAQs
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On the home page click “Login/Register” in the upper right-hand corner of your screen. You will be required to select an account type, and should select "Student." After selecting your student type, select your college/university institution or high school from the dropdown menu that appears. If you do not see your school, select “Other Institution” located at the bottom of the list. Fill in the rest of the fields and click “Create User.”
Sign in to your account and click on your name in the right-hand corner. In the dropdown feature, click "Edit Account” and after clicking the link, underneath the “Update Account” button, select “Change Password.”
After six months of inactivity, accounts become inactive. You can reactivate your account simply by logging in.
All of Work and Learn Indiana services are free for everyone. Students can search and apply to an unlimited number of internships and work-based learning experiences at no cost.
The internships and work-based learning opportunities posted on Work and Learn Indiana include both paid and unpaid opportunities. However, the majority of experiences on the site are paid. Work and Learn Indiana strongly encourages employers to offer compensation to interns. Be sure to review what the Department of Labor has to say about participating in a paid or unpaid internship.
Also, Work and Learn Indiana partners with the Indiana Commission for Higher Education (CHE) to facilitate its Employment Aid Readiness Network (EARN) Indiana program. EARN Indiana reimburses employers with an approved work-based learning experience up to 50 percent of each eligible intern’s wage. Click here to see how to find out if you’re eligible.
Yes. If you choose to receive credit for an internship or work-based learning experience, your career services office or a faculty member should be able to assist both you and your employer in defining appropriate parameters for receiving credit. However, internships and work-based learning experiences posted on Work and Learn Indiana do not have to be for academic credit. Academic credit should not affect internship compensation.
Please read the Department of Labor fact sheet to learn more about unpaid internships and academic credit.
Work and Learn Indiana is open to any and all students seeking an internship and work-based learning experience in Indiana regardless of major or interest. Positions include: accounting, advertising, business administration, communications, consulting, computer information systems, event planning, graphic design, interior decorating, marketing, management, networking, sales, sciences and more!
Work and Learn Indiana is a high-tech and high-touch system for students seeking internships and work-based learning opportunities in Indiana. The high-tech portion allows students to enter online resumes, cover letters and skills specific to the work-based experience they are seeking. Also, students can apply to work-based learning opportunities directly on the site.
Additionally, Work and Learn Indiana offers high-touch services that enable you to receive personal assistance by calling or emailing a member of our staff.
Work and Learn staff members review all new employer registrations in order to ensure that the employer is a legitimate organization with the potential to offer internship and work-based learning experiences within the state of Indiana. As with any job or internship opportunity, students are encouraged to thoroughly investigate the organization and to ask questions to ensure that the internship for which they are applying is a good fit. It is also recommended that students have knowledge of their internship requirements and the experience they desire prior to accepting an offer to ensure they accept the opportunity most in line with their career goals.
Work and Learn offers internships and work-based learning opportunities throughout the state of Indiana. While some companies may have out of state locations, only internships located in Indiana will be approved for posting on Work and Learn Indiana.
Once you’ve found a work-based learning opportunity you are interested in, you can apply directly on Work and Learn Indiana. Make sure you fill your profile out as completely and accurately as possible to give potential employers all the information they need to hire you.
- Click “Learn More” located under the work-based learning description.
- Click “Apply For This Internship” located in either the box to the right of the posting or at the bottom of the internship posting.
- Upload a cover letter to the company you are applying to in the box provided.
- Upload a unique resume or select one of the resumes you’ve uploaded to your student profile.
- Click “Apply For This Internship” again to submit.
Remember the resume(s) you’ve uploaded to your profile will be visible to employers when you apply.
If the organization is interested, they will be in contact.
Yes, employers can contact candidates they are interested in. However, communication directly through the Work and Learn Indiana site has been suspended. Employers and candidates will need to reach out through other methods outside of the Work and Learn Indiana site in order to communicate.
We recommend having a method of communication included in your resume as that will provide employers with an avenue through which to connect with you.
If you are a high school student with a coordinator connected to your school, all communication will filter through the education coordinator. You will not receive communication directly from an employer.
The hiring process can take weeks, so please be patient. Continue to apply to other internships and work-based learning opportunities while you wait. Understand that some employers receive many applications for one position, so unfortunately they sometimes do not contact applicants. If you haven’t heard anything in a couple weeks, review the posting to determine how the employer would like to be contacted for applicant updates. If the employer does not indicate in the posting that they will contact you, it is suggested that you reach out to the employer politely for updates.
If the outcome isn’t what you were hoping for, don’t give up. Keep searching for and applying to internships on Work and Learn Indiana.
First, make sure that you fill your profile out as completely and accurately as possible to give potential employers all the information they need to hire you. The Work and Learn Indiana system recommends internships for consideration from keyword matches in your profile and internship postings. If you do not have a resume, schedule an appointment with your guidance counselor, advisor or career services office to assist you with creating one.
Be sure to select skills that you have in the “Skills” portion of your profile. Work and Learn Indiana uses the skills you select to match you with internships. Employers with internships and work-based learning experiences that fit your skills might be matched to you. If they are interested, they may reach out and invite you to apply!
Utilize the built in "save search" option after searching for opportunities or through the advanced search function. If you save a search, you will be notified via email or text message about internship opportunities that have been posted that align to your interest.
If you still cannot find a work-based learning experience that fits your needs, don’t give up! Keep checking Work and Learn Indiana because new positions are frequently added. Still not having luck? Contact us at workandlearnin@indianachamber.com, and we will be more than happy to assist you.
Yes. You can change your information at any time. Edit your profile by clicking “Manage Your Profile” located in the box on the right side of your dashboard.
Yes. You can enter your personal web page URL in your profile. You may also link to your online portfolio or professional social media sites, such as LinkedIn.
