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Sprinternship requirements and application

Sprinternships are a key part of Break Through Tech Chicago’s mission, which is to advance the tech careers of women and nonbinary people and enhance gender diversity in the tech sector.

We are accepting applications for paid Sprinternships™ through November 11, 2024, at 11:59 p.m. Sprinternships, scheduled May 12 – 30, 2025, are three-week tech micro-internships with companies and organizations in the Chicago area. Break Through Tech Chicago Sprinterns™ collaborate in teams of five on a computing or data-related project with one of our industry sponsors.

The Sprinternship application (see link below — UIC NetID and password required) will take about 20 to 45 minutes to complete, and you will be asked to upload a 2-minute video self-recording at the end. You may come back and finish a partially completed application by using the same application link. We will only review complete applications.

Who is eligible to apply:

Break Through Tech Chicago members and UIC undergraduate students who are COMMITTED to pursuing a career in tech, regardless of your class standing. While most of our Sprinterns major or minor in computer science, data science, CS & linguistics or other UIC tech disciplines, we also include students who have chosen to major in non-tech disciplines and have a strong interest in a tech career. Tech includes jobs in coding, software engineering, information technology, artificial intelligence, data science, business analytics, data visualization & reporting and other technical applications.

  • Must be enrolled in and actively taking classes at UIC during the Spring 2025 semester.
  • Desired class standing: rising sophomores, juniors and seniors.
  • Must have a GPA of 2.5 or higher.
  • Students who can demonstrate and contribute to our mission of preparing more college women (cis and trans) and nonbinary individuals for jobs in the tech world; we are especially interested in advancing Black, Latina, and Indigenous women who want to pursue careers in tech.
  • Former Sprinterns, Tech in Residence, and/or Chicago Tech Circle students are welcome to apply and will be enrolled if program capacity exists.
  • All students, including international students, are welcome to apply. In order to be considered for the program, students must present valid authorization to work in the United States at the time of application, enrollment, and the duration of the Sprinternship program which takes place May 12 to May 30, 2025. The following list of acceptable documents will be considered for eligibility. Additionally, international students will be placed with UIC Sprintern hosts and will be able to work in these positions as on-campus employment. Sprinternship does not allow for Curriculum Practical Training (CPT). UIC HR will verify all work authorization to ensure eligibility. Should you have any questions about your work authorization status, please contact the Office of International Services (OIS).

Sprinterns agree to:

  • Work full-time for three weeks, May 12 – 30, 2025.
  • Be physically present in the U.S. and Chicagoland area during the period of Sprinternship
  • Complete required activities with Break Through Tech Chicago:
    • Student Orientation (Thursday, March 13, 2025, 5:00pm-7:00pm CST).
    • Student Workshop (Saturday, April 5, 2025, 9:00am-5:00pm CST).
    • Submit completion survey at the end of Sprinternship.
  • Complete required onboarding procedures with your assigned organization (e.g., background checks, drug tests, etc.) prior to the Sprinternship.
  • Accept the employer match facilitated by the Break Through Tech Chicago team, based on the employer’s and your input. While we do our best to match everyone’s preferences, we cannot guarantee a precise match.
  • Represent Break Through Tech Chicago in the best light possible before, during, and after Sprinternship.

UIC authentication will be required to proceed to the application. If you are off campus, you will need to connect to the UIC VPN. Instructions can be found here. If you have issues, visit the BTTC office in the Engineering Innovation Building, Room 273 during the following days and times: Monday and Wednesday 1:00pm – 4:00pm and Friday 1:00pm – 3:00pm.

If you have questions, email btt@uic.edu.
Sprinternship Application Form