Business internships for college students, by major
Pick your major to see the internships it leads to, the skills employers look for, when that field recruits, and the certifications worth adding. Then search real listings near you by ZIP code and distance.
Business internships look different in every major. An accounting intern might spend the summer on audit or tax work at a public accounting firm, while a marketing intern runs campaigns and a supply chain intern works on inventory and logistics. Knowing what your field's internships involve — and when those employers recruit — is the first step to landing one.
Each guide below covers one major: the internships it leads to, the skills employers look for, the recruiting timeline, the resume keywords that match real postings, and the certifications worth adding. Every page also shows a sample of recent real listings for that field.
When you are ready to apply, search by ZIP code to see internships near you, sorted by fit and distance, including listings from companies' own career pages that do not always appear on the big job boards.
Choose your major
Questions students ask
When should business students apply for summer internships?
It depends on the field. Finance and accounting firms often recruit a year ahead, in the fall of junior year or earlier, while marketing, human resources and smaller companies often hire in the spring. Each major's page shows its typical timeline.
Can freshmen and sophomores get business internships?
Yes. Many large firms run early-insight or sophomore programs, and smaller companies hire students of any year. Job simulations, a relevant certification and campus leadership roles help you stand out early.
Are business internships paid?
Most business internships at companies are paid. Unpaid internships at for-profit companies must meet the U.S. Department of Labor's primary beneficiary test; our guide to paid and unpaid internships explains it.
Looking for credentials instead? See certifications for business majors.
Career guides
- Free Certifications for Business Students — Every free and free-to-audit certification in our catalog, grouped by business major, with what each one teaches and how long it takes.
- When to Apply for Business Internships, by Major — Recruiting timelines for 14 business majors — when accounting, finance, marketing and other internships typically open, and what to do each year.
- How to Write a Business Internship Resume — A one-page resume structure for business students, with resume keywords for 14 majors and examples of bullets that show results.
- How to Get a Business Internship With No Experience — Seven practical ways business students build experience before their first internship — most of them free.
- Business Internship Interview Questions and How to Prepare — The questions business internship interviews usually ask — behavioral, motivational and technical — and a simple way to prepare your answers.
- How to Network for a Business Internship — How business students find people to talk to, what to write to them, and how an informational interview turns into a referral.
- Internship Cover Letter for Business Students, With an Example — A simple four-paragraph structure for a business internship cover letter, with what to put in each part and the mistakes that get letters skipped.
- How to Get a Return Offer From Your Internship — What managers look for when deciding on return offers, and what to do in the first week, the middle and the last week of your internship.
- Paid vs. Unpaid Internships: What Business Students Should Know — When an unpaid internship is legal in the US, the questions to ask before accepting one, and how to find paid business internships.