Yes. You can do this by clicking “Manage Your Profile” and then the “Resume” tab. At the bottom of the tab, there is an option to upload various files. You can upload an unlimited number of files to showcase your work. Be sure to select the proper file type (cover letter, resume, graphic design piece, portfolio piece, writing sample or other) from the dropdown menu when you upload.
Information submitted to Work and Learn Indiana will be used for the purpose of connecting employers and students with high-quality internship experiences. View our Privacy Policy.
On the home page, click “Login/Register” in the upper right-hand corner of your screen. You will be required to select an account type, and should select "Organization." In order to ensure your company is not already registered, the system will request you enter your organization’s name. Slowly type your organization’s name in the text box and a list will populate below. If you see your organization in the dropdown list, that means there is an existing account. Click on your organization’s name. Some of the registration fields will disappear because Work and Learn Indiana already has your organization’s information on the site. A registered user from your organization will be notified of your request and will review your information to confirm your account.
If the system does not find your organization registered with Work and Learn Indiana, simply complete the registration form. Be sure to select “Employer” as the organization type. Your registration will be sent to Work and Learn Indiana to review and approve. Once a staff member approves your account, you will be able to post internships and search for interns.
If you have not gained full access to the site in 48 hours, contact us at workandlearnin@indianachamber.com.
Work and Learn Indiana is a high-tech and high-touch system, built to enhance opportunities for individuals seeking internships and work-based learning experiences and employers searching for interns. The high-tech portion allows employers to access our candidate database, advanced search features and the ability to contact students.
Additionally, Work and Learn Indiana offers high-touch services that enable you to receive personal assistance, customized tools and much more.
Work and Learn Indiana provides a variety of resources including access to best practice information on internships. Employers are also encouraged to attend workshops and information sessions hosted by Work and Learn Indiana staff. These can be found under the 'Events' tab at the top of the Work and Learn Indiana site.
Work and Learn Indiana has also developed partnerships with Indiana University, Ball State University, all Ivy Tech campuses and many more educational partners to share internship postings. New internships are shared weekly with institutions to be viewed on their job boards. Students who are interested in the shared internships will be directed to apply on Work and Learn Indiana. This will broaden your applicant pool and increase the visibility of your internship and work-based learning experience.
In order to provide the best possible service to students, Work and Learn Indiana reviews every new organization registration. Until a staff member approves your organization and grants you full access to the site, internships posted will not be approved for public view on the site. If you are joining an existing account, a registered user needs to grant you access so your posted internships can be approved.
If you have not received full access to the site in 48 hours, please contact us at workandlearnin@indianachamber.com.
Sign in to your account and click your name in the upper right-hand corner. A drop down menu will appear, then click "Edit Account.” After clicking the link, select “Change Password” underneath the “Update Account” button.
Posting internships and other work-based learning is completely free. You may post an unlimited number of opportunities and have access to our candidate database for free.
Work and Learn Indiana allows any high-quality internship and work-based position. The nature of high-quality is determined by the duties outlined in the employer's internship description, and the employer's commitment to enhancing the student's learning experience.
If you are unsure of the quality of your positions, Work and Learn Indiana will assist you in evaluating the tasks and duties. Download our Employer’s Guide for tips for creating a meaningful work-based learning program. You may post short-term, long-term, project-based, virtual, paid and unpaid opportunities. If you're considering posting an unpaid internship, please review the U.S. Dept. of Labor laws.
Internships and work-based learning programs can be either paid or unpaid. However, most experiences on Work and Learn Indiana are paid positions. If you're considering posting an unpaid internship, please review the U.S. Dept. of Labor laws.
Work and Learn Indiana partners with the Indiana Commission for Higher Education (CHE) to facilitate its Employment Aid Readiness Network (EARN) Indiana program. EARN Indiana reimburses employers with an approved internship up to 50 percent of each eligible intern’s wage. Click here to find out how to get started.
Yes. However, internships posted on Work and Learn Indiana do not have to be for academic credit. Academic credit is dependent on the student participant and their academic institution and program of study. Academic credit should not affect internship compensation. If hosting an unpaid internship, please review the Department of Labor fact sheet for information on academic credit.
Employers are required to follow all state and federal labor laws. Please refer to the Indiana Department of Labor for youth employment regulations.
It is also suggested that employers work with applicants to balance their personal and academic schedules during the internship experience.
Students are able to work with an employer over 20 hours per week. Employers should not utilize the internship to replace full-time employees or provide a full-time employment experience. Employers will only be reimbursed for up to 20 hours per week during the academic semester through EARN Indiana and 40 hours per week during the summer semester.
Work and Learn Indiana has no limit to the number of internships or work-based learning opportunities you can post. However, each employer should carefully consider the appropriate number of interns to ensure a high-quality experience for the interns.
After you create an account for your organization, or join an existing account, go to your Work and Learn Indiana workspace. Then, click “+ Add Internship.” Fill in all appropriate fields under “Internship,” "Skills" and "Description." Be descriptive and include as many details as possible. This will make your internship attractive to potential applicants. Once you are finished, click “Submit for Review.”
After an internship’s start date has passed, its status will change to “Expired," which means it is no longer visible to applicants. You can fix this in three ways:
- Change the internship’s start date to a date in the future.
- Make the position inactive by clicking the internship’s title in your workspace. Then select “Inactive” from the “Status” dropdown menu.
- Mark the position as filled.
EARN Indiana positions cannot be edited by you, please contact workandlearnin@indianachamber.com for assistance.
Once an internship has been submitted for EARN Indiana approval, in order to maintain EARN status, the start and end dates cannot be changed by your organization. If you need to make any changes, contact us at workandlearnin@indianachamber.com, and we will adjust the dates for you.
The email associated with your organization account will receive notification from workandlearnin@indianchamber.com each time a student applies for your internship or work-based learning opportunity. After someone has applied, you will be able to see a list of applicants in the “Applicants” box in your workspace while logged into Work and Learn Indiana.
