Providing the tools to help tomorrow’s leaders succeed
Our Student Leaders® program is part of our ongoing commitment to helping prepare a pipeline of college students to be successful in the workforce through leadership training and work experience.
Create opportunities to serve, inspire and change
Through our Student Leaders® program, we advance employment opportunities by connecting community-minded students to employment, skills development and service.
Are you driven to make a difference? Do you want to be part of a program that gives you real-world experience, leadership growth and a chance to shape your future? If so, we encourage you to consider applying to the Bank of America Student Leaders® program.
As a Bank of America Student Leader, you will:
Earn a paid internship with a nonprofit organization.
Attend our Leadership Summit where you will build career skills, explore how public/private sectors work to address critical community needs, and connect with peers and Bank of America leaders.
Eligibility Requirements
Find out if you are eligible for the Student Leaders® program.
- Be at least 18 years of age at the time of application.
- Have achieved your high school diploma or equivalent within the last 24 months at the time of application.
- Be a full-time college student entering your second year of undergraduate college study (College sophomore status) for the 2027-2028 academic year.
- Be legally authorized to work in the United States without sponsorship through the end of July 2027.
- Be able to participate in a full-time (minimum 35 hours per week), paid, 7-week nonprofit internship arranged through the Student Leaders® program (Summer 2027).
- Have a minimum cumulative college GPA of 3.0 and provide a post-secondary transcript to verify your GPA.
- Travel to and participate in a 3-day Leadership Summit within the United States (Summer 2027).
- Provide a resume with an overview of key accomplishments, including your work and educational achievements.
- Reside in an eligible program location during summer 2027.
- Not be a previous Student Leaders® awardee, a current Bank of America employee or an immediate family member of a Bank of America employee (e.g., children, siblings, grandchildren, nieces, and nephews).
- Provide contact information for two non-family references who can speak to your leadership, character, and community involvement.
- Have served in a leadership role within the last 24 months, (e.g., school, community, volunteer, work, athletic, faith-based, ROTC, or entrepreneurial activities).
- Demonstrate active involvement outside of educational coursework – including hours spent in the community, volunteering, working at a job or work study or with individual entrepreneurial endeavors.
For this program, a rising college sophomore is enrolled as a full-time undergraduate student during the 2026-2027 academic year and expects to begin their second year of undergraduate study during the 2027-2028 academic year.
Your eligibility will depend on whether you meet the program’s definition of a rising college sophomore, graduation from high school within the last 24 months, and all other requirements.
Yes. Students attending eligible two-year or four-year colleges or universities may apply if they meet all other eligibility requirements.
Transfer students may apply if they meet all eligibility requirements, including the program’s definition of a rising college sophomore.
No. The program does not require a specific college major.
No, applicants must be enrolled as full-time students. In college, an undergraduate student is generally considered full-time when enrolled in at least 12 credit hours (usually four classes) per semester.
Applicants must be legally authorized to work in the United States without sponsorship throughout the program (ending July 2027) and be living in one of Bank of America’s U.S. locations at the time of the summer internship.
Yes. You may reapply if not previously selected and meet all eligibility requirements.
No. Students previously selected as an awardee are not eligible to participate again.
Examples may include leadership through school, community service, volunteering, employment, athletics, faith-based activities, ROTC, entrepreneurship, clubs or other organizations. Use your application to explain what you did, how you worked with or supported others and what changed as a result of your involvement.
Applicants must demonstrate involvement outside of educational coursework. This may include volunteering, community involvement, paid employment, work-study, entrepreneurship or other significant responsibilities. Volunteer experience is one way to meet this requirement, but it is not the only way.
You must reside (maintain a home address) in an eligible Student Leaders® program location during the summer internship. The Bank of America Student Leaders® Program does not cover living, moving, or daily commute expenses.
No. Applicants can only apply in the location they plan to reside at and be able to commute to the assigned 2027 nonprofit internship. Multiple applications are not permitted.
Bank of America employees and immediate family members are not eligible.
No. A cumulative college GPA of at least 3.0 is an eligibility requirement. Applicants must meet all other eligibility requirements while demonstrating leadership and meaningful involvement outside of their academic coursework.
No. Meeting the eligibility requirements allows your application to be considered but does not guarantee Student Leaders® awardee selection or internship placement.
