Public Service-Based Fellowships, Scholarships and Opportunities

The Autry Fellowship

  • Offers recent graduates the opportunity to work as full-time, paid staff members at MDC for one-year
  • MDC seeks to improve social equity and opportunity in the South via education, economic development, civic cultures, and leadership
  • Usual deadline: January
  • Available to: U.S. citizens or residents who will graduate the year of application or who have graduated within the last 2 years
  • More information

Bosch Foundation

  • Provides young American professionals with two high-level work placements in the federal government and private sector in Germany
  • There are 20 fellowships awarded each year
  • Usual deadline: Mid October
  • Available to: U.S. citizens or permanent residents of the U.S. between the ages of 23 and 34 at the application deadline; those with a BA should have 5 years of professional experience (internships excluded) while those with a graduate degree should have 2 years of professional experience within one of the target fellowship fields: business administration, cultural management (ex. museum, theater, orchestra), journalism, law, non-profit, public policy, and urban planning
  • More information

Coro Fellows Program in Public Affairs

  • Provides full-time, nine-month graduate-level leadership training for those dedicated to public affairs
  • Program is available in Los Angeles, New York, Pittsburgh, San Francisco and St. Louis
  • 64 Fellows chosen each year to learn by experience in a series of placements that may include government, business, electoral politics, organized labor, media and non-profits
  • Coro Fellows must pay tuition, but will be given a monthly stipend
  • Usual deadline: mid-January
  • Available to: U.S. citizens dedicated to public affairs
  • More information at www.coro.org

Bill Emerson National Hunger Fellowship

  • Fellows participate in a 4 part program where they receive training on hunger, poverty, and social inequality, work with community-based organizations, receive extensive policy training, and then work with non-profits and government agencies
  • 20 Fellows are chosen annually for the 1-year program
  • Applicants should have a firm commitment to social justice
  • Usual deadline: mid-January
  • Available to: U.S. citizens or permanent residents
  • More information

Humanity in Action Internships

  • Selects Fellows to perform research on minority rights, intolerance, and democracy for five weeks every summer in Amsterdam, Berlin, Copenhagen, Paris and Warsaw
  • Promotes collective exploration of social issues related to discrimination while encouraging informed dialogue
  • Usual deadline:
  • Available to: Students and recent graduates from the United States, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Denmark, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Poland, Turkey and Ukraine
  • More information at www.humanityinaction.org

Samuel Huntington Public Service Award

  • Provides a $15,000 stipend for a graduating college senior to pursue 1-year of public service anywhere in the world
  • Applicants must generate a proposal for public service that encompasses any activity that furthers the public good
  • Applicants may propose to work alone or through established charitable, religious, educational, governmental or public service organizations
  • Usual deadline: mid-January
  • Available to: All graduating students from accredited colleges in the U.S.
  • More information

Institute on Philanthropy & Voluntary Service

  • Provides coursework at Georgetown University, housing in Washington, DC, and an 8-week competitive internship to undergraduates dedicated to volunteerism and the non-profit sector
  • Accepted students also participate in a group community service project that directly impacts the DC community
  • Students do pay tuition (scholarships available based on strength of application and need); housing is provided
  • Usual deadline: March, November and June (Summer, Spring, and Fall programs)
  • Available to: Undergraduates (including freshmen) with a GPA of 3.0 or higher and a dedication to volunteering and the community
  • More information

New York City Urban Fellows Program

  • Offers 25 Fellows the opportunity to work in mayoral offices and city agencies to explore current urban issues affecting public policy for nine months
  • Fellows earn $30,000 and receive health insurance
  • Applicants must be recent graduates (2012 or later for the 2014 application)
  • Usual deadline: early January
  • Available to: those eligible to work in the U.S. for the duration of the fellowship
  • More information