You will be able to review applicants document directly in the organization workspace while logged into your Work and Learn Indiana account.
No. If you do not find an intern that matches your interests or needs, you are not required to accept an intern via our site.
If you have not filled the non-EARN internship, you can inactivate the internship by clicking the paper and pen and marking the status as inactive. If the internship is an EARN internship, please contact workandlearnin@indianachamber.com for support.
Work and Learn Indiana lists internship and work-based learning opportunities hosted by organizations with Indiana locations. While some companies may have out of state locations, only Indiana internships and work-based learning experiences will be approved for posting on Work and Learn Indiana. The purpose of Work and Learn Indiana is to assist with attraction and retention of talent in the state of Indiana.
Residential organization locations are not permitted as locations to host interns. Virtual internships are applicable and applicants can work remotely if permitted by the organization.
Yes. You can change your company's information at any time. Edit your profile by clicking “Manage the Organization Profile” located on the right side of your dashboard.
Yes. You can enter your company web address by clicking “Manage the Organization Profile” located on the right side of your dashboard.
If you require applicants to apply through your organization's applicant tracking system, you may input that link in the appropriate text box when you post your internship or work-based learning opportunity.
- Click on “Login/Register,” and login with your username and password.
- Scroll down on your dashboard to find the list of applicants.
- Click on the person’s name.
- Click “Download Resume” located in the box on the right side of the page, or at the bottom of the box containing the applicant’s information. If you do not see the “Download Resume” links on the applicant’s profile, they might not have a resume uploaded. You may contact the student to request their resume.
- If the applicant uploaded a PDF file, their resume will automatically pop up. If the applicant uploaded a .doc or .docx file, their resume will download and be available wherever downloaded files are located on your computer.
- After you open the applicant’s resume, you may save and/or print the file if you would like.
You can contact an applicant through our in-site messaging system. Simply click "Contact This Intern" at the bottom of the student's profile. You can also contact an applicant by the phone number or email address provided in their profile.
If you are attempting to contact a high school student, communication will be routed through the high school coordinator, if on record. The coordinator will receive an email with your message to the student and reach out accordingly.
Make sure that you have completely filled out your internship’s description. The more specific its description, requirements and responsibilities are, the easier it is for students to find you. You can do this by clicking your internship’s name located in the “Internships” portion of your dashboard. Then click the “Description” tab to make edits.
Remember that the search for an intern can work both ways! Just as students can use the site to find you, you can use it to find them. Utilize the “Advanced Intern Search” in your dashboard to search for interns by keyword, school, major, location and more.
If you still are not able to find a match, contact us at workandlearnin@indianachamber.com, and we will be more than happy to assist you.
That’s great you found an intern! Because the state looks to us for work-based learning metrics, we ask that work-based learning experiences be marked as filled on the web site whether or not the students were found through Work and Learn Indiana.
In order to mark the position as filled, click the person with a plus sign to the right of the internship’s title in your dashboard. Then, fill in the student’s name, school, expected start date and expected end date.
If your internship is EARN Indiana approved, and you are hiring an EARN Indiana-eligible intern, you MUST mark the internship as filled on Work and Learn Indiana in order to receive reimbursement. You can do this by selecting the student’s name in the "Select an Applicant" dropdown menu or entering their name in the "Search for an Intern" text box. If the student's name does not appear or you have issues filling the EARN Indiana internship contact the Work and Learn Indiana team to avoid issues with delays in funding. Please contact workandlearnin@indianachamber.com.
If you would like to re-post the same internship at a later date, click the two pieces of paper located to the right of the internship’s title in your dashboard. Modify any of the internship’s details, and make sure to update the start and end dates. Ensure that all of the information listed is accurate and then click "Submit for Review" at the bottom of the internship page.
Information submitted to Work and Learn Indiana will be used for the purpose of connecting employers and students with high-quality internship experiences. View our Privacy Policy.
On the home page, click “Login/Register” in the upper right-hand corner of your screen. You will be required to select an account type, and should select "Organization." In order to ensure your school is not already registered, the system will request you enter your school name. Slowly type the name of your school in the text box, and a list will populate below. If you see your school in the dropdown list, that means there is an existing account. Click on your school’s name. Some of the registration fields will disappear because Work and Learn Indiana already has your school’s information on the site. A registered user from your school will be notified of your request and will review your information to confirm your account.
If the system does not find your school registered with Work and Learn Indiana, simply complete the registration form. Be sure to select “University” or “High School” as the organization type. Your registration will be sent to Work and Learn Indiana to review and approve. Once a staff member approves your account, you will be able to post internships, search for interns and assist your students.
If you have not gained full access to the site in 48 hours, please contact us at workandlearnin@indianachamber.com.
Work and Learn Indiana is a high-tech and high-touch system, built to enhance opportunities for individuals seeking internships and work-based learning experiences and employers searching for interns. The high-tech portion allows educators to view company information, internships and student profiles. Work and Learn Indiana also provides educators with free reporting features that allow them to easily access the number of their students using the site and obtaining internships.
Additionally, Work and Learn Indiana offers high-touch services that enable you to receive personal assistance, customized presentations and tools and much more.
Work and Learn Indiana provides a variety of resources including access to best practice information on internships and hundreds of workplaces for potentially placing an intern.
Work and Learn Indiana also provides educators with free reporting features that allow them to easily access the number of their students using the site and obtaining internships.
Work and Learn Indiana has developed partnerships with Indiana University, Ball State University, Purdue University, Indiana Tech, all Ivy Tech campuses and more educational partners to share internships. New internships are shared weekly with those universities to be viewed on their job boards. Students who are interested in the shared internships will be directed to apply on Work and Learn Indiana.
