Applying
for SCA Internships
Is this the Right Program for You?
Internship Overview
Application Fee
Creating an Application
Application Navigation
Finding Internships
Adding Internship Positions
Removing Positions
Reference Forms
Status of Application
The Complete Application
Placement Process
Is this the Right Program for You?
SCA offers multiple programs based on age and location. If you're not sure which one is right for you, explore the options before starting an application. (Once you start an application, it's not possible to simply switch to another program; you need to create a different application for each program.)
Expense-paid internships are for those 18 and older. They include team-oriented experiences and individual postings.
Learn about National Conservation Crews or Community Programs for ages 15-19. (Some Community Programs use a different application process. Use the contact information for specific cities to learn more about their opportunities and application.)
Field Leader staff positions are seasonal or year-round, and provide employment for those 21 and older.
SCA Internships Overview
The Student Conservation Association (SCA) partners with federal agencies and other public and private organizations to provide expense-paid internships. We recruit a national pool of applicants, then we help them complete his or her online application. Finally, we presecreen candidates for our partners. Generally, non-SCA staff at the site where an internship is located select specific candidates from our pool to interview. Those site supervisors make the actual selection of interns.
Early review for summer positions begins in mid-February each year. For other early review dates see the Placement Process section below: When does SCA begin sending applications to sites?
Application Fee
A $25 application fee ($40 for non-US citizens) is due once per person per lifetime and covers an unlimited number of internship positions. The fee helps us develop and maintain the technolgoy for our green - almost paperless - process.
Once the fee page appears, it's necessary to submit payment before finishing or editing what you've already worked on. The application software itself limits further access until the $25 fee is paid.
There are two ways to pay:
- enter your credit card information online, or
- send a check or money order to:
Student Conservation Association National Headquarters
PO Box 550
Charlestown, NH 03603
If you have questions or need to process a credit card over the phone, just contact our admissions department staff at 603.543.1700 ext. 370.
Have you already paid a fee for a different SCA program?
If you've paid the fee for a high school application, you don't need to pay another fee for internships. Once you've created an account and begun an internship application, please email Admissions@theSCA and put Fee Waiver Second Application in the subject line. Include your full name, as you've entered it on the application, and your address, in the body of the email so we're sure we're adjusting the right person's fee status.
Creating an Application
What if I already have an SCA internship account and application?
Once you've created one account for internships, you never need to create another. Just update your existing application. If you've forgotten your username and password, you can retrieve them. Just click on Login and follow the instructions.
If I've applied for an SCA high school program or field leader position, do I have to create a new account for internships?
Yes. It must have a unique Username, Password and Email Address. Once you've created a new account, you'll be ready to fill out the special online application for internships.
If you only have one email address -- and do not want to be considered for two separate programs at the same time -- it's fine to ask us to transfer your address to the new application. Send a request to Admissions@theSCA.org with Transfer My Email Address in the subject line. Remember to include your full name and address in the body of the email so we know exactly who is asking.
See Application Fee to learn how to have the fee waived for your second application.
Are you creating an internship account for the first time? Here's how to get started...
Step 1: Click on Sign Up
Step 2: Click on the Create Account tab
Enter a Username and Password, and also add your Email Address.
Please double-check your email address. If it's inaccurate, we can't process your application.
Step 3: Begin an Application
Once you've created or logged in to your account, click Go to My Application. On the next page, re-enter your password. (You'll need to do this each time you log in.)
Step 4: Choose a Program
Once you click on Sign Up for the appropriate program, you're ready to fill out and complete the application.
If you haven't reviewed our programs yet, please take a minute to check them out.
Step 5: Complete the Application
How much detail do I really need to go into?
Taking the time to include your interests, abilities and preferences in detail is vital to creating a competitive application. Be specific about tasks you've accomplished and skills in which you've achieved full competency. Include volunteer service projects, independent study, or science lab assignments. Identify outdoor skills gained in scouting, summer camp experiences or on family trips. Be specific. Can you hike 2 miles? 10? 20? Have you done public speaking to groups outside class? Did you compile data or analyze it?
We consider all of this carefully to find candidates who closely match the requirements and overall needs of available positions.
What is the "Important" Banner?
Each time you open your application, look for messages under the Important banner. Following the suggestions there will make your application stronger.
What is the deadline for completion?
Placement happens almost every business day, so there's no single deadline. However, there are six important dates you don't want to miss. We begin to review and send a significant number of complete applications to site managers six times a year.
Early review for summer positions begins on February 15 each year. Go to Placement to find the other dates.
Application Navigation
IMPORTANT - Save each section as soon as you complete it.
Click Save & Go Back if you want to check on or change a section you've already completed.
Click Save & Continue (or Save as Complete & Continue) to move to the next section.