You must be available for the complete seven-week program and able to work at least 35 hours each week, including full participation in the Summit. Before applying, consider whether a summer course, another job or other commitment would interfere with the required schedule.
Your ability to commit to the full seven-week experience is a program eligibility requirement. If you are selected and need time away because of illness, an emergency or another protected or unavoidable reason, work directly with your nonprofit employer.
FAQs for Applicants
Get answers to the most commonly asked questions about our Student Leaders® program.
Student Leaders® is a paid summer program that provides eligible rising college sophomore students with professional experience at a nonprofit organization serving their local community. The program also includes participation in the Student Leaders® Summit, where students build leadership skills, connect with peers and learn from community and business leaders.
No. If selected, you will intern with a nonprofit organization that will serve as the internship employer for the Student Leaders® program, not with Bank of America. The nonprofit organization will serve as your employer and will make the final hiring decision based on its employment and human resources requirements. Participation in Student Leaders® does not guarantee future employment or an internship with Bank of America.
Eligible students may apply online through the Bank of America Student Leaders® website by selecting Apply Now when the application opens. The application period is December 14, 2026, through February 15, 2027.
The deadline is February 15, 2027, at 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time (8:59 p.m. Pacific Time). Applications submitted after the deadline will not be accepted. Processing may be slower in the hours immediately before the deadline, so applicants are strongly encouraged to submit early.
Your application, resume and college transcript must be successfully attached to the submitted application by the deadline. Late applications and extensions will not be accepted. Processing may be slower in the hours immediately before the deadline, so applicants are strongly encouraged to submit early.
Your application must include the following attachments:
- A completed online application
- A resume of no more than two pages
- A post-secondary transcript showing the applicant’s cumulative college grade point average (GPA)
- Names and contact information for two eligible, non-family references [see above question about Summer Intern program requirements]
- Information about leadership, employment, community involvement and other activities – either include examples here or refer them to a question above.
References must not be family members or close friends. Appropriate references may include a professor, school administrator, academic adviser, mentor, supervisor, manager, coach or another person who can speak directly about your leadership, character and community involvement.
At the initial application stage, applicants provide reference contact information rather than recommendation letters. Additional information may be requested by the nonprofit employer as part of the selection process.
No. Recommendation letters are not required. You must provide the names and contact information of two qualifying references as part of your application.
Your references may be contacted as part of the application or selection process by the nonprofit employer.
Yes. A resume is required, and limited to no more than two pages that include:
- Education
- Employment and work-study
- Volunteer and community involvement
- Leadership roles
- Extracurricular activities
- Skills
- Awards or accomplishments
Submit a post-secondary transcript from your college or university that shows your cumulative college GPA as of the application deadline.
Save your login ID and password so you can return to your application before the deadline. You may access an unfinished application through the Student Leaders® application portal.
Contact CyberGrants support at cgsupport@cybergrants.com.
No. Once submitted, an application cannot be edited.
You will receive an automated confirmation email after submitting your application. Save that email for your records as it will include your application request ID.
Contact studentleaders@bofa.com.
Applications are reviewed based on the program’s eligibility requirements and selection criteria. The process may consider an applicant’s leadership experience, community involvement, work or entrepreneurial experience, character, academic record and alignment with available internship opportunities.
The nonprofit organization managing the Student Leader® internship is the legal employer and will be making final hiring decisions in accordance with their employment and human resources practices.
It depends on the nonprofit employer’s hiring process. Some applicants may be contacted for an interview or additional information as part of a nonprofit employer’s hiring process.
The program anticipates notifying applicants through the email address included in their application no later than April 30, 2027. Applicants should monitor their inbox, spam, and junk folders.
No. Because of application volume, individualized feedback is not offered.
The 2027 Student Leaders® program is a seven-week paid experience . The seven weeks include time spent participating in the Student Leaders® Summit.
Internship start date will be determined by the nonprofit employer based on the academic calendar. Applicants can expect the program to take place during June and July 2027.
Internship responsibilities will vary by nonprofit organization and placement. Students may support projects, programs, operations or other activities that help advance the nonprofit’s mission and serve the local community.
Specific responsibilities, work arrangements and onboarding requirements will be shared by the nonprofit employer.