The list of schools participating in internship sharing is growing! If you would like to create a partnership between your university and Work and Learn Indiana, please contact Work and Learn Indiana at workandlearnin@indianachamber.com.
In order to provide the best possible service to students, Work and Learn Indiana reviews every new organization registration. Until a staff member approves your school you will not have full access to all of the site’s features. If you are joining an existing account, a registered user needs to grant you access.
If you have not gained full access to the site in 48 hours, please contact us at workandlearnin@indianachamber.com
Sign in to your account and click on your name in the upper right hand corner. Click "Edit Account” in the dropdown menu. Select “Change Password” underneath the “Update Account” button.
Yes. You can change your school's information at any time. Edit your profile by clicking “Manage the Organization Profile” on the right side of your dashboard.
All of Work and Learn Indiana's services are free for everyone. Students can search and apply to an unlimited number of internships and work-based learning experiences at no cost. Employers and educators may post an unlimited number of internship opportunities and have access to our candidate database for free. Additionally, educators have access to the site’s student reporting feature.
Work and Learn Indiana emphasizes strong connections between work and academic experience. In addition, Work and Learn Indiana encourages mentorship and meaningful tasks. Download our Employer Guide to read our suggestions for creating a meaningful internship and work-based learning program.
Work and Learn Indiana staff members review all new employer registrations in order to ensure that the employer is a legitimate organization with the potential to offer internship experiences within the state of Indiana. As with any job or internship opportunity, students are encouraged to thoroughly investigate the organization and to ask questions to ensure that the internship for which they are applying is a good fit. It is also recommended that students have a good knowledge of their internship requirements and the experience they desire prior to accepting an internship offer to ensure they accept the opportunity most in line with their career goals.
The internships posted on Work and Learn Indiana include both paid and unpaid opportunities. However, the majority of internships on the site are paid. Work and Learn Indiana strongly encourages employers to offer compensation to interns. Be sure to review what the Department of Labor has to say about paid versus unpaid internships.
Yes. However, internships posted on Work and Learn Indiana do not have to be for academic credit. Academic credit is dependent on the institution, school, and academic area of study. Academic credit should not affect internship compensation.
Work and Learn Indiana lists internship opportunities throughout the state of Indiana. The website allows you to search for internships by county or region. While some companies may have out of state locations, only Indiana internships and work-based learning experiences will be approved for posting on Work and Learn Indiana.
Employers seeking an intern can search for matches by utilizing any combination or all of the following fields: keyword, student type, institution, major, and county preference. The employer executes a search and then contacts the student via our internal messaging system, or via the contact information the student lists in their profile. High school students cannot receive messages from employers. All messages for high school students are directed to the school coordinator.
Students can search for internships and work-based learning experiences using advanced search features similar to employers. Paid or unpaid is also another option when searching. The student can apply to the internship directly through Work and Learn Indiana.
You can easily post an internship and search for interns for your school. For more information and step-by-step instructions, see Employer FAQs.
Information submitted to Work and Learn Indiana will be used for the purpose of connecting employers and students with high quality internship experiences. View our Privacy Policy.
- Log in to your workspace.
- Complete the “Advanced Internship Search” at the bottom of your workspace. Select and enter search criteria of your choosing - you do not need to fill out all of the search criteria.
- Scroll through the lists to find a position you are interested in.
- To view the position description, simply click on the internship title. You may also learn more about the organization by clicking on the organization’s website link.
- If you would like to save your search, click “Save This Search” in the upper right-hand corner of the search results page and enter a name for the search.
- After saving your search, the search name will be listed under “Saved Searches” in your student dashboard.
New internships are frequently added, so it's a good idea to check the site often.
You can stay on top of opportunities by opting in to receive text message alerts whenever new internships are added to your saved searches. Make sure your number is saved to your profile, click "Opt In," then complete and save an internship search.
You will receive a maximum of one text per day. You can opt out of the text message alerts at any time by texting "Stop."
If you are logged in and see an error message that says "You must be logged in as an approved organization to view this page," there is an issue with your browser’s cookies. Simply clear your cookies, close your web browser and try logging back in. Here is a helpful website with steps to clear cookies.
If you are getting an error message when trying to submit an EARN Indiana application, please make sure that your internship meets the minimum standards. If it does, try logging out and logging back in. Once you do that, try to submit your application again.
If you continue having issues, please email workandlearnin@indianachamber.com.
If you are logged in and see an error message that says "You must be logged in as an approved organization to view this page," there is an issue with your browser’s cookies. Simply clear your cookies, close your web browser and try logging back in. Here is a helpful website with steps to clear cookies.
If you are getting an error message when trying to submit an EARN Indiana application, please make sure that your internship meets the minimum standards. If it does, try logging out and logging back in. Once you do that, try to submit your application again.
If you continue having issues, please email workandlearnin@indianachamber.com.
The Indiana Commission for Higher Education manages the reimbursement of EARN Indiana funds. If you need assistance with anything involving reimbursement or the reimbursement site, please email CHE at EARNIndiana@CHE.in.gov
Student eligibility is based off of the most recent year FAFSA. Students can apply through Work and Learn Indiana to better understand elgibility. If you have questions after applying through the site, please reach out to workandlearnin@indianachamber.com.
Unless you are a legal resident of Indiana, you are not eligible. Your residency is based off of the address of your true, fixed and permanent home. Living in Indiana for solely educational purposes is not considered legal residency.
Micro-internships are short-term, project-based experiences that provide individuals opportunities to increase their skills, explore new career paths and build their networks. They are focused on the completion of a singular project for an organization. Unlike traditional internships, micro-internships last as long as it takes a project to be completed as opposed to a set timeframe.
They typically last from 10 to 80 hours of work with most projects being due within a week to a month after assignment. Micro-internships can take place year-round, but most typically occur during winter break (December – January). They can be on-site or virtual depending on the requirements to complete the assignment.
