"I applied to 57 internships before I got that one yes! Start looking now for next summer’s internships. There may be many rejections along the way but don't let them discourage you. All you need is one yes!" Ashley Kankam, Class of 2027, Legislative Intern, New Jersey Legislative Black Caucus Foundation.
It is highly recommended to pursue an internship during your time at Rutgers. The Department can connect you to possibilities but it is up to the student to secure placement. We encourage students to intern in a wide range of political fields, such as the legal profession (law firms, county prosecutors, courtrooms), government service ( federal and state and local branch offices), local nonprofit organizations and political campaign organizations (candidate campaigns, party organizations and consulting firms). If you're unsure where to start, we can help! Reach out to our Office . Current majors & minors can also check out our directory of opportunitiesout our directory of opportunities in Canvas (Student request only. Email us to request access using Scarletmail).
A SMALL SMAPLE OF STUDENT INTERNSHIP EXPERIENCES
- Léa Chukrallah, Class of 2028, Investigations Division Internship, New Jersey Office of the State Comptroller.
- Shreya Vaidya, BA '26, Brennan Center for Justice at NYU School of Law
- Eva Maria Hernandez, BA ' 25, NJ Governor's Hispanic Fellow, The Center for Hispanic Policy, Research and Development (CHPRD)
RUTGERS SCARLET SERVICE INITIATIVES
The goal of these initiatives is to provide high-impact, hands-on summer internship opportunities in public service for Rutgers sophomores and juniors. Though competitive, these programs are unique in that they are offered to sophomores, provide stipends & housing (where applicable).
EAGLETON INSTITUTE OF POLITICS
The Eagleton Institute also offers possibilities to students who are not Eagleton Undergraduate Associates but wish to get involved.
- Rutgers-Eagleton Washington Internship Award Program awards one time grants up to $6,000 to outstanding Rutgers students for summer internships in government or nonprofits in Washington, DC.
- Douglass Residential College students can also take advantage of the Public Leadership Education Network (PLEN) through Eagleton.
EARN ACADEMIC CREDIT
Students must have a GPA of 3.0 or higher and have junior or senior class standing to earn academic credit. Approval by the Undergraduate Program Director is required. Students will work with the Undergraduate Program Director to determine eligibility. To earn academic credit
- Students must devote a minimum of 160 hours to the internship.
- Course structure is asynchronous, pass/fail
- Students are expected to complete all requirements of the asynchronous internship course, which includes an interview of a manager or supervisor and a reflection paper.
To request an SPN to enroll in Fall, Spring or Summer session internship course, email with the following information:
- Internship position description, including a brief justification for why this internship should count for credit to the political science major/minor.
- Name and contact information of internship supervisor.
- Total number of expected hours worked at the internship
- Expected start and finish date