Internships and Fellowships
Internships
The Department of Political Science encourages students to work as interns during their time at Santa Clara University. Internships can provide valuable opportunities through which students can gain hands-on job experience, learn more about organizations and careers, develop useful skills and habits, and interact with leaders and members of the community. Political science students often intern for elected officials, government agencies, public law offices, and non-profit organizations. Most internships correspond with our fall, winter, and summer academic terms.
Students interested in receiving course credit for an internship in the public or non-profit sectors can enroll in 2 units of POLI 198: Public Service Internship, using the Petition for Independent Study (Undergraduate) form from the Registrar. POLI 198 requires 50 hours of internship work and a reflection essay, and it can be taken any quarter. Students seeking to take POLI 198 must make arrangements with a political science faculty member prior to submitting the enrollment form. To learn more about career paths with a political science degree and to prepare for internship and job applications in the public or non-profit sectors, we encourage all majors to take the 2-unit course POLI 97: Careers in Public Service, which is on the schedule every fall, winter, and spring and meets once per week.
Fellowships and Programs
Fellowships provide funding for projects, studying abroad, and graduate studies. Some fellowships are intended for undergraduates, while others serve to fund graduate studies geared toward certain career paths. Many organizations also offer non-fellowship training and development programs for undergrads and recent graduates, often during the summer months.
In addition to the opportunities listed on the link below, interested students should also visit the Office of Student Fellowships site for more information.
Current Opportunities
The Political Science Department keeps a live list of internships, fellowships, scholarships, etc. that students can apply to throughout the year.
Student Experience
Rachel Alonzo ’28, a political science and economics double major, represented Santa Clara University in the 2025 cohort of the Panetta Institute for Public Policy Congressional Internship Program.
Ariana Yamasaki ’25, a political science and philosophy double major, represented Santa Clara University for the 2024 cycle of the Panetta Institute for Public Policy Congressional Internship Program.
Sean Gallagher ’25 represented Santa Clara University for the 2023 cycle of the Panetta Institute for Public Policy Congressional Internship Program.
Jordan Tachibana '23 represented Santa Clara University for the 2022 cycle of the Panetta Institute for Public Policy Congressional Internship Program.
Learn more about Kaylen's experience in Washington, D.C.!
