Internships in the US - Foreign Policy and Security
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This list is by no means exhaustive. It is simply designed to serve as a starting point. For general information, visit Internships in the US.
Foreign Policy
American Foreign Policy Council
American Foreign Policy Council
- Candidates should have a strong interest in foreign policy and national security. Knowledge of Russian, Mandarin, Arabic or Farsi is helpful
- Hours are flexible but interns are expected to work a minimum of 20 hours per week
- Unpaid internship
American Hellenic Institute
- AHI is a non-profit tax-exempt public policy trade association that provides an organization and program for strengthening trade and commerce and related matters between the U.S., Greece and Cyprus and within the American Hellenic community.
- Various unpaid internships available on a rolling basis.
American Jewish Community
- Research and policy work span the range of AJC's interests - from international affairs and diplomacy to interethnic relations and non-profit management.
- Paid Internship with travel expenses.
Atlantic Community
- As the first online think tank on foreign relations, atlantic-community.org connects experts and citizens in informed policy debate.
- Paid and unpaid internships available. All internships last three months. Applicants must be eligible to work in Germany.
Council on Foreign Relations
- Open to finalists and postgraduate students
- Opportunities in New York and Washington, DC
- Unpaid positions but small transportation stipend available
The Eurasia Foundation
- Open to postgraduates, penultimates, or finalists
- Fluency in English is required; some knowledge of Russian is preferred
- Paid internships in Communications, Government Affairs and Program Development
Foreign Policy
- Editorial researcher internship
- Must have course work or job experience in international relations, political science, journalism, history, or economics
- Unpaid positions
The German Marshall Fund of the United States
The German Marshall Fund of the United States Fellowships
- Open to undergraduates and postgraduates
- Internships are unpaid
Junior Associates in Asian Affairs
- Eligibility: Postgraduate students and recent graduate degree holders seeking to gain knowledge of Asia through research, program implementation, and report preparation are invited to apply
- Monthly stipend
Middle East Institute
- Open to undergraduates, recent graduates, and postgraduate students
- Unpaid positions but interns are entitled to one free language class, a one-year membership to MEI, and reimbursement for local travel expenses
National Democratic Institute for International Affairs
National Democratic Institute for International Affairs
- Open to undergraduates, postgraduates, and recent graduates
- Paid positions
Thomas R. Pickering Graduate Foreign Affairs Fellowship Program (administered by the Woodrow Wilson National Fellowship Foundation)
- Provides funding to participants as they are prepared academically and professionally to enter the United States Department of State Foreign Service
- Fellows must meet Department of State Foreign Service entry requirements and each successful candidate is obligated to a minimum of three years of service in an appointment as a Foreign Service Officer
- $40,000 annually for actual expenses for the final year of undergraduate study and the first year of postgraduate study
- Fellowship includes wo summer internships with stipends - one ten-week overseas and one ten-week domestic summer internship within the U.S. Department of State which provides students with valuable work experience in foreign affairs
- All fellows will receive a mentor in the Foreign Service
United Nations
- Open to postgraduate students
- Located at Union Nations Headquarters in New York
- Unpaid positions
The Washington Institute for Near East Policy
The Washington Institute for Near East Policy
- The Institute's prestigious intern and research assistant programs provide a pathway for college graduates and graduate students to begin the transformation from young scholar to promising analyst and future policymake
- Open to undergraduates, postgraduates, and recent graduates
- Paid positions
Washington Office on Latin America (WOLA)
WOLA Sally Yudelman Internship Program
- WOLA's internship program gives interns a wide range of exposure to the foreign policy-making process and aims to familiarize students with current events in Latin America through regular meetings with WOLA’s policy-making associates, NGO coalition meetings, brown bag lunches, and congressional hearings.
- Interns are involved in producing detailed research on a specific topic that will be used in WOLA's advocacy work. Internships are offered in the summer, fall, and spring, but are not paid. Applicants must be undergraduate students.
- Communications AND foreign policy internships on offer.