Micro-Internships are short-term, project-based experiences that provide individuals opportunities to increase their skills, explore new career paths and build their networks. They are focused on the completion of a singular project for an organization. Unlike traditional internships, micro-internships last as long as it takes a project to be completed as opposed to a set timeframe.
They typically last from 10 to 80 hours of work with most projects being due within a week to a month after assignment. Micro-Internships can take place year-round, but most typically occur during winter break (December – January). They can be on-site or virtual depending on the requirements to complete the assignment.
- Micro-Internships allow your company to complete much-needed projects quickly.
- They provide a short-term option to test out interns for either a potential long-term internship or a full-time hire.
- Micro-Internships can help increase diversity within your organization by allowing you to focus hiring on underrepresented groups.
- If you plan on hosting virtually, micro-internships can increase your reach in recruitment
Use your Advanced Internship Search in your workandlearnIndiana.com workspace to search for micro-internships. Select "Micro-Internship" as the Internship Type.
Log in to your WorkandLearnIndiana.com employer workspace. When you post an internship, select "Micro-Internship" as the internship type. Input the anticipated hours required for the micro-internship, the anticipated start date and the project due date. Complete the rest of the posting. Micro-Internships are not eligible for the EARN Indiana program.
It's possible to utilize EARN Indiana for an intern you found outside of Work and Learn Indiana, if the student is EARN eligible. However, if the intern already began working, you will not be able to claim reimbursement for hours worked prior to submitting an EARN application for your position.
No. Work and Learn Indiana is strictly for work-based learning opportunities. A training opportunity requires that the employer and student agree to learning outcomes, the experience is aligned to the student's career pathway and that the student may be receiving academic credit.
The Employer Aid Readiness Network (EARN) Indiana is an experiential learning internship program administered by the Indiana Commission for Higher Education (CHE) in partnership with Work and Learn Indiana. It is designed to provide financial assistance to employers who provide paid internships for qualified Hoosier students currently enrolled full or part-time in a post-secondary education program.
EARN Indiana was established in 2013 under Indiana Code 21-16-2.
Most recently in 2019, the EARN Indiana program was expanded to include secondary education program students.
A qualified internship position must meet a specific set of criteria, including:
- Internship must provide experiential learning (for details on what constitutes "experiential learning", visit this link)
- Internship must be paid hourly
- Internship must be at least 8 weeks long
- Intern must work 12 to 20 hours a week during the academic year (mid-August through mid-April) or 12 to 40 hours during the summer (mid-April through mid-August)
- Intern activities may not be political or sectarian in nature
- No more than 25% of intern's work can be administrative in nature
- No more than 50% of your workforce may be interns
- Federal Work-Study funds or specified grant funds may not be received for the internship position
Should you have questions about what funds you may also be able to utilize along with EARN Indiana funds, please contact the Indiana Commission for Higher Education at earnindiana@che.in.gov.
EARN Indiana internships can take place at any time of year. However, the EARN Indiana internship must last at least 8 weeks and cannot exceed a year in length at the same employer. Employer can continue to employ the intern, however the intern's wages would no longer be eligible for EARN Indiana funds at the same employer after 365 days.
Once you submit an EARN Indiana internship application, certain fields such as the start and end dates cannot be edited. If you are unable to secure an intern prior to your internship’s start date, contact Work and Learn Indiana at workandlearnin@indianachamber.com for assistance.
No, employers must offer interns an hourly rate, and then CHE will match the hourly rate up to 50%. With a stipend there is no hourly rate to match.
EARN Indiana is an internship-based approval program, meaning that each individual internship opportunity with an employer must be approved by CHE. Internships must be posted on Work and Learn Indiana for EARN Indiana approval.
How to Post an Internship
- Log in to your workspace.
- Click “Add Internship +.”
- Complete all fields in the “Internship” tab
- If you would like to utilize EARN Indiana for a paid internship, on the “Internship” tab, make sure you select “Paid,” then select “Yes”
- Then answer whether you would like to participate in the College EARN application process or the High School EARN application process. An internship cannot be designated for both the high school EARN and college EARN program, you must submit separate internship postings for each.
- The EARN application will show up in an additional tab.
- Click the “Next Step >>” button.
- Select the specific skills needed for the position in the “Skills” tab and click the “Next Step >>” button.
- Be descriptive and include as many details as possible when completing all fields in the “Description” tab. Click the “Next Step >>” button.
- If you indicated you wish to utilize EARN Indiana, complete the EARN Indiana application.
- If you are offering an unpaid internship or not using EARN Indiana, the application will not be visible.
- Click the “Submit for Review” button.
- If you wish to save the internship as a draft and return to it later, click “Save” and the position will not be submitted for approval.
- If the application has been submitted successfully, you will see a green/gold banner at the top of the page indicating submission success.
Your internship will be sent to Work and Learn Indiana to review and approve. Once your internship is approved, your EARN Indiana application will be sent to the Indiana Commission for Higher Education to review. For more information about EARN Indiana, visit www.workandlearnindiana.com/earn_info.
Employers should apply to EARN Indiana before finding an intern, but is not necessary. Employers should apply at least 3-4 weeks before the start of their internship to ensure plenty of time to receive approval to participate in EARN Indiana and recruit an intern. Do not wait to apply to EARN Indiana after your intern has already started working. Backdating the start date of EARN Indiana internships is not permitted.
Employers are not required to apply for approval prior to the hiring process, but it is strongly encouraged. However, please submit your application prior to when your intern is expected to begin working. CHE will work to provide approval in a timely fashion that allows the employer time to manage the hiring process.
