Child Life Internship

Thank you for your interest in our child life internship. We believe that child life interns must practice what they have learned, through formal and informal training, hands-on clinical practice and collaboration with peers.

The online application portal will open for applications for the Fall 2023 semester on Wednesday, January 25th, 2023 at 12:00pm central time. The portal will close after 60 applicants are received OR until Wednesday, March 15th, 2023 at midnight.

Diversity Scholarship

The Association of Child Life Professionals has funding for a limited number of scholarships to help support students of diverse backgrounds and experiences during their internships. Applications are available following each internship application cycle.

Completed application details

Cook Children's accepts the first 60 completed applications received each semester.

Details about when an application is considered complete are listed below.

Direct questions to childlifestudents@cookchildrens.org

Cook Children's only accepts the first 60 completed applications received each semester. Once 60 complete applications are received, the Cook Children's online application submission portal will close. This could happen well before the identified ACLP application deadline date. The following information details the parameters that dictate when an application would be considered "complete" by our program.

ACLP New Common Internship Readiness Application
Confidentiality agreement - available in the online application submission portal
ACLP Eligibility Assessment
Unofficial academic transcripts(s) verifying courses/program required by the ACLP Eligibility Assessment

Program information and requirements

We offer comprehensive child life internship opportunities three times a year beginning in January, May, and September
The Child Life internship is a 15-1/2 week, full-time experience (40 hours/week)
- Students will obtain 600 hours of clinical experience
- Students are expected to be available for internship during regular business hours
- Some rotations require evening and weekend coverage
Students will complete a minimum of two rotations
Students must complete the Association of Child Life Professionals (ACLP) Internship Curriculum Modules and a variety of assignments
Required immunizations
- Full Hepatitus B Series
- MMR
- TDaP
- Varicella vaccination or titer
- Influenza Immunization
- Negative Tuberculin (TB) Test
- Covid-19 vaccination (no medical exemptions allowed)

Applicant requirements

At this point in time, Cook Children's no longer requires the child life practicum for internship applicants
Must be at least a college senior, graduate student or college graduate
Must have experiences working with children and familes in both health-care and outside of health-care related settings
Validation of coursework
- Completed Association of Child Life Professionals Eligibility Assessment indicating "passed" in all coursework requirements
- Unofficial transcripts are accepted
Additional requirements specific to our internship program are outlined in the Clinical Internship Application Packet

Application information

The online application portal will open Wednesday, January 25th, 2023 at 12:00pm central time to receive application submissions for the FALL 2023 semester.

Consideration for internship requires the student submit a complete application and meet our program's minimum requirements
Submitting a complete application does not guarantee a student an interview or internship placement
Paper applications are not considered
The first 60 complete applications will be reviewed
The application portal will close once 60 complete applications have been received

Application Links and Resources

Internship application, offer and acceptance dates

Internship Session

Deadline

Initial Offer Date

Acceptance Date

2nd Offer Date
Summer 2023
(May – August)

January 5th, 2023
11:59 p.m.

February 14th, 2023
12 p.m. – 4 p.m.
Central time

February 15th, 2023
No later than 4 p.m.
Central time

February 16th, 2023
12 p.m. – 4 p.m.
Central time
Fall 2023
(August – December)

March 15th, 2023
11:59 p.m.

May 2nd, 2023
12 p.m. – 4 p.m.
Central time

May 3rd, 2023
No later than 4 p.m.
Central time

May 4th, 2023
12 p.m. – 4 p.m.
Central time
Spring 2024
(January – April)

September 7th, 2023
11:59 p.m.

October 10th, 2023
12 p.m. – 4 p.m.
Central time

October 11th, 2023
No later than 4 p.m.
Central time

October 12th, 2023
12 p.m. – 4 p.m.
Central time

Interview dates

All interviews will be conducted virtually via Zoom.

SUMMER 2023- Thursday, January 26th, 2023
FALL 2023- Monday, April 24th, 2023
SPRING 2024 - Monday, September 25th, 2023

Questions?

Please email us at ChildLifeStudents@cookchildrens.org.