Child Life Internship
Interns are trained and supervised during individual rotations by experienced and certified child life specialists. Rotations will vary based on supervision availability. Possible rotations include:
- Emergency department
- General pediatrics
- Hematology/oncology
- Pediatric intensive care
- Pediatric intermediate care
- Pediatric sedation team
- Outpatient lab
- Outpatient surgery
- Radiology
This field experience, paired with related curriculum, provides interns with deeper insight and understanding into the needs of children and families coping with illness, injury and hospitalization, as well as the valuable role of child life as a part of the health care team. Interns will leave the internship prepared to be a child life specialist and sit for the certification exam.
After your application is submitted and reviewed, you may be contacted for an interview. Selection of interns is based on academic preparation, professional experience with children, knowledge of child development, child life experience and interviews.
Internship Requirements
- A completed application must be submitted via email to choichildlife@osfhealthcare.org before the ACLP application deadline.
- Applicants must be in their final semester of college or have completed a bachelor’s degree.
- Completion of the eligibility assessment and common application.
- Applicants must submit unofficial transcripts with the application.
- Documentation of liability insurance coverage (to be obtained only after one is accepted into our program).
- Documentation of current health insurance. In addition, students should be in good health before beginning an internship at OSF Children’s Hospital.
- Internships are open to affiliated and non-affiliated students.
Application Deadline
The internship is only offered during the winter/spring semester. For updated deadline dates, visit the official ACLP website.
2026 Dates
Eligibility Assessment Deadline: August 20, 2025
Application Deadline: September 5, 2025
Initial Offer Date: October 7, 2025
A completed common application must be submitted via email to choichildlife@osfhealthcare.org before the application deadline.
Please contact the Child Life Department at (309) 624-0223 if you have any additional questions.