The experience is designed to help students strengthen professional and leadership skills, which may include communication, teamwork, problem-solving, project management, relationship-building and understanding how nonprofit organizations, businesses and communities work together.
Student Leaders® must be available to work at least 35 hours per week during their internship. Weekly hours are calculated based on the nonprofit employer’s human resource processes.
Work arrangements will be determined by the nonprofit employer. Applicants should be prepared to report to the physical internship location unless told otherwise.
In the application, you will be given the opportunity to identify a preferred internship placement, but it is not guaranteed. Placements depend on available nonprofit opportunities, location, organizational capacity and the nonprofit employer’s hiring decision. All nonprofit employers are selected by Bank of America.
Selected students will receive additional information about potential nonprofit placements during the review, hiring or onboarding process. The nonprofit internship offer constitutes as final Student Leader® awardee selection and contingent upon the student’s acceptance of the named internship placement and location.
Yes. The nonprofit is the legal employer and will be driving the hiring and selection process. A representative from the nonprofit may contact you regarding interviews, placement, onboarding or employment requirements. Because the nonprofit is the employer, it will make the final hiring decision in accordance with its human resources practices.
Yes. Selected students may be required to complete forms, verification, screening, testing, background checks, and/or onboarding steps required by the nonprofit employer.
Student Leaders® will be paid $18 per hour or the applicable local minimum wage, whichever is higher.
Your nonprofit employer will administer your employment and pay.
Your compensation is subject to applicable payroll deductions and tax-withholding requirements. Your nonprofit employer will provide the relevant payroll and tax information.
No. Bank of America does not cover housing, meals, commuting or other living expenses associated with the local nonprofit internship. Students must be able to reside in and commute within their eligible program location. Bank of America will cover approved expenses associated with the Student Leaders® Summit, subject to the program’s travel requirements.
No. Transportation to and from the nonprofit internship is the student’s responsibility. Applicants should consider commute requirements before accepting a placement offer. In the application, you will be given the opportunity to identify preferred nonprofit placement address, but it is not guaranteed. Placement offers will be made based on where an eligible applicant resident home address during Summer of 2027.
The three-day Summit in Charlotte, NC, is a required leadership experience included within the seven-week program. Students connect with peers, participate in leadership and career programming, and learn about community impact and collaboration across the public, private and nonprofit sectors.
Yes. Selected students must participate fully in the Student Leaders® Summit. If you know that you cannot participate in the required Summit dates, you will not be eligible for the program.
The Summit is expected to take place in June 2027 in Charlotte, NC. Dates and travel details will be provided to awardees at a later time.
No. Required travel must be arranged through the travel process designated by Bank of America. Awardees will receive instructions and should not make independent reservations as those will not be reimbursed.
Bank of America will cover approved Summit travel and program expenses arranged through its designated travel process – this includes airfare, airport transfers, lodging, and meals during the Summit program. Students are responsible for personal purchases, souvenirs and incidentals that are not included in the program, e.g., baggage fees, parking, mileage.
Yes. Participation in the Summit is included in the seven-week paid program experience. The nonprofit employer will determine how hourly wage is calculated and compensated for your time during Summit travel and attendance.
The Summit is designed for selected Student Leaders®. Parents, guardians and other guests may not attend program sessions or stay in program-provided accommodations unless specifically authorized.
Student Leaders® impacted by travel delays will receive travel-support instructions. Follow those instructions and contact the designated travel support team if a disruption occurs.
Selected Student Leader® awardees may request reasonable ADA accommodation and assistance by reaching out to studentleaders@bofa.com. Workplace-related internship accommodations are handled by the nonprofit employer. This may include but not limited to dietary, allergy, mobility, sensory, religious, and medical needs.
Bank locations can be found here.
Program updates will be sent to the email address provided in your application. Check that account regularly, including spam and junk folders, and make sure the address belongs to you and will remain active throughout the selection process and summer program.
For Student Leaders® program questions, email studentleaders@bofa.com.
For application account or password support, email cgsupport@cybergrants.com.
As part of the Student Leader® application process, applicants will be asked to agree to a name and likeness and Student Leader® conduct agreement. Throughout the program, there may be opportunities for students to participate in communications, photographs, videos or stories about their experience.