.png?sfvrsn=db4f974d_0)
As a requirement to sit for the Child Life Certification Exam, students must complete a (minimum) 600 hour clinical internship in child life under the direct supervision of a Certified Child Life Specialist.
Internships are typically full-time, hands-on, and are required to meet the eligibility requirements for the child life certification exam. Internships are experience-based and are designed to teach and develop independent skills of child life practice. Individuals are expected, by the conclusion of the internship, to be able to function as job-ready, competent child life professionals.
Most internships are unpaid; however, there are a few child life programs that do offer paid internships.
.png?sfvrsn=434e974d_0)
Individuals must apply to specific internship programs to secure an internship. Internships are competitive and applicants are not always offered placements the first time they apply.
It is common for applicants to apply for more than one application cycle before receiving an offer. Asking for feedback, incorporating that feedback, and applying again are all typical parts of the professional development of future child life specialists.
ACLP recommends that programs utilize the Internship Readiness Common Application as well as common internship application deadlines in order to make the process as equitable as possible for prospective interns.
ACLP does not have control over the application requirements set for each internship program. It is up to the applicant to review specific application requirements for the programs they are apply to.
The following are common terms associated with the internship application deadlines.
ACLP recommends that all application materials must be postmarked by the application due date.
Please note: Some programs may want to receive applications by the due date. It is the internship candidate's responsibility to verify the postmark vs materials deadline with individual programs.
The Initial Offer Date is the day on which all top-choice internship applicants will be notified that they have been selected. Following the interview process, all clinical internship coordinators will make offers to their chosen candidates on this same Initial Offer Date.
While you can accept an offer on the initial offer date, you may wait until the next day (the Acceptance Date) to do so.
On the Initial Offer Date, there will be applicants who do not receive an initial offer. However, these individuals may still be offered an internship position later in the week. For example, an applicant who is the second choice may not receive an offer until the acceptance date or later, if the first choice candidate has declined.
ACLP recommends that internship programs do not offer any positions to applicants prior to the Initial Offer Date.