Thomas R. Pickering Graduate Foreign Affairs Fellowship

  • Provides funding for the academic and professional development of participants preparing to enter the foreign service
  • Encourages the applications of women, minorities, and those with financial need
  • Graduate fellowships provide up to $37,500/year for the first and second years of graduate study in fields related or applicable to foreign service
  • Chosen candidates are obligated to a minimum of 5 years of service as a Foreign Service officer
  • Usual deadline: January
  • Available to: U.S. citizens with a 3.2 or higher GPA who are planning to enter graduate school and the foreign service
  • More information at http://www.twc.edu/programs/thomas-r-pickering-foreign-affairs-fellowship 

Charles B. Rangel International Affairs Fellowship Program

  • Provides 2 years of graduate school support, internship and professional development opportunities, and assistance entering the Foreign Service to 20 Fellows annually
  • Fellows are expected to pursue (and accept) positions as Foreign Service Officers
  • Members of underrepresented minority groups and those with financial need are encouraged to apply
  • Usual deadline: mid-January
  • Available to: U.S. citizens entering graduate school with a minimum 3.2 undergraduate GPA
  • More information at www.rangelprogram.org

Charles B. Rangel International Affairs Summer Enrichment Program

  • Offers 15-20 undergraduates the opportunity to participate in a 6-week summer program that explores issues and trends in international affairs, as well as a greater understanding of career opportunities in that field
  • Participants live and attend classes at Howard University in Washington, DC
  • Usual deadline: early February
  • Available to: U.S. citizens with a minimum 3.2 undergraduate GPA who have an interest in international affairs
  • More information at www.rangelprogram.org

Herbert Scoville Jr. Peace Fellowship

  • Provides college graduates the opportunity to serve as junior staff members at participating organizations in Washington, DC
  • Fellows are supported by a salary as they gain experience in issues of peace and security
  • Usual deadline: early October and early January (Spring and Fall selection)
  • Available to: U.S. citizens and non-citizen able to obtain a work visa; open to graduating seniors and graduate students
  • More information at scoville.org

Truman Scholarship***

  • Provides recipients with over $20,000 for graduate study in the U.S. or abroad in a field related to future public service (government, education, non-profit sector, etc.)
  • Intended for students who are leaders with a commitment to public service and have potential to be agents of change
  • Applicants must have a GPA in the uppermost quartile of their class, a very strong record of public service, and articulate public policy issues well
  • Usual deadline: early February
  • Available to: U.S. citizens with junior-level standing
  • More information at www.truman.gov

***Requires Nomination by Elon University

Schwarzman Scholarship

  • Provides funding for a one-year Master’s degree in Public Policy, Economics and Business, or International Studies at Tsinghua University in Beijing
  • Scharwzman Scholars will receive a comprehensive scholarship to cover tuition and fees, room and board, travel to and from Beijing, textbooks, a Lenovo laptop and smartphone, health insurance, and a modest personal stipend
  • Usual deadline: early October
  • Available to: Rising seniors graduating in 2016 or alumni who are not yet 28
  • More information at schwarzmanscholars.org/

USAID Donald M. Payne International Development Fellowship

  • Offers up to $90,000 worth of benefits over two years, including a two-year master’s degree, internships on Capitol Hill or USAID missions overseas, professional development, and support services
  • Fellows who complete the program become USAID Foreign Service Officers
  • Fellows may pursue a master’s degree in any area relevant to work at USAID, including international development or relations, public policy, business administration, languages, economics, agriculture, environmental sciences, health, or urban planning
  • Usual deadline: January
  • Available to: college seniors or graduates with a 3.2 (or higher) GPA interested in a career with USAID; applications from members of minority groups historically underrepresented in the USAID Foreign Service and those with financial need encouraged to apply
  • More information at www.paynefellows.org

White House Fellows

  • Provides the opportunity to serve as a Fellow to senior White House Staff, Cabinet Secretaries other other top-ranking government officals
  • Fellows are paid, full-time staff for one year (GS-14, step 3)
  • Fellows are expected to apply their experiences to their future professions and public service
  • Usual deadline: mid-January
  • Available to: U.S. citizens who hold a BA and are working in their field;  Fellows should demonstrate a record of professional achievement, evidence of leadership skills, a commitment to public service, and ability to work in a team, and a strong character