Internships

We expect a great deal from our interns. Current college students will have a diverse, challenging experience and make a genuine contribution to Senator Gillibrand’s work on behalf of New York and the nation.

Internship opportunities are available in each of Senator Gillibrand’s following offices: Washington, D.C., New York City, Melville, Albany, Syracuse, Rochester, Lower Hudson Valley, and Buffalo.

To learn more, please click below for our Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about internship opportunities in the Senate.

Applications

2024 DC Summer Session 1 Application:

2024 DC Summer Session 2 Application:

2024 Regional Summer Application:

2024 DC Summer Press Internship:

Internship FAQs

1. What will I be doing?

Interns participating in the standard internship program assist staff in a wide range of areas including constituent services and legislative policy. While intern duties are largely administrative, candidates should expect to be given more and more responsibilities as they progress through their internship, depending on their individual interests.

Interns participating in the press internship help coordinate logistics for press conferences in the U.S. Capitol, answer press calls, assist with media monitoring, rapid response, and the Senator’s daily clips collection and distribution.

2. What is the application deadline?

Standard Internship:
The deadline for DC Internship is listed on the DC Internship application link.

The deadline for the Regional Internship application varies by office. Please contact individual regional offices for their deadlines.

Press Internship:
Rolling admission based on availability

3. Are all materials due at the application deadline?

All materials, including letters of reference, must be submitted by the application deadline. Any materials submitted after the deadline will result in an incomplete application which may not be considered.

4. Are internships paid?

There are both paid and unpaid internships offered at all of the senator’s offices. Applicants may also seek financial assistance on their own from outside sources. However, Senate rules require that receiving financial assistance from outside sources does not create a conflict of interest with your Senate work. Please indicate on your application if you plan to receive funding from an outside source.

5. What is a paid internship?

Paid interns will receive a stipend of $3,500 for a full time internship.

6. How do I receive a paid internship?

Paid internships are needs based. In order to be considered, you must complete the Paid Supplemental Application in addition to the DC and/or Regional Standard Application. The Paid Supplemental Application will be released to applicants who have been extended and subsequently confirmed an internship offer, provided funding is available. For more questions email Gillibrand_Internship@Gillibrand.Senate.Gov.

7. What are the requirements for a paid internship?

In order to qualify for consideration for an internship, an applicant must:

Be a US Citizen or meet one of the following requirements:

    1. Is lawfully admitted for permanent residence and is seeking citizenship as outlined in 8 U.S.C. 1324b(a)(3)(B); or
    2. Is (1) admitted as a refugee under 8 U.S.C. 1157 or granted asylum under 8 U.S.C. 1158 and (2) has filed a declaration of intention to become a lawful permanent resident and then a citizen when eligible; or
    3. Owes allegiance to the United States 

      While not requirements, first consideration will be given to applicants who are a resident of or a student in New York State and eligible for a Pell Grant.

8. If I am not selected for a paid internship, am I still eligible for an unpaid internship?

Yes, you may still be offered an unpaid internship even if you did not qualify or did not receive a paid internship.

9. Can I apply if I am not from New York?

Although preference is given to applicants who are from New York, students from all backgrounds are encouraged to apply.

10. Can I receive academic credit for completing an internship?

Awarding academic credit for an internship is at the discretion of your college or university. However, we will assist you in providing appropriate information as requested by your school.  Arrangements for accreditation should be made before you begin the internship.

11. Can I apply if I am a high school student?

No. Unfortunately we receive a high number of applicants and we must limit the available positions to graduates only.

12. Can I apply if I am a law/graduate student?

This program is designed to enhance a course of study for an undergraduate student. While we may consider an application from students pursuing higher degrees (Law, Masters, etc.) it is important to keep in mind that the level of work is appropriate for those recently graduated, or currently pursuing their undergraduate degree.

13. How competitive is the application process?

As we receive applications from many qualified applicants, the application process is fairly competitive. However, our office always has a lot of work to do, which means we have many intern positions to fill. While summer is the most competitive session, spring and fall sessions tend to be somewhat less competitive.