Security
American Enterprise Institute for Public Policy Research
American Enterprise Institute for Public Policy Research
- Approximately fifty internship opportunities are available in the areas of: economic policy, foreign and defense studies, social and political studies, media affairs, The American magazine, publications editing, information systems, marketing, and human resources
- Open to undergraduates and postgraduates
- Internships are unpaid, and the hours and days are flexible, either part or full time. Breakfast and lunch are provided
British American Security Information Council
- BASIC's Washington office supervises two unpaid interns each semester. Through their work, interns gain an understanding of many of the current issues affecting European security and familiarity with the arms control community in Washington, D.C.
- Interns will have the opportunity to participate in projects such as helping to research a fact sheet or report, assisting in the organization of a speaking tour, or preparing monthly informational mailings for American and European readers.
The Brookings Institution
- Internship and fellowship opportunities available in various policy areas
- Internships are unpaid
Business Executives for National Security: The Stanley A. Weiss Research Associate Program
Business Executives for National Security
- Interns are given substantive research and writing assignments in one of more of BENS’ major policy areas; these include the homeland security and nonproliferation projects of our New Threats and Business Force initiatives, as well as the Pentagon and military reform focus of our Tail-to-Tooth program
The Center for Strategic and Budgetary Assessments (CSBA)
- The Center for Strategic and Budgetary Assessments (CSBA) is an independent, nonprofit public policy research institute established to promote innovative thinking about defense planning and investment strategies for the 21st century.
- CSBA offers full-time internships for students who are interested in defense policy, federal budgets, military history, or political science. Interns assist staff by gathering budget data and source materials for CSBA reports, tracking legislative issues, preparing materials for the news media, and supporting CSBA-sponsored events.
- A weekly stipend is provided
The Center for Strategic and International Studies
Center for Strategic and International Studies
- The Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) seeks to advance global security and prosperity in an era of economic and political transformation by providing strategic insights and practical policy solutions to decision makers. CSIS serves as a strategic planning partner for the government by conducting research and analysis and developing policy initiatives that look into the future and anticipate change.
- Interns participate in a variety of activities that support individual programs, including research, writing, and project development.
Central Intelligence Agency
- Opportunities for undergraduate and postgraduate students
- Internships, co-ops, and scholarships available
- Applicants must be US citizens and should have a strong academic record
Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe
Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe
- Interns will research Helsinki Final Act-related issues on human rights, religious liberties, corruption and rule of law, and free media; communicate with House and Senate offices regarding pending foreign policy initiatives; maintain awareness of NGO activities; and conduct standard office duties.
- Internships are unpaid and generally for one semester.
The Heritage Foundation
- Undergraduate internships and postgraduate fellowships in various policy areas
- Paid positions
Herbert Scoville Jr. Peace Fellowship
Herbert Scoville Jr. Peace Fellowship
- Provides college graduates the opportunity to work in Washington, DC with a public-interest organization focusing on international security issues
- Six to nine months and provides a stipend, health insurance, and travel costs to Washington
- Fellows may undertake a variety of activities, including research, writing, and advocacy in support of the goals of their host organization and may attend coalition meetings, policy briefings, and Congressional hearings.
POGO National Security Fellow
- For an energetic, hard-working, and thoughtful person willing to challenge one of the world’s largest and most powerful bureaucracies: the Pentagon.
- Fellow will look for wasteful activities, systemic breakdowns in protections for the taxpayer and military personnel, corruption, or all of the above.
Potomac Institute: International Center for Terrorism Studies Internship
International Center for Terrorism Studies Internship
- Individuals enrolled in or having completed university studies with a specific interest in science and technology, public policy, and national security are encouraged to apply
- Internships are unpaid
The United States Department of State
- The U.S. Department of State is the official international relations arm of the President of the United States and it is responsible for formulating, implementing, and supporting U.S. foreign policy.
- The objectives of the student internships are to encourage students to consider careers in foreign affairs, provide students with valuable work experience in a foreign affairs agency, and aid the Department in achieving its mission.
- The majority of internships are unpaid, but are offered throughout the year to highly qualified college juniors, seniors, and graduate students. Internships may be in the United States or abroad. Applicants must be U.S. citizens.
- Interns may write reports on human rights issues, assist with trade negotiations, assist with citizen's services or visa work, or organize conferences or visits of high-level officials. Others may research economic or environmental issues, write news stories, work on web pages or help produce electronic journals.