The EARN Indiana logo will appear next to the internship and on the employer workspace internship within Work and Learn Indiana. Students will be able to search for EARN Indiana-approved positions. The employer will receive an email from CHE verifying the internship title, work hours, pay rates, links to forms that must be submitted (W-9 and Direct Deposit) and information about how to access to the reimbursement system, ScholarTrack. ScholarTrack is where employers are able to input their intern(s)' hours for reimbursement.
If a position is EARN Indiana approved and you would like to employ multiple interns, multiple positions within the same role can be approved. When adding the internship on Work and Learn Indiana, there is a field to note how many openings are available for a position.
Per state policy, an employer cannot utilize EARN funds if more than 50% of staff are interns. There is a maximum amount of funds that employers can be reimbursed for during a fiscal year (July 1- June 30). That amount is $45,000.
How to Post an Internship
- Log in to your workspace.
- Click “Add Internship +.”
- Complete all fields in the “Internship” tab
- If you would like to utilize EARN Indiana for a paid internship, on the “Internship” tab, make sure you select “Paid,” then select “Yes”
- Then answer whether you would like to participate in the College EARN application process or the High School EARN application process. An internship cannot be designated for both the high school EARN and college EARN program, you must submit separate internship postings for each.
- The EARN application will show up in an additional tab.
- Click the “Next Step >>” button.
- Select the specific skills needed for the position in the “Skills” tab and click the “Next Step >>” button.
- Be descriptive and include as many details as possible when completing all fields in the “Description” tab. Click the “Next Step >>” button.
- If you indicated you wish to utilize EARN Indiana, complete the EARN Indiana application.
- If you are offering an unpaid internship or not using EARN Indiana, the EARN application will not be visible.
- Click the “Submit for Review” button.
- If you wish to save the internship as a draft and return to it later, click “Save” and the position will not be submitted for approval.
- If the application has been submitted successfully, you will see a green banner at the top of the page indicating submission success.
Your internship will be sent to Work and Learn Indiana to review and approve.
Once your internship is approved, your EARN Indiana application will be sent to the Indiana Commission for Higher Education to review. For more information about EARN Indiana, visit www.workandlearnindiana.com/earn_info
If approved:
- You will receive an email from the CHE with information about accessing ScholarTrack, the EARN Indiana reimbursment system.
- Search for students on Work and Learn Indiana, wait for students to apply or have your intern(s) create an account on Work and Learn Indiana and have college/university students fill out EARN application (if you have recruited them outside the site). If the student is a high school student, the student will need to be enrolled by their educator.
- Have the potential college/university intern(s) complete the EARN Indiana form. The EARN Indiana banner will be located on their profile similar to yours. Their form is short and they will receive an immediate response letting them know whether or not they are eligible.
- Completing the EARN Indiana form is not a requirement to register on Work and Learn Indiana. EARN Indiana-eligible students are marked with the EARN Indiana logo. Some students may be EARN Indiana eligible, but haven’t completed the form. You can contact the student and ask them to do so.
- Mark your position as filled by clicking the person with a plus sign located to the right of the internship title. Then, select the student’s name in the "Select an Applicant" dropdown menu or enter their name in the "Search for an Intern" text box. If the student's name doesn't appear in either of the two locations, please contact workandlearnin@indianachamber.com.
- Once you have marked the position as filled, you will be able to log in to ScholarTrack to enter the intern’s hours.
If you hire a student not eligible for EARN Indiana, please log into your account on Work and Learn Indiana and mark the position as filled.
If denied:
- Review the reason for denial and make any necessary changes to your internship posting.
- Resubmit the position.
If denied and you are unable to change the internship to meet EARN Indiana standards, you may continue to use Work and Learn Indiana to connect with interns without receiving EARN Indiana funds.
Yes. If you've hired multiple interns for the same internship with different pay rates, you will need to submit separate EARN Indiana applications for each hourly wage. First, duplicate the position on Work and Learn Indiana by clicking the two pieces of paper next to the internship's title in your workspace. Be sure to give each duplicated internship a unique title, so you will remember which internship corresponds with the wage offered. After the position has been duplicated, make sure to fill out all of the fields on the duplicated position so that you can submit it for EARN Indiana wage reimbursement approval.
EARN Indiana-eligible students will be designated by a color flag next to their names and on their profile pages on Work and Learn Indiana. College/University students will be designated with a green flag and secondary students will be designated with a gold flag. When looking for applicants, an employer can search for EARN Indiana-eligible students.
Here is a listing of Indiana Institutions that are eligible to administer State Financial Aid. Institutions must be accredited. Reference the 21st Century Scholarship, Frank O'Bannon Grant, Adult Student Grant, Mitch Daniels Early Graduation Scholarship list via the link.
A college student may be eligible for EARN the summer after they graduate from their undergraduate degree as long as they were enrolled at least part-time at an accredited Indiana college/university the semester immediately preceding their graduation.
The student will also need to meet all other EARN eligibility requirements. For the comprehensive list of requirements, please see our EARN webpage.
The recently-graduated college intern's EARN eligibilty will expire once the summer term ends, which is in mid-August.
You may be eligible for EARN funding the summer after you graduate from high school. At the college level, a person's EARN eligibility is based on the following criteria:
- Be a resident of Indiana
- Be enrolled part time or full time at an accredited Indiana college or university for the fall semester after your high school graduation
- Have filed the FAFSA for the coming school year
- Have a Student Aid Index (SAI) of less than 24,570 (as established by the FAFSA)
- Not have a bachelor’s degree prior to the term when you will be working
- Meet any other criteria established by the Commission for Higher Education
To determine your eligibilty, you will need to fill out the EARN verification form. To do this, you will first need to log into your Work and Learn Indiana account and change your student type to "College/University." Once you've saved those changes, navigate back to your Workspace and look for the bright green EARN banner inviting you to find out if you're EARN eligible.
If you have questions about your EARN eligibility, please reach out to EARNIndiana@che.in.gov.
