Child Life Internship

Child Life Services at UCSF Benioff Children's Hospitals offers a hands-on, 600-hour internship to prepare students for a career as a child life specialist. The program is available at both of our campuses, in San Francisco and Oakland.

Participants must meet certain requirements to qualify for the internship. The application process differs depending on whether you wish to intern at San Francisco or Oakland. Please see below for details.

Application information for:

• San Francisco program
• Oakland program

Child Life Services also offers pre-internship experiences for students considering a career as a child life specialist.

Child life internship (San Francisco)

We offer winter/spring and fall internships. We are not offering summer internships at this time. Our 2025 winter/spring internship is now filled. Our next opening for internships will be fall 2025.

Internship requirements

San Francisco's internship program is accredited by the Association of Child Life Professionals (ACLP). To qualify for the program, you must have:

• A hospital affiliation with an academic adviser (if we don't have an affiliation with your university, we can submit an affiliation request)
• 100 hours of experience working with well infants, children, youths or families
• 100 hours of experience working with infants, children, youths or families in stressful situations, health care settings, or programs designed for children with special needs
  • Clinical in-person practicum experience preferred but not required

  Before beginning the internship, you must also:

  • Provide photo ID and proof of health clearance, including COVID-19 and other immunizations and an up-to-date TB test
  • Provide documentation of liability insurance coverage, either through a university affiliated with UCSF or private liability insurance

  During the program, you must be willing to:

  • Work a minimum of 40 hours per week, including holidays, evenings and weekends
  • Meet weekly with your rotation supervisor and internship coordinator
  • Keep a journal, including sample chart notes and developmental assessments
  • Create personal goals and rotation goals
  • Prepare a case study and present it to the Child Life Services team
  • Observe in-service trainings as requested
  • Attend weekly classes taught by the Child Life Services team
  • Complete rotations as assigned
  • Prepare a significant project that directly benefits Child Life Services and its goals, which must be approved by the internship coordinator and rotation supervisor

  Internship program structure

  Interns work at the bedside with a certified child life specialist conducting therapeutic play, diagnosis teaching, preparation, procedural support, sibling support, charting and more.

  The 15-week program consists of:

  • Week 1: orientation with the internship coordinator
  • Rotation 1 (six weeks) and rotation 2 (six weeks) with a certified child life specialist
  • Two elective weeks
  • Weekly meetings with the internship coordinator
  • Weekly classes with the Child Life Services team

  Internship hours are completed mostly on weekdays, with some holiday, weekend and evening hours.

  A rotation supervisor is assigned to each intern. Your supervisor will meet with you once a week to discuss goals, journal entries, a case study, and specific rotations and interventions.

  Internship application process

  Please make sure you meet all the requirements listed above before applying for the internship.

  Gather the following prior to submission:

  • ACLP common application materials (please send as PDF)
  • One reference name with email address
  • University name and academic adviser

  Submit your materials in our online portal.

  We follow the ACLP's application deadlines. After the due date passes, we will review your application and then contact you.

  • Round 1: The internship committee reviews the applications.
  • Round 2: If chosen as a round 2 candidate, you will be emailed a supplementary questionnaire. This must be completed within 72 hours.
  • Round 3: You will have a final interview via Zoom, per ACLP guidelines.