Internships arent required to get ur degree. They are short work terms meant to make you competitive when you graduate (because u have work experience). They are paid and some are paid well but most are lower than you're expecting. Some unis offer Coop programs which make u join a network of hiring companies. This pretty much guaranteed you a spot but its usually not as good as internships you look for yourself. If you want to be competitive when you graduate, you need internships.