Internship Opportunities

Outside of NIU Summer Congressional Internship Program many organizations throughout Washington, D.C. offer internships opportunities year-round. Republican and Democratic National Committees, congressional campaign and senatorial campaign committees and many non-profit organizations and Think Tanks host internships in Washington.

Political Internships

Democratic and Republican national committees offer internships, as well as their respective Congressional and Senatorial campaign arms.

• Republican National Committee (RNC)
• Democratic National Committee (DNC)
• National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC)
• Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC)
• National Republican Senate Committee (NRSC)
• Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee (DSCC)

Think Tanks

There are many Think Tanks in Washington, D.C. offer internships during the summer and academic year. Some of the most prominent groups in Washington, D.C. are:

• American Enterprise Institute 
• Atlantic Council of the United States
• British American Security Information Council (BASIC)
• The Brookings Institution
• Carnegie Council on Ethics and International Affairs
• The Carter Center
• Cato Institute
• Center for American Progress
• Center for International Policy
• Center for Naval Analyses (CNA)
• Council on Foreign Relations
• Freedom House
• The Heritage Foundation
  
• RAND

See a more expansive list of Think Tanks.

Congressional Internship Opportunities

Every Member of Congress has internship programs in their district and Washington, D.C. offices. Each program is managed by the individual member and varies in timeline, responsibilities and application process. You can find more information by visiting a member’s website.  

Intern for the Federal Government Remotely from Campus

Intern for a federal agency from campus via the Virtual Student Federal Service. With over twenty agencies participating, from NASA, the Department of State, the Department of Veterans Affairs to the National Science Foundation, there is an agency internship opportunity for students of all majors and interests. Internships are for the fall and spring semesters. Applications are due July 28. 

White House Internships

The White House internship program provides emerging leaders an opportunity to support the work of the White House and experience public service at a high level.

The program runs from September to December. Participants must be U.S. citizens at least 18 years or older at the start of the program and currently enrolled in an undergraduate program, graduated from a program no more than two years prior or a veteran of the Armed Forces, possess a high school diploma or equivalent and services for no more than two years prior to the start of the program. Explore more information and how to apply to White House internships.

This internship has helped improved my communication, professionalism, etiquette, writing and comprehension, and my overall understanding of the world. Even if you are unsure, just apply because you’ll never know unless you give it a try. I’d always wanted to move to Washington D.C. and going there helped give me an idea of exactly what I was looking for.

Lana Samuel
2024 Congressional Intern, with office of U.S. Rep. Robin Kelly (D)