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The Stanford in Government (SIG) Stipends program provides motivated Stanford undergraduates with funding for unpaid summer policy internships. Since a majority of internships in the fields of policy and government are unpaid, the stipends program seeks to encourage students to pursue unpaid policy internships by making these professional opportunities more accessible.
In order to accommodate different notification deadlines for different government agencies, the stipends program has two rounds of applications. Students only need to apply for one round in order to receive a stipend, although we encourage students to apply in the first-round, if possible. The application deadline for first-round stipend applications is February 4th, 2025. Second-round application deadlines will be in mid-April. For more details on application requirements, please visit the Application Information page.
Interested in hearing more? Learn about our past Stipends Recipients!
You might also be interested in our answers to Frequently Asked Questions about SIG summer opportunities.
Applying for the first time? Check out our sample personal statements, resumes, and more resources HERE! The application will appear on SOLO when it opens on December 23rd.
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1. How do I apply for a stipend?
The SIG Stipends Program requires all applicants to submit (1) a standard written application and (2) an internship questionnaire from the office supervisor. Because the Stipends Program uniquely requires students to organize their own unpaid policy internships, this documentation confirms that the student has received this internship placement and that the internship fits within SIG’s guidelines for eligible policy related work. For more information, please visit our application information page.
2. What is an example of an internship that would be eligible for a stipend?
Internships must be hosted by a public policy organization to be eligible for a SIG Stipend. Students who have received a stipend in the past have interned at federal departments, embassies, U.S. Senate offices, and more. For the summer internship to qualify for funding, the proposed internship must be full-time, unpaid, and at least nine weeks long. Generally speaking, internships that are eligible for a Stipend should be at a “public policy organization,” which are defined as follows:
- Governmental agencies at the federal, state, or local level (e.g., federal departments, the White House) in the U.S. or abroad
- Federal, state, or local legislative bodies in the U.S. or abroad
- International policymaking organizations (e.g., the U.N., embassies)
- Think tanks, media, or non-governmental organizations that directly play a role in the policymaking process (e.g., testify or present reports for Congress)
- Civil society and advocacy organizations (e.g. the ACLU, World Wildlife Fund)
If the internship requires the student to conduct research, the SIG Stipends Program requires that the project directly involve the application of research into public policy. For additional examples, please see the list of past stipends recipients. If you have questions regarding whether your internship qualifies, contact Rachelle Zavalza-Arellano (rachzav3@stanford.edu).
3. What is the difference between the first and second stipends deadlines?
SIG has two stipends deadlines to accommodate different schedules in which students receive internship offers. You only need to apply to one deadline, and there is no inherent advantage to applying to one over the other, although the winter deadline tends to have fewer applicants and may be less competitive. If you are rejected during the first application cycle, you may apply again during the second one.
4. How do I find an unpaid policy internship?
Please visit this page for further suggestions on finding a policy internship.
5. Do I have to be a U.S. citizen to apply for and receive a stipend?
No, you do not have to be a U.S. citizen to apply for or receive a stipend, if U.S. citizenship is not a requirement for your host office. This application is open to all returning Stanford undergraduates.
6. Are graduating seniors or co-term students eligible to apply for a stipend?
Graduating seniors who are planning to co-term can apply for and receive a stipend for the summer after their senior year and before their co-terminal program. Graduating seniors or co-terminal master’s students who are not returning to Stanford after the summer are not eligible for a stipend. Co-terminal students who are paying graduate tuition are not eligible.