Notre Dame vs NYU for internships: which is better for getting internship opportunities?

The biggest practical tradeoff is location versus campus network. NYU gives you day-to-day access to internships during the school year because you are in New York City, where finance, media, tech, fashion, nonprofits, and many major employers are nearby. Notre Dame offers a more traditional residential campus and a very loyal alumni network, but most internships require more planning around summers, school breaks, or temporary relocation.

For sheer volume and convenience of undergraduate internship access, NYU has the edge. Being in Manhattan makes it much easier to take on part-time internships during fall or spring, attend employer events in person, and build experience across multiple semesters. That matters if you want to test industries early or stack several internships before senior year.

Notre Dame is still very strong, especially because its alumni base is famously engaged and willing to help students. In fields like consulting, finance, business, government, and some engineering pathways, that network can open doors and create a strong pipeline. The difference is that the access is often more relationship-driven and less built around being physically surrounded by employers every week.

Industry matters a lot here. For finance, media, entertainment, communications, publishing, arts, and many nonprofit roles, NYU’s location is a real advantage. For students who value a close-knit campus community and are comfortable pursuing internships more strategically through alumni, recruiting cycles, and summers, Notre Dame can still produce excellent outcomes.

If your question is strictly about getting internship opportunities overall as an undergrad, NYU is the better bet. Its combination of employer proximity, semester-time internships, and New York-based networking usually creates more immediate opportunities than Notre Dame, even though Notre Dame’s alumni support is exceptional.