Getty Marrow Undergraduate Internships at the Getty Center and Villa

Opportunity Description:

Since 1993, the Getty Marrow Undergraduate Internship program has provided substantive, full-time work opportunities to more than 3,300 undergraduates, introducing them to potential careers in the arts. Aiming to encourage greater diversity in professions related to museums and the visual arts, the program funds internships at cultural organizations across Los Angeles, including at the Getty Center and Getty Villa. The Foundation's support enables organizations to host students in full-time, paid internships for ten weeks during the summer.

The internships are intended for outstanding students who are members of groups underrepresented in careers related to museums and the visual arts. Students gain experience in key areas such as curatorship, conservation, education, publications, and related programmatic activities. Candidates are sought from all areas of undergraduate study at any higher education institution—including community colleges, trade schools, and public and private universities—and are not required to have demonstrated a previous commitment to the visual arts.

Internships provide stipends of $6,000 for ten-week summer internships at the Getty Center in Los Angeles and Getty Villa in Malibu, California. The internships are full time beginning June and ending in August (exact dates vary from year-to-year). If your school schedule conflicts with these dates, please email summerinterns@getty.edu.

Health insurance, housing, and transportation are not provided.

Minimum Qualifications and/or Eligibility Requirements: 

Students must:

• Be of a group underrepresented in museums and visual arts organizations, including, but not limited to, individuals of African American, Asian, Latino/Hispanic, Native American, or Pacific Islander descent;
• Be currently enrolled undergraduates (bachelor's degree program, associate's degree program, or a vocational or technical program below the baccalaureate level). Students must have completed at least one semester or two quarters of college by June. (Students who are enrolled in a second BA or BS program are not eligible.)
• Reside or attend college in Los Angeles County; and
• Be a United States citizen or permanent resident (non-citizen authorized to live and work in the United States on a permanent basis; also known as a "green card" holder). Students with DACA (Deferred Action for Childhood Arrival) status valid through the internship period are also eligible.

Application Process: 

Applicants are required to complete and submit the online Getty Marrow Undergraduate Internships application form (which includes uploading a supplemental application form; Personal Statement; Transcript(s); and Letters of Recommendation) by February 1. Materials received after the deadline will result in an incomplete application.

Application Materials
As part of the application, you will need to prepare the following materials:

• Personal Statement: Upload a personal statement of no more than 500 words (2 typed pages, double-spaced). The personal statement should address both of the following points:
  • The Getty Marrow Undergraduate Internship program encourages greater diversity in professions related to museums and the visual arts. What interests you most about this program? As part of your response, please elaborate on how representing diverse perspectives is important to you.
  • Please describe aspects of your past academic and/or job experience that you feel are most relevant to this application, as well as any specific future career or educational avenues you are interested in exploring.
• Transcript(s): Please upload an up-to-date copy of your transcript(s). Transcript(s) must record at least one semester or one quarter of college/university by the time of the application. College/university here refers to bachelor's degree program or associate's degree program below the baccalaureate level. If you have transferred in the past year, you must also include a transcript from your previous college/university. If you graduated from a school outside of the United States, transcripts may be substituted with proof of completed courses and/or copies of diploma(s). Multiple transcripts must be combined into a single PDF before upload. Please be aware that we may request hardcopies of official transcript(s) later in the evaluation process.
• Letters of Recommendation (2): Applicants must have two confidential letters of recommendation submitted directly by their recommenders through the application system. Please note that additional letters will not be considered. Letters must be received no later than February 1. Typically, the most appropriate recommenders are college/university faculty members who can address your academic performance. Other recommenders may include past or current employers of relevant work who are familiar with your skills and abilities.
  • To request letters of recommendation, provide the name and contact information of your recommenders in the "Letters of Recommendation" section of the online application. The Getty will automatically contact your recommenders via email through the application system. You will be able to monitor your account to confirm that the letters have been submitted.
  • Recommenders should be sure to state how long they have known the applicant and in what capacity. We particularly appreciate comments on the applicant's abilities in the following areas: academic performance, research and writing skills, curiosity and ability to take initiative, interpersonal skills, and dependability. We appreciate you ranking the applicant on a scale of 1 to 5, with 1 being below average and 5 being excellent. Recommenders will be automatically contacted via email through the application system.