2021 Stanford in Government Stipends
Stanford in Government (SIG) is a nonpartisan, student-run organization dedicated to promoting political awareness, providing public service opportunities and fellowships, and assisting students in their search for quality experiences in the public policy arena. The 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 2021, we will offer two rounds of Stipends applications to accommodate students looking for funding for Spring or Summer quarters. Round 1 applications are due February 3rd, and Round 2 applications are due April 4th. Spring stipends applications must be submitted by the Round 1 deadline; Summer stipends applications can be submitted to either Round 1 or Round 2.
Please refer to the SIG Stipend Applicant Guidelines or the Program Requirements and Stipends sections of the Haas Center’s Undergraduate Fellowships Program FAQs page for additional program requirements and policies.
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.
Fellowships and stipends require a commitment of at least nine weeks of full-time work during the spring or summer and provide students with stipends of at least $5,500 to cover most of the essential costs associated with an unpaid service experience. Financial aid and supplemental funding is available to students who qualify.
Eligibility:
- Students must have completed two full-time enrolled quarters this academic year by the time their opportunity begins.
- Students can only participate by taking a Flex Term during their fellowship experience.
Undergraduates from all majors and years are encouraged to apply, as the fellowship placements include public service opportunities through a variety of disciplines. SIG only accepts applications from students who will be enrolled as undergraduates for the following academic year, so graduating seniors cannot apply. The one exception to this rule is that seniors who will be working toward a co-term degree for all of the following academic year, who are allowed to apply.
Note: Students are only eligible for one Stanford-funded full-time experiential learning opportunity during the 2020-21 academic year (inclusive of summer).
Requirements:
Fellows are required to work at least 35 hours/week for nine consecutive weeks at their placements. Fellows may be required to work remotely depending on the forthcoming University policies. Fellows are expected to work on-site with their host organization, and have a designated full-time professional staff member on-site as their supervisor/mentor. Please review the entire FAQs section for program policies. Other commitments include the following:
Before beginning the internship:
- Complete an online orientation.
- Complete the Engaging in Ethical and Effective Service workshop or worksheet
- Meet with academic mentor at least once.
- Design a personal learning plan for the internship, and share the plan with site supervisor and academic mentor.
- Students participating in an international service project must complete the Haas Center's international preparation requirements.
Quarter of Internship
- Submit a brief prelminary report.
- Submit a final report, complete a program evaluation, and correspond with fellowship donor(s) as requested by fellowships program staff.
Quarter after internship
- Meet with academic mentor at least once.
- Attend a de-briefing meeting for the purpose of reflecting upon and evaluating internship experiences.
- Participate in outreach activities to share your experiences and help publicize the program.
For those who seek assistance, advising is offered at the Haas Center to help students develop their applications and/or to identify potential partner organizations.
Students are strongly encouraged to discuss ideas for placements with SIG or program staff at the Haas Center well before the application deadline to identify appropriate/relevant opportunities and prepare effective application materials. Developing a suitable summer placement takes time, so it is important to start the application process early and consult with professors, advisors, and community partners regularly.
