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Spring Break 2026 Mini-Intensive Internship Dates:

March 22, 2026 (Mandatory Orientation) + March 23-26, 2026

 

Priority Application Deadline:

Sunday, January 25, 2026 @ 11:59 pm

 

Summer 2026 Intensive Internship Dates:

September 13, 2026 (Mandatory Orientation) + September 14-18, 2026

 

Priority Application Deadline:

Sunday, May 10, 2026 @ 11:59 pm (continuing UCSC students)

Wednesday, June 10, 2026 @ 11:59 pm (incoming Transfer students)

 

Cal Teach offers two intensive internships — one during UCSC’s Spring Break (Mini-Intensive Internship 4 days) and the other the week before the UCSC academic year begins (Intensive Internship 5 days). These internships are open to new and continuing Cal Teach interns, with continuing interns serving as peer mentors to new interns. The intensive internships provide a week-long experience in a high-need rural or urban school, and require participants to be available for four (Mini-Intensive) or five (Intensive) consecutive full schools days + transportation to and from school site.

Who Can Participate?

Continuing UCSC undergraduates (with or without previous Cal Teach experience), incoming UCSC transfer students, and college graduates with academic or professional training in science, mathematics, or engineering are all welcome to apply.

Note: If you are a current F-1 visa holder, UCSC policy mandates that additional requirements are met in order to participate. Please contact Cal Teach before submitting your application to discuss eligibility. 

What is Expected of Intensive Interns?

An intensive intern must:

  • be interested in a K-12 science or math teaching career and have appropriate science or math background
  • be available all four (Mini-Intensive) or five (Intensive) consecutive full school days + transportation to and from school sites
  • be able to commute to participating schools in Pajaro Valley Unified School District (Mini-Intensive) or Salinas Union High School District (Intensive) by public transportation, personal vehicle, or Cal Teach carpool
  • Fingerprinting & TB test documentation must be completed in advance of the internship. 
What are the Benefits?

Intensive internship participants will:

  • learn how teachers and schools support high-need students in the partner schools
  • work closely with a mentor teacher
  • work closely with a motivated cohort of future math and science teachers
  • have access to transportation to and from the school sites
  • be reimbursed for TB testing and have fingerprinting costs covered
  • earn a $500 (Mini-Intensive) or $600 (Intensive) scholarship
What are the requirements for the Intensive Internship in order to be considered successful/complete?
  • Full and successful participation (orientation + internship days)
  • Completion of entrance survey (new interns only) and post-internship survey

Apply Now!

1) The Intensive Internship Application Form is a google form with short response questions (1-2 paragraph answers for each question). Make sure to have well thought out responses before submitting the form.

  • The application includes providing an Unofficial Transcript. Attach the PDF when prompted in the application.
Click here to access the application

2) Recommendation Form: Send the Cal Teach Recommendation Form to a present or past supervisor, professor, teacher, advisor or tutor. The Recommendation Form consists of 1-5 scale questions with optional descriptions, so be sure to let your recommender know it only takes a few minutes to complete. NOTE: If you have already participated in a Cal Teach internship in the past, you do not need to submit a new recommendation letter.

Click here to access the form