Navigating Senate Internship Programs: Requirements and Opportunities

An internship in the Senate provides a valuable chance to gain firsthand exposure to the legislative process. These programs, available in Washington, D.C., and state offices, offer diverse experiences and skill-building opportunities for students and recent graduates. Understanding the requirements and navigating the application process are crucial steps toward securing a coveted Senate internship.

Defining the Congressional Intern

An intern in a congressional office is an individual who provides assistance on a temporary basis, whether paid or unpaid. The primary goal of the internship is to provide an educational experience for the intern, and their role should not replace the duties of regular employees. While titles like "volunteer" and "fellow" are sometimes used interchangeably, they have distinct characteristics. A volunteer provides assistance with educational value but cannot receive financial compensation. A fellow participates in a graduate-level program and often receives compensation from an outside organization.

Formal Rules and Ethical Considerations

Few statutes or standing rules of the House or Senate make specific references to congressional interns. The distinction between paid and unpaid internships significantly impacts which formal rules apply. Paid interns are generally subject to the same gift rules as regular employees, prohibiting gifts from lobbyists or foreign agents and limiting the value of individual and cumulative gifts from a single source. Although fewer House or Senate rules may apply to unpaid interns than to paid interns, the Office of Congressional Workplace Rights (OCWR) notes that interns are covered by the Congressional Accountability Act under certain limited circumstances. To enhance accountability for unpaid interns, the House or Senate ethics committees or individual congressional offices can set standards for unpaid interns to abide by that mirror some of the same rules that paid interns or congressional employees follow. The House Committee on Ethics, for example, advises that offices obtain an agreement in writing from unpaid interns at the outset of an internship. The Senate Select Committee on Ethics requires that unpaid interns file a disclaimer with the Financial Clerk of the Senate acknowledging that their service is voluntary, or gratuitous, in nature. The committee also notes that the conflict-of-interest provisions in the Standing Rules of the Senate "apply to any intern, fellow, or volunteer providing Senate services," even if the individual is only working for a single day. Offices often provide additional information or guidance to interns about congressional operations or resources.

To maintain ethical standards, the respective ethics manuals remind Member offices to be careful not to mix official congressional resources with campaign resources. Interns working in a congressional office may also work for a political campaign, but the two responsibilities are to be carefully delineated and kept separate so that congressional time, property, facilities, equipment, or other resources are not used for electoral campaigns. If an intern is paid, then the standard prohibitions regarding nepotism or employment of relatives established in law and House or Senate rules apply. Because each congressional office is its own hiring authority, an intern may be related to another Member or staff in a different office without violating these rules.

Setting the Stage: Intern Selection and Eligibility

House and Senate offices have considerable autonomy in setting intern selection requirements. For example, some offices may require that interns are currently enrolled students, have reached a certain level of education, or that interns live in a Member's district or state. In many instances, Members of Congress have broad discretion to determine who works in their offices, but different laws, rules, and considerations may apply to a noncitizen's potential service, based on the individual's status, particularly if the individual receives pay. House offices may wish to contact the Office of the General Counsel, Committee on Ethics, or the Committee on House Administration before employing a noncitizen as an intern. The House and Senate ethics manuals provide some general guidance for congressional offices on working with foreign-national interns. Conflict-of-interest considerations may affect the responsibilities an office chooses to assign to a foreign-national intern.

While many interns are college-age individuals or recent college graduates between 18 and 24 years old, there is no maximum age for interns. Internship lengths often reflect time periods designated by the academic calendar, occurring, for example, over the course of the fall or spring semester, or during the summer. There are no minimum lengths for House or Senate internships in statute, but certain considerations may affect the parameters offices choose for how long an internship should last. More detailed guidance is available for the maximum length of internships.

Financial Aspects: Pay, Stipends, and Academic Credit

Interns may receive pay from the congressional office in which they work, if the office chooses to provide it. The continuing resolution for FY2025 and the FY2024 appropriations bill provide some designated funding for internships in House Members' personal offices, in House committees, in House leadership offices, and in Senators' personal offices. Members may also use their own office resources, such as from the Members' Representational Allowance (MRA) in the House and the Senators' Official Personnel and Office Expense Account (SOPOEA) in the Senate, to provide compensation for interns. Committees or other congressional offices may provide compensation for interns through their appropriate accounts designated for staff salaries. In the House, the Committee on House Administration has typically set a maximum and minimum gross annual rate of pay for interns for Member and committee offices. Many educational institutions or other organizations sponsor congressional internships, and interns may receive stipends from these groups for their internships.

The House and Senate expect that a congressional internship provides an educational experience but, institutionally, make no requirements that an intern receive school credit or be a currently enrolled student. Some congressional offices may choose to select interns on the basis of whether they will receive, or will not receive, academic credit for the experience. Each educational institution sets its own requirements for granting academic credit, and while some schools or academic departments encourage internships and grant academic credit for them, others do not allow students to receive academic credit for internships. School requirements may prevent a student from receiving academic credit for an internship experience that the intern may have personally found to be highly educational. A short internship, for example, may not meet a school's requirement for the number of hours served to receive credit, or students may be responsible for paying tuition on any academic credits earned.

