The KEYS Research internship is a paid opportunity for undergraduate and graduate students in social sciences, humanities, business, and other disciplines to gain practical experience working on research projects with their own mentors.
As a Keys Research Intern, you will have the opportunity to work closely with a team of leading scientists to understand the social and environmental drivers of human well-being. You will have the chance to gain hands-on experience in research methods and data analysis while gaining valuable professional contacts.
The Keys internship program is a paid, on-campus internship at the School of Library and Information Science at Arizona State University in Tempe, AZ. This is a unique opportunity for students to develop their professional skills while working closely with staff members in both the School of Library and Information Science and the College of LAS.
Application Materials of KEYS Research Internship
In addition to our in-person internships, we have virtual internships for a limited number of highly motivated students with interests in computational biology and bioinformatics. If you are interested in applying for the virtual internship, please let us know by indicating so in your letter of interest.
1 ONLINE APPLICATION FORM
The application is completed online. Once you create an account through your email, you can save and return to the application at any time.
2 LETTER OF INTEREST
Instructions for writing the Letter of Interest
- You must address the following prompts in your letter:
- Identify your life and academic goals and explain how participating in the KEYS Research Internship will help you achieve both.
- Identify your specific interests in bioscience research, if you have them, and explain what sparked your interests. Or, if your interests are still evolving, explain how the KEYS Research Internship will help you narrow your focus.
- Identify one of your strengths or attributes and explain how it makes you more competitive for the KEYS Research Internship.
- If you are interested in applying for an online-only internship position, please also include the following information in your letter. Applicants wishing to participate in person do not need to answer the following question.
- Why do you want to participate in the online internship and what makes you competitive for this role?
- The letter must be saved in a .doc, .docx, or .pdf format.
- Your letter in total cannot exceed 800 words.
- Letters that exceed this number will be read up to the 800-word mark and no further.
- Your letter should be word-processed, single-spaced, and in 12-point font. Font types Times New Roman or Arial are preferred.
- The letter should begin with, “Dear Selection Committee”.
Helpful considerations
- Do not lose easy points for not following directions!
- If your GPA is less than the recommended 3.5, use your letter as an opportunity to address why it is low and what you have done to still excel.
- Follow these useful phases in creating your letter:
Phase 1: Plan
- Create a timeline and outline of what needs to be done
- Pick a date you want to have your letter completed by then create different time slots before then for phases 2-4
Phase 2: Draft
- Don’t overwhelm yourself
- Be creative -what sets you apart?
- Be mindful of the reader -use paragraphs to separate ideas
Phase 3: Craft
- This is the editing phase
- Get feedback from other readers
- Personalize your work
Phase 4: Edit
- Proofread
- Remove flowery language
- Phase 3: Craft
3OFFICIAL TRANSCRIPT
You can either have your school counselor email your transcript to keys@bio5.org(link sends e-mail) or by using Parchment.
4TWO (2) ACADEMIC OR PROFESSIONAL RECOMMENDATIONS
One of your recommendations MUST be from a current or previous science teacher that knows you well. The other recommendation can be from another teacher, counselor, club advisor, coach, etc. You will provide their official emails in the application form and we will contact them for the recommendations, to be submitted via the University of Arizona Qualtrics program.
Please note, this is not a letter request but a form sent from the KEYS program to their professional email.
5. APPLICANT AND PARENT/GUARDIAN SIGNATURES
You and your parents/legal guardians must sign and upload the forms to your online application. The forms can be found
Application Process University of Arizona keys internship
The application process for Key to Arizona is pretty straightforward, but there are some things you need to keep in mind. To help applicants navigate this process, here are 3 stypes things to keep in mind when applying for a new job.
Step 1
The review committee anonymously reads every applicant’s letter of interest. You have scored in your mechanics, ability to follow directions, and (most importantly) in your passion for science and desire to do research.
Step 2
The entire application packet is reviewed. You are given a score based on your recommendations, grades, and other considerations. The top scores are then invited to interview.
Step 3
In the interview, applicants will be asked to discuss their qualifications and interests in research. They will also be assessed on maturity, professionalism, and genuine good character.
Note: Online applications for the 2022 KEYS Internship will open on October 1, 2021.