The Brookings Internship program for undergraduate and graduate students from diverse backgrounds

Finance June 15, 2023

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The Brookings Internship program provides an opportunity for undergraduate and graduate students from diverse backgrounds to engage in career exploration and development as well as a chance to learn new skills.

The mission of the Internship program is to provide students and recent graduates with a pre-professional, meaningful, and practical work experience related to the student’s field of study or career interest. Interns may work with Brookings’s staff in research areas – Economic Studies, Foreign Policy, Global Economy and Development, Governance Studies, and Metropolitan Policy. Brookings also offers students the opportunity to intern in departments such as communications, human resources and central operations management.

Interns will have the opportunity to attend internal meetings, local think tank events, professional development workshops, and public Brookings events. In addition, interns may participate on Brookings sports teams and network with other interns throughout the Institution.

Types of Internships

Brookings offers two types of internships – paid, and external sponsorship. Internships are offered during the Summer, Fall and Spring semesters. Internships are usually 10-12 weeks. Internships are either hybrid or remote. Hybrid positions combine regular in-person presence at our Washington, DC, office with the option of remote work. Remote work applicants may not work from the following states: Alaska, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Illinois, Maine, Michigan, Oregon, Rhode Island, and Washington.

Specifically for unpaid Internships, Brookings has partnered with several colleges, universities and external sponsors to provide students’ funding to ensure there is a purposeful learning program structured into the experience.

Colleges, universities and organizations interested in providing funding through external sponsorships as part of Brookings Institution’s internship program, should send an email to [email protected].

Application Process

All applications must be submitted online by the application deadline. Please see below for more information about the schedule and deadlines.

When you apply:

Submit your cover letter and resume
Upload a transcript (unofficial transcripts are acceptable)

Please Note:

You only need to complete required fields (marked with an asterisk); this includes all screening questions. If your application is incomplete, you will receive an email to finish the application process.
Internships that require writing samples will include the request as part of the job description. If required, please upload a writing sample.
All applicants receive an email confirming that the application has been received.

Making Changes or Adding Documents:

If you need to make a change or add a document, log in to your Candidate Profile

If selected as a finalist for an internship:

If selected as a finalist for an internship, you will need to provide two references or two letters of recommendation. Letters of recommendation can be uploaded to your candidate profile or sent directly to: [email protected]
For external sponsorship internships, students must provide written documentation of eligibility to receive external sponsorship. Documentation includes a letter from the university or organization confirming sponsorship and must include the amount of external funding being provided.

Because of recruiting volume, we can only accept applications for internships that are currently open.

Brookings is an equal-opportunity employer that is committed to promoting a diverse and inclusive workplace. We welcome applications from all qualified individuals regardless of race, color, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, age, religion, physical or mental disability, marital status, veteran status, or other factors protected by law. To learn more, see our Statement on Diversity and Inclusion.

Internship Program Schedule:

Fall 2023 Internship Program Dates & Deadlines
• Internships posted beginning: May 25, 2023
• Application Deadline: June 25, 2023
• Decisions made the week of August 7, 2023
• Program start date: September 11, 2023
• Program end date: December 1, 2023

A note about the internship program deadlines:

The Spring internship program generally runs from mid-January – mid-April. We usually recruit for Spring interns starting in September
The Summer internship program generally runs from early June – early August. We usually recruit for Summer interns starting in January
The Fall internship program generally runs from mid-September through mid-December. We usually recruit for Fall interns starting in May