Click Save & Continue Later if you need to take a break and log out before finishing all the sections. Be sure to log out.
Why can't I edit my application after I get to the fee page?
Once the fee page appears, it's necessary to submit payment before finishing or doing more editing. After the fee is paid, you can update information anytime. See Application Fee above.
Two other exceptions...
On both the Optional Survey or Short Answer pages: you can only Save & Go Forward. It's not possible to Save & Go Back.
How do I get back to where I left off?
Login to your account. Click on Go to My Application. Enter your password again when prompted.
Once you've entered your password the second time, find Main Menu and click on Update My Application. This will take you to the last page on which you input information.
Remember to save after each section.
Can I still edit after I've submitted the complete application?
Yes, you can! However, you won't be able to remove internships that you've added. See Removing Positions for more information.
Finding Internships
Search positions by Advanced Search, Category only, Browse All or Hot Internships.
Advanced Search - Choose from 10 subject categories and enter your availability dates here. Once the list is generated, you can refine the search further by regions and other factors.
Category Only - View all categories and sub-categories. Once you've chosen a category and the list is generated, you can refine the search further. Sort by keyword in the Search box, then click Apply, or click State or Start Date at the top of the right hand columns.
Browse All Internships - Sort by keyword, state or start date, just as in Category.
Hot Internships - Updated weekly, this method highlights positions that need to be filled quickly, are looking for local candidates, require a very specific set of skills, or include other special circumstances.
How can I find internships that have recently been added to the list?
Searching regularly by one method, whether it's by category, keyword, state, or start date, will help you recognize newly posted positions because you'll be familiar with the existing ones.
How do I choose positions I'm likely to be considered for?
Read carefully to find positions that match the dates you'll be available, the skills you offer and any specific requirements listed (car available, valid driver's license, etc.). If an internship requires a car and you haven't checked that you have one, we can't consider you.
Be sure to consider the living situation and daily routine. Will you be comfortable living in a tent? Do you love to spend lots of time alone in the woods? Or would your prefer to be part of a group?
Why are positions listed that have start dates in the past?
In this case, the site supervisors are still looking for just the right person. The actual start date will be as soon as possible once that person is found. The length of the internship will be the same length as stated in the position description, regardless of start date, so the end date will be extended.
Adding Internship Positions
When you find a position description you're interested in, click on Save Internship. This is the first step. An internship doesn't become part of your application until one of the following happens:
- Choose Apply Now from my sca, found on the upper left toward the top of the web page.
- Save positions will automatically be added when you log out or when you click Go to My Application.
IMPORTANT
Positions can't be deleted once Added. Please carefully reconsider new positions before they are permanently saved through either of the above actions. Remove any that you've Saved which, on second thought, you aren't likely to accept if offered. This will avoid extra steps later when you'll have to ask SCA staff to "remove" positions.
It is possible for us to change the status so that you won't be considered for a particular internship. (See Removing Positions below.)
How many internships should I add?
Add at least 4-8 to increase your chances of being selected. Don't hesitate to add many more if you find more you're seriously interested in.
You'll be more competitive if you choose several geographic areas and more than one type of position.
Your application won't be sent to every site. See Placement for more information.
Does it matter if I only choose one geographic area?
Yes, it does. It's best to choose a variety of locations around the country and different types of positions.
The most competitive sites are in Alaska and Hawaii, as well as the most well known National Parks, such as Yellowstone and Yosemite. For better success, be sure to include less familiar sites in other states. Interns have amazing experiences wherever they serve.
How serious do I need to be about positions?
Please be reasonably sure that if a position were offered to you, you would accept it.
Where can I view all the positions I've saved?
When logged in, there are two ways:
- Go to any position description and click on View Saved.
- At the top of the web page, last on the right, is my sca. That will take you to your profile page, which list internships you've saved or added.
Removing Positions
Once you've added positions (see above), they cannot be deleted - by anyone. We'll be glad to change the status for you, though.
Email admissions@theSCA.org Include your full name as it appears on your application and the position ID number(s). We'll change the status to "disqualified." Don't worry, we aren't disqualifying you from other positions. It just tells us not to consider you for any you're no longer interested in.
"Disqualified" also refers to internships for which you don't meet all the requirements. This is determined by SCA staff.
What if my availability dates change?
If you want to remove positions because your schedule has changed, there's no need to ask us to disqualify them. Log on and adjust your availability dates to reflect the change. Once you've done that, we'll only see positions that fit within your revised dates. See the FAQs to learn how.
When will "filled" or "cancelled" positions be removed?
There's no need to ask for these positions to be removed. They will remain as part of your application. See the FAQs to learn how to Filter positions so that it's easier to find the internships that are still active.
