Thanks for your interest in Stanford in Government’s summer opportunities! We offer two types of funding for summer internships in public policy: SIG Fellowships and SIG Stipends.

SIG fellowships and stipends follow the same eligibility guidelines and program policies as all other Cardinal Quarter programs sponsored by the Haas Center. The eligibility policy can be found under “Student Eligibility” on the Haas website here.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS:

1. What is the difference between SIG Fellowships and SIG Stipends?

SIG Fellowships are fully-funded public policy internships with SIG’s partner organizations, where SIG has already secured internship placements. For more information about the fellowships program, click here.  SIG Stipends fund students who have found and secured unpaid public policy internships on their own. Candidates apply for funding after their internship placements have been confirmed. For more information about the stipends program, click here. You may apply for both fellowships and stipends, but the applications are separate. 

2. What is the time commitment?

All fellows and stipend recipients are required to work with their host offices at least 35 hours/week for nine consecutive weeks. Students selected to participate in fellowships and stipends program are expected to begin service after the conclusion of spring quarter classes and final exams.

3. Can I apply for both programs?

Yes, you may apply for both SIG Fellowships and a SIG Stipend. However, you may not accept both awards.

4. I have already recieved a fellowship or stipend. Can I apply for one again?

Yes, you may apply for a second SIG opportunity, but priority is given to first-time students (if you applied before and did not receive the opportunity, that will not count against you).

5. Where can I find the application?

The application will be released on December 23rd, 2024. It is available on SOLO.

6. Who can apply?

Students from ALL years, majors, and backgrounds are encouraged to apply. Graduating seniors may be eligible, based on the organization. Our ideal candidate is simply one that is passionate about the issue they are hoping to explore this summer. In the case of SIG Stipends, qualifying internships must be full-time, unpaid, and at least nine weeks long.

If a stipends-eligible policy internship requires the student to undergo a security clearance process, please make this clear in your application and provide as much detail as possible about your progress through the clearance process.

Students must be enrolled at Stanford in the quarter when they apply for a fellowship or stipend opportunity, and will need to be enrolled in undergraduate study in the quarter when grant funding is disbursed. Fellowship and Stipends participants must certify that they are in good academic standing and may not participate in the program or receive or retain fellowship funds if they are on suspension.

7. I am off-campus this quarter; can I still apply?

Yes! Students who are participating in off-campus Stanford programs can still apply. If selected as a finalist, abroad applicants will Zoom into their interviews, and depending on the time zone difference, may have to be flexible with timing.

8. I will be off-campus spring quarter; can I still apply?

Yes! However, students who will be off-campus in the spring will be required to complete assignments to make up for the on-campus pre-field preparatory sessions they will miss.

9. I will be graduating at the end of this year; can I still apply?

Typically, SIG only accepts applications from students who will be enrolled as undergraduates for the following academic year, so graduating seniors cannot apply.  However, for some organizations, graduating seniors may be eligible. In addition, seniors who will be working toward a co-term degree for all of the 2025-26 year are allowed to apply. Co-terminal students who are currently paying graduate tuition are not eligible.

10. Do I have to declare a major to apply?

No. Undergraduates from all majors (including those who have not declared a major) are encouraged to apply, as the fellowships and stipends support public service opportunities across a variety of disciplines.

11. Are frosh eligible to apply?

Yes, frosh are strongly encouraged to apply for both SIG Fellowships and SIG Stipends! Each year, a significant proportion of fellows are frosh. Many State and Local Fellowships in particular are targeted to frosh, although not exclusively. In the past, many frosh have been selected as finalists and fellowship recipients, even for larger fellowships.

12. How much funding does each fellowship or stipend provide?

Generally, funding begins at $7,000. Additional financial aid is available to students who qualify, and aid eligibility is determined by the Financial Aid Office. Students who will be working in domestic high cost-of-living areas will receive additional cost-of-living supplements. Fellows serving in the San Francisco Bay Area, the Los Angeles-area, New York City, Boulder, Seattle, Honolulu, Boston, and Washington, D.C. will receive an additional $500 cost-of-living supplement.* (*Cost-of-living supplements are not available for students who will be working fully virtually.) Supplements for safety/security, vaccinations, and airfare may be available for fellows who are traveling internationally, but are not guaranteed.

13. What does it mean for an internship to be involved in “direct social service?”

An internship that involves direct literacy training, tutoring, counseling, transportation, public safety, crime prevention, or recreational services that are not related to government, politics, policy development, or implementation will be considered “direct service” and will not be eligible for a SIG Stipend.

14. How do I find housing during my summer opportunity?

Check out this helpful guide from the Haas Center for Public Service!

15. Can I work virtually with my host office?

The Stipends Program is designed as an experiential learning opportunity, and as such, we expect students to work on-site at their host organizations during their summer experiences (health and safety conditions permitting). Some hybrid or fully virtual experiences may be allowed on a case-by-case basis, dependent on the needs and capacities of the host organizations. If a student is engaging in a virtual experience, we expect the student to be situated in a similar time zone as the host organization supervisor and team members in order to facilitate synchronous project collaborations. A student who is approved for a fully virtual experience will not receive a cost-of-living adjustment to the base stipend.

16. How can I support the SIG Fellowships and Stipends Program?

If you are interested in supporting Stanford students working in policy, please consider donating to our program! Every contribution helps create an unforgettable summer experience for students interested in public service and government.

Still have questions?

Please contact Tracy Nguyen at trcyngyn@stanford.edu, SIG’s Vice Chair of Fellowships and Stipends.