About the Internship Program

The Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta Child Life Internship is a 16-week, 640-hour clinical training experience aligned with the Association of Child Life Professionals (ACLP) standards. Interns gain exposure to diverse patient populations, evidence-based child life practice, and multidisciplinary teamwork.

During our internship, our students participate in hands-on experience learning child life competencies as they rotate through two primary units in our hospital system. Students are also provided with additional learning opportunities in the form of weekly seminars, readings, and assignments with the goal of integrating developmental theory with clinical practice, encouraging a reflective learning environment, collaborating with peers, and preparing for the transition from student to professional. Our goal is to help you develop the skills, confidence, and professional readiness needed to step into a Certified Child Life Specialist role.

For additional information about the certification process, coursework requirements, eligibility for certification, and career planning, please visit the Association of Child Life Professionals website.

Application Requirements

To be considered for the Child Life Internship, applicants must meet the following requirements:

Eligibility

• Completion of or in the final year of a bachelor’s or master’s degree in Child Life, Child Development, Psychology, or a related field.
• Completion of the 10 ACLP-required courses and documented verification through the Eligibility Assessment. All courses must be completed by the start of internship.
• Completion of a minimum of 100 hours of practicum experience working under the direct supervision of a Child Life Specialist in a healthcare setting. Practicum must be completed by the start of the internship semester. Applications must include a letter from their practicum supervisor indicating total hours completed/anticipated.
• Strong background working with children in a variety of settings.
• Children’s accepts both affiliated and unaffiliated students.

Required Materials

• ACLP Internship Readiness Common Application
• ACLP Eligibility Assessment
• Unoffical academic transcripts verifying courses/program required by the ACLP Eligibility Assessment
• Letter from practicum supervisor indicating total number of hours completed or anticipated

How to Apply

Submit your complete application to ChildLifeInternship@choa.org. Include candidate’s name in the subject line.

• Children's will begin accepting applications for the Summer 2026 internship session on December 9, 2025, at 12am EST. Applications received prior will not be reviewed.
• We will stop accepting applications after 75 completed applications are received OR at the deadline of January 9, 2025, at 11:59pm EST.
• Candidates will be alerted via email when we are no longer accepting applications.

Internship Session Dates

Summer 2026: May 11- August 28
Fall 2026: August 31 - December 18
*Internship dates are established with limited flexibility.

Contact Us

Please reach out to ChildLifeStudents@choa.org with any questions regarding our student programs.