If I had known this was a “thing” when my kids were applying to colleges I’d have added it to the list of things to ask colleges about, to be one of the factors in weighing options.
For low income families it’s especially important but really, all but the wealthiest students would, I think, welcome the opportunity to take an internship that didn’t necessarily pay well, or at all, during college.
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/11/02/education/edlife/paid-internships-colleges-social-service.html
My D received funding from Wellesley which permitted her to take an unpaid internship. I believe many of the schools that meet full need offer this.
Although, if the entry level job in the field is an unpaid internship, the student should be aware that getting a job in the field is probably highly competitive, and s/he should have backup plans in case getting a paid first job in the field after graduation does not happen.
@ucbalumnus typically these are summer internships during college. Meant to build a resume and explore different careers.
D2 was paid by her school when she took an unpaid internship. The school also paid for her room and board over the summer. The pay wasn’t great, but it was better than minimum wage.
Mine, too, @college_query . She spent her junior year in France and wanted to work there in the summer. Since she wasn’t an EU citizen, she couldn’t legally work there. But she found a job doing historical research and giving tours of a medieval cloister, and Wellesley paid her generously. Both she and her employer were thrilled.
You can’t count on getting it unless they specifically say everyone does or it is specifically outlined in a merit award, though.
You can’t count on getting a job either, but the point is it may be available. My kid had to apply for it.
One of my kids applied and didn’t get it. Which was surprising – she was a 4.0 college junior with a double major in the area of the unpaid internship. So that is how I know you can’t count on it. 
Smith College guarantees everyone a paid internship.
D’s also gotten one, and a second similar one under a different program at her school (not summer). Students do need to apply for these but she, at least, has not been turned down yet.
So maybe a good question to ask the school is how many students get these? How many apply for them and don’t get them? Are they guaranteed at least one? Is there a limit on the type of internship like has to be nonprofit or…?
I’d ask at the info session when the speaker asks who has questions and no one says anything 
The colleges tell you on their websites what funds are available. They range.
To find out, google and or something similar. The page comes up. I did this for about 30 schools on our long list today and it worked nearly every time.
Bates does this.
https://www.bates.edu/career/purposeful-work-internships/funding/
I was aware that my D’s school (Scripps College) had this too. I found this article from 2013…Apparently all the Claremont schools have something (but not guaranteed for all).
http://tsl.news/articles/2013/5/3/news/4010-5cs-increase-summer-funding-available-for-students
Notre Dame does this as well.
Wow, I had no idea colleges were doing this. I’m currently doing an yearlong unpaid government internship; would be nice to get paid for it, even just a little.
I think Mount Holyoke has something. Dickinson did (but you apply for it and not all get it).
Yale just announced a similar program, but it is only available to students with financial need.
http://ocs.yale.edu/yale-college/domestic-summer-award-dsa
My DD looked at several LACs that did this. She also looked at one bigger school that required internships and you had to pay them an administratve fee for unpaid internships!!
I think schools that charge a fee like that only do so if the internship is for credit?