If you run into issues with the Work and Learn platform or changing your student type, reach out to WorkandLearnIN@indianachamber.com.
College/university student eligibility is based off of the current year FAFSA. To determine eligibililty, we ask college/university students to go ahead and apply for an account on Work and Learn Indiana. If after applying you have questions, please contact earnindiana@che.in.gov.
Unless you are a legal resident of Indiana, you are not eligible. Your residency is based off of the address of your true, fixed and permanent home. Living in Indiana for solely educational purposes is not considered legal residency.
Please see the State of Indiana webpage for more details regarding residency.
According to CHE, to be considered a resident of Indiana, you must be domiciled in the state on or before December 31st of the year preceding application for an award and be continuously domiciled in the state thereafter.
- Dependent Student Residency: Dependent students and their parents listed on the FAFSA must be domiciled in Indiana on December 31 of the calendar year immediately preceding the award year to receive the scholarship, and students must remain living in the state thereafter. The parents listed on the FAFSA do not need to remain living in Indiana. Once dependent students use a state financial aid award, they have established residency for state financial aid purposes. In subsequent award years, only the students’ residency is considered for eligibility purposes.
- Independent Student Residency: Independent students must be domiciled in Indiana on December 31 of the calendar year immediately preceding the award year to receiving the scholarship, and must remain living in the state thereafter.
EARN Indiana will cover up to 50% of the hourly wage paid for an EARN Indiana-eligible student’s approved internship. Internships must be approved by the Indiana Commission for Higher Education and the employer must hire an EARN Indiana-eligible student in order to receive reimbursement. Wages will be reimbursed only for hours worked and reported up to the maximum allowed (20 hours from mid-August through mid-April; 40 hours from mid-April through mid-August).
Students are able to work with an employer over 20 hours per week. Employers should not utilize the internship to replace full-time employees or provide a full-time employment experience. Employers will only be reimbursed for up to 20 hours per week through EARN Indiana during the academic semester and 40 hours during the summer semester.
Funding can be received for interns who have been verified as EARN Indiana eligible.
Both full and part-time students attending an eligible Indiana college or university and who have a Student Aid Index (SAI) less than 24,570 are eligible to participate in EARN Indiana. The SAI is based on information from the student’s Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).
High school students are required to be attending an Indiana secondary school to be EARN Indiana eligible and be enrolled by their school counselor/coordinator.
For more details on EARN Indiana eligibility requirements visit the EARN Indiana webpage.
A student should begin by creating a free Work and Learn Indiana account.
A college/university student can then apply to EARN Indiana to confirm their eligibility. After the college/university student makes their account, the EARN Indiana application will be the first thing that pops up in the student workspace after logging into their account. Once they complete the extremely short form, they will find out immediately if they're eligible. If a college/university student is eligible, the green EARN Indiana logo will appear on their profile.
A high school student will need to work with their school counselor or work-based learning coordinator to enroll in the EARN Indiana program. Once a student is deemed eligible by their school, the yellow EARN Indiana logo will appear on their profile.
Please note that not all eligible students will be aware of their eligibility. Employers should encourage college/university students to complete verification through Work and Learn Indiana or encourage high school students to contact their school counselor.
Marking a position filled with an EARN Indiana-eligible student transfers the student’s name and information to the EARN Indiana reimbursement system and allows you to submit hours worked for reimbursement. It also helps track the number of EARN Indiana-eligible positions that have been filled. To mark a position filled, follow these steps:
- Log in to your employer workspace on www.workandlearnindiana.com
- Click on the person with a plus sign to the right of your internship’s title
- Select your intern’s name from the “Select an applicant” dropdown menu or type their name in the “Search for an Intern” text box. If you do not see their name in either of these locations, then the intern needs to create an account on Work and Learn Indiana and enroll in EARN Indiana. You must do this step correctly in order to link your intern with your position in the reimbursement system for EARN Indiana funds. Creating a Work and Learn Indiana account does not mean a student is eligible for the EARN Indiana program. Refer students to the EARN Indiana webpage for questions on EARN Indiana participation.
- Enter your intern’s start date and expected end date
- Click save
- Repeat steps 2-5 for any additional interns you're hiring for that internship
The internship was properly marked filled if the EARN Indiana banner is located to the right of the student’s name in the “Current Fillings” section of your internship.
When positions are approved to participate in EARN Indiana, employers are emailed a user name and guide to accessing the program’s reimbursement system, ScholarTrack. This system is separate from the Work and Learn Indiana website. Employers also receive a copy of State Form 47551 (Automated Direct Deposit Authorization Agreement) and Form W-9 (Request for Taxpayer Identification Number and Certification). The latter two must be returned to CHE for funds to be direct deposited to the employer.
All documentation is submitted within ScholarTrack regarding reimbursement.
Hours are reported as weekly totals, and may be reported as convenient for the employer. CHE processes submitted hours once a week. Per state policy, reimbursements are typically paid 35 days in arrears. The reimbursement system displays when hours are being processed or have been paid. All hours must be reported no later than one month after the internship ends in order to receive reimbursement.
Employers are not penalized for not hiring an EARN Indiana-eligible student. Employers should hire the best person for the job, and all applicants should have an equal opportunity for employment. When applying for EARN Indiana, the employer can list if they desire to hire only EARN-eligible students, or if the internship is open to all applicants.
Only EARN approved positions filled with EARN eligible students will qualify for 50% reimbursement of the student's hourly wage. Employer is responsible for 100% of the hourly wage of a student that does not qualify for EARN Indiana funding.
Employers may receive assistance from other funding streams. Private grants and support can be used to supplement an intern’s salary. However, an employer may NOT receive EARN Indiana funds and federal work-study funds for the same position. Employers cannot utilize the Employer Training Grant program, but could utilize Career Scholarship Account funds. Questions about funding should be sent to earnindiana@che.in.gov.