Internship Structure and Location

There is no minimum required number of interns for each congressional office; offices are not obligated to hire any interns unless they choose to. If interns are unpaid, there is no cap on the maximum number of interns for either the House or Senate. Offices, however, may want to ensure there is enough office space for interns to work in, and that there is enough work available to provide interns with a sufficient educational experience. If interns are paid, there may be a maximum number of interns an office can employ, based on applicable staff ceiling rules for the office. The number of interns in offices can fluctuate from year to year and within seasons during the year. During the summer, for example, offices commonly have more interns than during other parts of the year. For Member offices, the location of an internship in Washington, DC, or in a state or district office may also affect the number of interested and available interns.

The substance of the work performed in an internship may vary between district/state offices and Washington, DC, offices if the roles assumed by those different Member offices vary. For example, an intern's tasks may involve more constituent service activities in a district or state office than they would in a Washington, DC, office where the emphasis may be more on legislative activities. The same House and Senate rules and policies generally apply to district or state office interns and to Washington, DC, office interns. Due to the high concentration of congressional interns on Capitol Hill, some training opportunities and congressional programs may be available to Washington, DC, interns, but not to interns serving in district or state offices further away. House interns who are paid under the House Paid Internship Program may work in Washington, DC, in the office of a Member, in a committee office, or in a House leadership office, or interns may work in a Member's district office. The Committee on House Administration has also stated that paid House interns may be eligible for telework in the event of a disaster, pandemic, or other emergency. For security purposes, interns in Washington, DC, offices can obtain a congressional ID badge, available from the Office of the Sergeant at Arms for the appropriate chamber. District or state office interns are also eligible to receive ID badges at the request of the employing Member office. ID badges are to be returned to the Office of the Sergeant at Arms upon completion of an internship.

Required and Recommended Training

If interns are paid by Congress, then they are to take many of the mandatory trainings discussed below that new House or Senate employees are required to take. If interns are unpaid, however, fewer House or Senate trainings are mandatory for them. Because interns may be working with Congress or in a professional environment for the first time, congressional offices may want to have their interns attend additional trainings to better ensure they are prepared for their work and can represent the office appropriately. All interns in the House of Representatives are required to complete a training session on workplace rights and responsibilities. Also in the House, any individual who has access to the House network needs to complete an information security training online. A paid intern who is employed for 60 days or more is to take a House ethics training, which is mandatory for new House employees. In the Senate, all interns or fellows are required to receive the same antiharassment training as paid employees. The Senate Office of Education and Training has provided a number of courses specifically designed for interns. A few, including harassment prevention and an overview of the Senate Code of Conduct, have been listed as required courses, whereas others, like information security training, have been listed as recommended or optional. Many of these courses are online and can be accessed via the Senate intranet in a state or Capitol Hill office. Other courses offered by the Senate Office of Education and Training or the Senate Library may be open to interns if space permits. Some programs and courses offered by CRS are open to congressional interns, provided that they have completed the CRS intern orientation. Many summers, the Committee on House Administration and the Senate Committee on Rules and Administration have cosponsored the Congressional Summer Intern Lecture Series, providing congressional interns with insights about politics and policymaking from Members of Congress, other government officials, and journalists.

Application Tips and Strategies

Start early: Most offices start accepting applications months in advance. Applying early increases your chances.
Target your search: Focus on congressmen or senators from your state, as offices often favor constituents.
Network: Connections to past interns or staff can significantly boost your application.
Direct contact: If you're passionate about a specific issue, find a congressman or senator on a related committee and highlight your relevant knowledge.

The application package typically involves an application or form where applicants can indicate their availability and add attachments, including a resume, statement of interest, and writing sample(s). Some offices may also request a list of references or transcripts. Requests for accommodations should be directed to the Senate officeâs Internship Coordinator.

High School Opportunities

High school students interested in public service have several avenues to explore, including Senate-sponsored programs like short-term volunteer/internship programs, the Senate Page Program, the Senate Youth Program, and Service Academy nominations.

Maximizing the Internship Experience

Before your internship, think about what skill(s) you want to develop or experience while you are at the Senate. During your internship, seek opportunities to achieve these goals. You can ask your Intern Coordinator if you would be able to attend a variety of on- and off-Hill events. These may include committee hearings, briefings, receptions, lectures, seminars, and other formal and informal educational and networking opportunities.The Employment Office created a Senate Intern Bingo card to help you explore and learn more about the Senate. Before attending any of these activities, make sure that you have completed your baseline responsibilities in the office, and be sure to get your Intern Coordinatorâs approval. Throughout your internship, schedule networking coffees with staff, and continue to cultivate these professional relationships even after your internship has ended. These contacts may be willing to provide insight into their own careers, and you never know when your paths may cross again in the future. Update your resume with your new Senate experience. Look at our Resume and Cover Letter Guide or attend the Employment Officeâs Resume Workshop for tips on how you can showcase your Senate experience. Think about what skills or experience youâve developed, that may be transferrable to other jobs or internships. If you have written briefing memos, research memos, or letters during your internship, ask your Intern Coordinator whether you may keep these written products to use as writing samples. Once your internship has concluded, thank the office staff/Intern Coordinator and remain in contact.

Diverse Internship Programs

Various organizations and government agencies offer internships that align with different interests. The Department of State's Pathways Internship Program includes the Internship Temporary Program (ITEP) and the Internship Experience Program (IEP). Virtual internships also provide real experience, connecting citizen college students with federal agencies.

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