Smithsonian
Institution
National Museum of Natural History
Research
Training Program
Application
Form Information
Welcome
to Natural History's on-line internship application
process. Here is information about preparing and
submitting a Research Training Program Application
Form. On
this page we offer more information
about preparing the Application Form.
Click
here - - Internship
Application Form - - to prepare and submit
the Application Form
MORE
INFORMATION
If you have questions
about preparing and submitting the internship
application form, here you will find answers to
commonly asked questions and an overview of the
instructions and codes for completing the application
form.
OTHER
INTERNSHIP APPLICATION FORMS
Students
seeking a position in the Research Training
Program must submit (in English) a completed
RTP Application Form. Due to evaluation categories,
a resume, curriculum vitae, or other Smithsonian
application form may not be substituted.
Incomplete and/or non-RTP application forms will
not be evaluated for a position in this program.
OLD
VERSIONS OF THE RTP APPLICATION FORM
All
versions (current and previous) of the RTP Application
Form will be accepted. However, newer forms contain
refinement of categories for easier review, and
electronic submission is significantly preferred.
CAN
THE RTP APPLICATION FORM BE USED TO APPLY FOR
OTHER OPPORTUNITIES?
In
addition to the RTP summer session, the RTP Application
Form may be used to apply for other internship
positions at the Smithsonian's National Museum
of Natural History, with placement through the
RTP office.
HOW
DO I OBTAIN A PAPER COPY OF THE RTP APPLICATION
FORM?
The
RTP review and selection process is completely
electronic. Applicants are strongly advised to
submit ALL application materials electronically
using the RTP web site.
Paper copies of application documents are no longer
available.
RTP
APPLICATION FORM CATEGORY INSTRUCTIONS
To
ensure successful review, applicants must provide
answers for all information requested on the form.
Most RTP Application Form categories are self-explanatory.
Further explanation is provided here for reference.
Name:
Identifies the applicant's full, correct name.
To ensure proper grouping of items, applicants
must use a consistent recording of their name
for all application materials. Please ensure that
references also use the applicant's full name.
Current
Mailing Address: Identifies the applicant's
current mailing address.
Current
Contact Information: Identifies the applicant's
current telephone number and e-mail information.
This information will be used throughout the selection
process to contact the applicant.
Permanent
Address: Identifies the applicant's permanent
mailing address and contact information. This
information is particularly important to locate
and notify applicants of immediate changes during
"spring semester break" and of new developments
after the standard dates.
Current
Academic Affiliation:
Identifies the name of the academic institution
the applicant is currently attending or recently
graduated from. To further identify the institution,
location (city, state, and country) is requested.
Academic
Advisor:
Identifies the applicant's academic advisor and
contact information where the person can be contacted
for consultation. Applicants who do not have an
academic advisor, or applicants not wishing to
disclose the name of their advisor, may simply
record n/a.
Citizenship:
Identifies the applicant's citizenship. US citizens
are asked to identify their state of residence.
Non-US citizens are asked to identify their country
of citizenship.
Current
Academic Level:
This references the US standard academic classification
system of a four-year undergraduate career. Applicants
enrolled with a university that follows a different
academic classification are asked to identify
the year equivalent or explain their classification
compared to the US standard.
Academic
Major(s)/Minor(s):
Identifies the undergraduate degree(s) anticipated
by the applicant.
Grade
Point Average:
Identifies the evaluation scheme of the applicant's
academic institution. For applicants enrolled
at institutions employing non-traditional evaluation
schemes, an explanation may be provided as supplementary
information. Generally with few university courses
from which to compute a GPA, students in their
first or second undergraduate year are also asked
to identify their high school evaluation level.
More senior applicants, who have taken advanced
courses related to their major area of study,
are asked to also calculate and enter their current
GPA for courses specifically related to their
declared major.
Natural
History Science Unit:
Identifies the particular discipline within the
NMNH system that best describes the applicant's
area of interest. For sorting purposes, only one
discipline may be selected. Application portfolios
are often review in these discipline categories.
Advisor/Supervisor
Selection:
Identifies the advisor from within the NMNH community
that the applicant is most interested in working
with. Additional advisor/mentor listings provide
insight into the applicant's preferences for research
topics and projects.
Career
Goals:
Provides
an opportunity for the applicant to briefly state
their career goals including education and particular
disciplines and techniques of interest.
Skills:
Identifies the skills, methods, and techniques
accomplished (proficient/mastered) by the applicant
relevant to a position in the program.
Academic
Achievements, Honors, and Awards:
Identifies achievements, honors and awards earned
by the applicant relevant to a position in the
program.
Courses
and Grades.
Identifies the applicant's academic background
(courses) and evaluation (grades). An official
or unofficial transcript may be substituted.
Experience
/ Background:
Identifies the professional experience and background
of the applicant including membership in professional
societies, presentations, publications, and research
experience. A further explanation may be included
as part of the cover letter.
Additional
Information:
Option space for applicants specific
details not already addressed, relevant to the
review of your application.
References:
Identifies the two individuals selected by the
applicant to provide a professional letter of
recommendation in support of the applicants petition
to participate in the RTP. Information includes
contact data for over-the-phone references and
designation of the relationship of the reference
to the applicant (e.g. professor, former employer,
academic advisor, laboratory instructor).
Optional
Survey Questions: This information is OPTIONAL,
but helpful in identifying the demographics of
the applicant pool. It is used for statistical
purposes only and is not required as part of the
application information. Answers to optional questions
will be reviewed and compared to Smithsonian and
national standards but NOT considered for selection
or award purposes. All applications are reviewed
equally according to the RTP selection process
and all applicants selected for a position in
the program are provided the same RTP award package,
regardless of information provided in this survey.
WHAT
IS THE PERSONAL IDENTIFICATION NUMBER?
To
correctly link all documents associated with this
submission applicants should select and record
a unique number or character string to serve as
your ID NUMBER. Application ID must meet the following
requirements:
Contain at least one letter (upper or lower
case)
Contain at least one number (0, 1, 2, 3, 4,
5, 6, 7, 8, or 9)
Contain at least one special character ($, @,
%, #, +, or !)
You must use this same ID NUMBER on all application
documents (application
form, cover
letter, letters
of recommendation) linked to this submission.
RTP
HOW TO APPLY:
The Application Procedure
- Check
requirements
- (program dates, application deadlines, etc.).
- Select
a Project Advisor - information
and advisor list.
- Prepare
a Cover Letter - information and and
on-line
form.
- Prepare
the RTP Application Form
-
information and on-line
form.
You are HERE. To continue
select the next option.
- Select
two References - information and on-line
recommendation form.
