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All continuing Stanford undergraduate students in any course of study who have independently arranged a summer policy internship are eligible to apply for a SIG Stipend. We welcome students from all years, majors, and backgrounds. Past recipients have come from all class years, a wide variety of majors, and varying degrees of financial need.
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.
Successful applicants will have demonstrated strong interest in public policy and politics, and show an understanding of the tasks required of them at their placement office. To this end, students are encouraged to contact past Stipends Recipients to discuss internship preparation. Students are also required to seek out a faculty mentor to sponsor their Stipends application.
In 2024, we will offer two rounds of Stipends applications to accommodate students looking for funding for the summer. Round 1 applications are due February 13th, and Round 2 applications are due in early to mid-April. 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.
Application Guidelines
The 2024 SIG Stipend application includes:
- Academic Information
- Documents: Upload a resume and transcript. Never created a resume before? No worries! Start by taking a look at this handy article and set of templates from CareerEd on Handshake.
- Organization Questionnaire: to be filled out by your internship supervisor. This recommendation is entitled Community Partner Questionnaire on SOLO.
- Personal statement:
- Please describe your internship as you understand it, making sure to outline how you will be engaging with policy research, development, and/or implementation. (150 words) *
- Why are you interested in policy and public service? Why are you passionate about the work the organization does? (250 words) *
- Please explain your short-term and long-term goals. How will this internship help you achieve these and how will you continue to engage with public service following the conclusion of the internship? (200 words) *
Eligibility
In order to be eligible for SIG fellowships, an applicant must be an enrolled Stanford student for the 2023-2024 academic year and cannot have conferred their undergraduate degree before the completion of the fellowship. In other words, graduating seniors are ineligible for SIG fellowships. Seniors who will be returning for all of next year to finish a co-term degree are eligible to apply. Co-terminal students who are paying graduate tuition are not eligible.
For more questions on eligibility, please see our FAQs.
Furthermore, SIG stipends recipients must fulfill all Cardinal Quarter eligibility policies, found in the “Student Eligibility” section of the Haas website here.
Applicant Restrictions
- No preference will be given to SIG committee members or directors.
- Students who have not received a SIG Stipend or SIG Fellowship in the past will be prioritized.
- If the applicant fails to disclose any information that would have disqualified them from the selection process, their stipend may be rescinded. The stipend cannot be used to pay any kind of program fees (fees the intern has to cover to secure their position as an intern).
- Students will be held responsible for finding their own housing and covering all living expenses with their stipend award. Housing needs early attention as Stanford gets out for summer break after other schools.
Internship Guidelines
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.
In order to be eligible for funding, internships must be:
- Directly involved in the development or implementation of policy
- Provide students with day-to-day experiences related to the policymaking process
- An independent 9-week policy experience not tied to any other program
- Unpaid and secured prior to the application
- Full time (e.g. at least 35 hours a week)
- With a public policy organization that is not a political campaign, partisan organization, or direct social services
In order for an internship to be considered at a “public policy organization,” the office should be directly involved in the development and implementation of policy. The Stipends Program seeks to fund internships that provide students with rich day-to-day experiences directly observing part of the policymaking process, and internships are assessed on the basis of the extent to which the student’s work for the organization will give the student exposure to policymaking.
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 or local level (e.g. federal departments, the White House) in the U.S. or abroad
- Federal or local legislatures in the U.S. or abroad
- International policymaking organizations (e.g. the U.N., US State Department)
- Think tanks, media or non-governmental organizations that directly play a role in the policymaking process (i.e. testify or present reports for Congress)
- Civil society and advocacy organizations (e.g. the Sierra Club, World Wildlife Fund)
This does not include direct service, research that does not affect policy, or non-profit work that does not directly relate to policy. 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.
If you are still unsure whether your organization would be eligible, please reach out to SIG’s Director of Stipends Dylan Vergara (dylanv26@stanford.edu).
Safety Guidelines
With limited exceptions, travel for undergraduate students is not permitted to countries, regions or cities where the International SOS travel or medical risk rating is “High” or “Extreme.” To determine a location’s International SOS medical and travel risk ratings, please visit this page.
Travel Reservations
Undergraduate Fellows are strongly encouraged to utilize Stanford Travel, a centralized booking program, when booking air travel for their fellowship experiences.
International Service Considerations
Many of the fellowships offer students the opportunity to serve internationally. Note that international service may bring with it additional academic, logistical, and ethical considerations; applications should reflect an understanding of these potential challenges and the knowledge and skills to handle them appropriately.
Applying for the first time? Check out our sample personal statements and resumes HERE!