Reference Forms
At least one reference is required before your application is considered complete. The first step is easy; you just send the request found in the application to someone who knows your skills and abilities. It's a really good idea to check in a few days to make sure he or she has submitted the reference to the SCA. You're welcome to ask several people to provide a reference for you.
IMPORTANT
We only review complete applications; those include at least one reference.
How do I check to see that a reference is attached?
- Go to the references section of the application. You'll find it on the landing page once you click on Go to My Application.
- Find Main Menu.
- Look under the Action column next to the person's name.
- If you see Form is Completed and a date, that's good news.
- If the reference has not been sent to SCA, you'll see Edit/Delete. Please contact the person to encourage them to send it in, or if they really don't have time, send a request to someone new.
Status of My Application
After you've logged in, look at the list of options under Main Menu. The first item is Update My Application. Your status will be listed next to it.
What does each status mean?
Questions - You're very early in the process and still have questions to answer.
In Progress - This indicates that either you haven't paid the fee or that you haven't reached the point where you click on Submit Application.
Incomplete - Your entries are complete, but no reference is attached.
Complete - Everything's ready for us to review.
The Complete Application
You will qualify to be considered for an invaluable expense-paid internship when:
- you have answered all the questions,
- have paid the $25 fee,
- at least one Reference form as been completed and attached, and
- you've clicked Submit Application. If you don't receive an email acknowledging this action, please email admissions@theSCA.org to let us know you've submitted it.
- You can go back and update information or add positions at anytime.
What if I get a job or my plans change?
If your plans change and you're no longer available at this time but think you might wish to apply in the future, please change your availability dates - move them ahead a year, for instance. See FAQs to learn how.
Placement Process
Our partners submit their internship positions to SCA on a rolling basis throughout the year. Some are posted more than three months in advance. Others are posted much closer to the start date. Because of this, the process is dynamic. Check back often to learn the status of the internships you've added.
Who reviews my application? How can I change positions from "Interested" to "Sent"?
This process does not involve you. Reviewing and sending applications to sites is done by SCA placement staff. The staff at each internship site considers the candidates whose applications we've sent to them.
Here's how it works...
The first steps take place at the SCA. There are often dozens of people interested in a single position (sometimes hundreds!) Our placement representatives identify a handful of candidates who appear to most closely meet the requirements. Those applications are sent to the internship supervisor(s) at each site.
The next steps are in the hands of our partners: the site's staff members. They choose from the applications we've sent to them. They contact candidates to set up an interview by phone and then make the final selection.
When does SCA begin sending applications to sites?
Placement is an ongoing process every day, but early review begins on the business day closest to six dates each year.
Review Begins on... For Positions that Start in...
September 15 January/ February
November 15 March/ April
February 15 May - July (This time frame has the majority of positions.)
May 15 August/ September
July 15 October/ November
August 15 December
IMPORTANT
Not all positions will be posted by the dates our reviews begin. For instance, we begin review for January and February in mid-September. A significant number of internships that begin in January will not be posted until October/ November. This pattern is true all year.
Check back often to continue to search for positions that have recently been posted.
How long does review and placement last?
Review and placement continues from the above start dates until all positions have been filled.
Why isn't my application sent to all the positions I'm interested in?
One of the services SCA provides our partners is prescreening applications to reduce the number they review. This is invaluable to them because some of the most popular positions have up to two hundred applicants.
Can I still be considered if I'm not chosen at the beginning of the review times?
Absolutely. If you are in the first group reviewed but do not get selected by a site, there may be an opportunity for your application to be sent to additional sites. Sometimes site supervisors don't find just the right person in the first group we send them and ask to see more applications. We'll screen more candidates who qualify.
Keep checking back to see if positions you're interested in have been filled or cancelled. Search for and add more positions for us to consider you for.
Can I still be considered if I haven't yet applied when review begins?
Yes. New positions are constantly coming in to SCA and quite often there is a relatively short interval between posting and the start date. Check back frequently to search for positions that have recently been posted. You can continue to add more as long as you wish.
What do "active", and "filled" found next to the positions mean?
These are important stage indicators. See the FAQs to learn what those stages are.
In short, if many, or most, of your choices have been filled or cancelled, it's time to add more.
What happens once my application is sent to a site?
Once your application is Sent, you'll receive an email. It will usually contain information about how to reach the site coordinator. It's a good idea to give them a quick call so that they hear directly from you about your interest.
If you don't receive contact information, the site staff member in charge of hiring has chosen to contact you and would prefer not to be contacted directly by candidates.
What else can I do to increase the potential for being selected?
The more active and involved you are, the better your chances of landing one of our highly sought-after internships.
- Regularly check the stage and status of your positions
- Add internships when appropriate
- Be sure to read our periodic emails and act on our suggestions
Do you have more questions?
Go to the FAQs for additional details.
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