From the Indiana Attorney General’s office: Under the Affordable Care Act, employers participating in the EARN Indiana program would not be required to provide student interns with health care insurance due to the fact that they are not considered “full-time” employees. More information can be found at http://in.gov/che/files/EARN_Indiana_Affordable_Care_Act_Memo_June_6_2013.pdf.
Indiana Commission for Higher Education manages the reimbursement of EARN Indiana funds. If you need assistance with anything involving reimbursement or the reimbursement site, please email CHE at EARNIndiana@CHE.in.gov
High school interns have a total of 365 days of EARN eligibility throughout their high school experience. That eligibility can be used in one continuous internship, or across multiple non-consecutive internships.
Regardless of whether the intern has used up all 365 days of eligibility, their high school EARN Indiana eligibility expires on June 30th after they graduate from high school. At that point, they may become eligible for college EARN Indiana funding if they meet the program criteria. For a list of the college EARN Indiana eligibility criteria, see our EARN Indiana webpage.
High school interns are only eligible for high school EARN Indiana while they are in high school. On July 1 (the beginning of the state fiscal year) each year, EARN Indiana eligibility is re-checked for all interns to ensure they still qualify. At that time, any individuals who have graduated from high school are no longer eligible for high school EARN Indiana funding.
If the intern will be participating in the same internship with the same organization, then the internship can be extended to June 30th of that same year. Any date changes need to be submitted to Work and Learn Indiana at workandlearnin@indianachamber.com prior to the start of the extension.
If the intern was a high school student, but graduated in May, and they are starting a new internship with a new organization, they may be able to start the internship under the college EARN Indiana program. To do so, they will need to have filed their FAFSA by the April deadline, and must meet the remaining college EARN criteria.
If the student does not graduate high school and would like to start a new internship over the summer, they would be able to do so.
Please reach out to workandlearnin@indianachamber.com with any questions.
Only the student intern is capable of completing the steps to determine whether they are eligible for college EARN funding.
If you have a high school EARN Indiana intern who is a senior and who is currently filling an internship, they should not check their college EARN eligibility until July 1, or it may disrupt current EARN Indiana funding.
If the high school student is not currently filling a high school EARN internship, then they may be able to check their college EARN eligibility after April of their senior year. They will need to be enrolled in an accredited Indiana college/university for the upcoming fall semester and have filed their FAFSA by the April deadline.
- To check for college EARN eligibility, the student would need to create their own Work and Learn Indiana account, or edit their current account and adjust their profile to be a college student type.
- Once they have created or edited their profile, the student's workshpace should populate a short form that invites them to "Find out if you are EARN Indiana eligible."
- On completion of the form, their EARN eligibilty will be returned in real time.
For a full list of college EARN Indiana eligibility criteria, see our webpage.
If your high school EARN intern is currently filling an EARN internship, they should wait until July 1 of the year they graduate from high school before checking their eligibilty for college EARN.
To check eligibility, they will log into their Work and Learn Indiana account workspace and find the “Manage Profile” link on the far right of the page. Then, they will change their student type to "College/University." They should carefully check the rest of the fields in their profile to make sure the details are correct, and then click “Save.”
When they navigate back to their Work and Learn Indiana Workspace, there should be a green banner inviting them to check if they are EARN Indiana eligible. The student should complete the four questions in the form, and their eligibility status should be returned to them in real time.
When an employer posts and internship with Work and Learn Indiana, there is an option for employers to select if they would be interested in hiring students involved with the Indiana Latino Institute internship or fellowship programs.
If an employer is interested and selects the option to participate, they will receive a follow up email from the Indiana Latino Institute Workforce Director to learn more. Their staff team will invite the employer to a conversation where the employer will learn more about the funding options and recruitment of students.
Only if the employer is intending to utilize the funding from the Indiana Latino Institute, are they then required to hire an ILI student. Just selecting the application option to work with ILI does not mean that there is quarenteed funding or that the employer is required to hire an ILI student.
No, the employer must choose which funding mechanism they prefer to utilize. If the student is EARN Indiana eligible, we suggest the employers utilize the state funds, however they are not required to do so. If the employer hires and ILI student and elects to utilize funding offered by their organization to pay the intern, then they are able to do so.
The Indiana Latino Institute (ILI) flag is posted on internship opportunities based on the employers' willingness to work with the Indiana Latino Institute to cultivate and find talent while also participating in additional funding opportunities. The ILI flag posted on opportunities indicates to ILI program students that the internship is a partnered position and eligible for ILI funds.
Students involved in the ILI program are not required to only search for ILI flagged opportunities.
The Indiana Latino Institute (ILI) flag is posted next to students profiles that are participants of the ILI program. These students have submitted applications to participate in the internship program and have been interviewed by the ILI staff for approval. Students involved in this program are also supported with additional funding and wrap around services to help them be successful in their work-based learning experience.
These students often attend professional development workshops and other activities to help them prepare for the workforce. More information about the ILI program can be found here: INTERNSHIPS - Welcome (indianalatinoinstitute.org)
A new partnership between the Indiana Chamber of Commerce’s Institute for Workforce Excellence (IWE) and the Indiana Latino Institute (ILI) is focused on strengthening work-based learning engagement by Latino students across the state.
Specifically, the two groups are collaborating on increasing internship matches for students involved with ILI’s internship and fellowship programs. This strategic initiative will give ILI access to track student participation in internship experiences – providing the ability for the organization to reach deeper levels of student support and better student work-based learning outcomes.
IWE will offer employers the opportunity to connect with ILI programming through its Work and Learn Indiana program, which comes with the potential of offering additional work-based learning funding. This also allows employers access to a larger and more diverse candidate pool with the benefit of helping train, skill and retain outstanding employees.
Learn more here: Indiana Chamber, Indiana Latino Institute Partner to Aid Employers