Capitol Hill Internships 2011

This article was published on Friday 6 May 2011

The English-Speaking Union invites a second round of applications for its Capitol Hill Programme for the summer of 2011.

We have been unexpectedly lucky and are able to offer several more places on the exchange programme this year. The opportunity is available to undergraduates who started one of their last two years at a British university during 2010to undertake placements in offices of members of the U.S. Congress. Applications are welcomed from students of any discipline at universities in the United Kingdom.

Visa support and placements will be organised by ESU Washington Branch and candidates will be selected by ESU England, based in London. In recent years ESU interns have worked in the offices of, amongst others, the late Edward Kennedy and Richard Gephardt. Internships also offer excellent networking opportunities as well as C.V. building.

The placements are unpaid and successful applicants are expected to raise the funds to cover the costs of their internships. In the past interns have received financial support from universities and grant-making trusts. Interns are assisted in finding accommodation, usually at George Washington University. This year, thanks to the generosity of Braxton Moncure there is free accommodation for several students who are able to demonstrate financial need. (All other costs will still need to be met by the intern.) Successful applicants will require approximately £1,300 to cover the cost of the accommodation. All other costs - flights, insurance and living expenses, estimated at around £2,000 – must be covered and arranged by the participants themselves. All participants must pay a contribution fee of £200 to the ESU.

If you would like to apply for a bursary please send a separate letter stating that you are applying – please make it clear if free accommodation would be helpful, or the difference between being able to accept a place if offered and not. We also require some documentary proof of financial need; i.e. a scan of your student loan details, evidence of university based bursaries etc. This information will be treated as confidential and will not form any part of the interview process. The ESU may need to contact you for further clarification.

The 2011 programme will run from mid-June to early August.

Candidates should e-mail an appropriately detailed CV with a 250-word covering letter which supports their application. Successful candidates should be able to demonstrate an active interest in politics and that the internship will assist their medium-term career goals.

All applications must be received by 5.30pm on Monday 16 May 2011 – you will be notified by Wednesday 18 if you are being invited to interview, and interviews will take place on Monday 23 May from 10am and candidates will be notified if they have been successful by Wednesday 25 May.

Successful candidates would be expected to leave the UK around June 20th. Be aware that this leaves very little time and may mean that flights are quite expensive.

Applications must be submitted to, and further information can be obtained from Jason Vit.