Paul A. Volcker Government Internship Award
Found a government internship or fellowship you are interesting in pursuing?
Find out if you are eligible for the Paul A. Volcker Government Internship Award, a $3,000 stipend to kickstart your career in public service.
Who is eligible?
Applicants must meet the following criteria to be eligible for the award:
Member or alumni of one of the following programs:
Next Generation Service Corps
NextGen Service Summer Policy Academy
Service to Service
Enrolled junior, senior or graduated within the last two years
Secured a government internship
Priority is given to applicants who have historically faced barriers to accessing internships or paid internship opportunities, including first-generation students, nontraditional students, and Pell Grant recipients.
How do I apply?
Click hereto fill out the application. The application collects the following:
Applicant Information
Professional Experience (resume)
Three short answer prompts (100-300 words max)
Internship Information
When is the application due?
Award applications will be considered in three cycles: fall, spring, and summer. The deadlines for 2026 are as follows:
Summer applications open February 23, 2026 and close April 17, 2026.
Fall applications open June 1, and close September 4, 2026.
Spring applications open September 28, 2026 and close November 20, 2026
What is considered a government internship?
Your internship employer must be a local, state, or federal governmental office or agency. For the purposes of this award, part-time fall and spring internships must be at least 10 hours per week, lasting a minimum of 12 weeks. A summer internship at a minimum should be 15 hours per week and run for at least 8 weeks. Internships at a university or a non-profit organization are not eligible for this award.
Still have questions?
What does a strong application look like?
Strong entries are well organized, thoughtfully composed, and present a compelling narrative about the values that drive your public service aspirations. We are looking for clarity in communication, authenticity and motivation, an understanding of public service values, and a demonstrated sense of resilience, determination, and commitment.
When should I expect to hear back?
Applicants can expect to hear back approximately 3 weeks post-deadline. Typically, awardees will receive the funds no longer than one month after decisions are announced.
Are there any conditions for accepting the award?
Each award recipient must sign an acknowledgement letter and complete a W9 form. Awardees will be asked to share headshot and biography for promotional purposes. In order to better support awardees, we ask recipients to participate in a virtual check in with that semester’s awardee cohort and complete an exit survey.
Summer Applications Now Open.
Ready to start your application?
Internship Experiences
Hear from peers who have been awarded Paul A. Volcker Government Internship stipends.
Spotlight: Katie Ritchie
“Public service is about building bridges and opening doors for others to walk through.”
“This summer, I interned at the U.S. Department of Education's Office of Communications and Outreach in DC. I worked on Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) completion initiatives, Back to School programs, family engagement – all these crucial touchpoints between government and community. What struck me most was how these programs could shape young leaders' outlooks on the world.
That's what drives me now, expanding these opportunities beyond the usual suspects. How do we reach the quiet kid with brilliant ideas? The student who's never seen themselves as a leader? Public service is about building bridges and opening doors for others to walk through.”
Learn more about Katie’s public service journey on Humans of Public Service.
Paul A. Volcker and His Legacy
Paul A. Volcker was one of America’s most revered public servants. He committed most of his working life to the public good. In founding the Volcker Alliance, he set forth a vision of a public sector workforce with the experience, preparation, and commitment to ensure that government is accountable and delivers with excellence.
Mr. Volcker worked in the United States federal government for almost thirty years, culminating in two terms as chairman of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System from 1979 to 1987, a critical period in bringing a high level of inflation to an end. In the earlier stages of his career, Mr. Volcker served as undersecretary of the treasury for monetary affairs during the early 1970s, a period of historic change in international monetary arrangements.
Upon leaving public service, he headed two private, non-partisan Commissions on the Public Service, in 1987 and 2003; both recommended a sweeping overhaul of the organization and personnel practices of the United States Federal Government. His last official role in government service was as head of the President’s Economic Recovery Advisory Board, established by President- Elect Obama in 2008 to help steer the nation through the Great Recession.
As stewards of Mr. Volcker’s legacy, the Volcker Alliance seeks to inspire others with his story and champion his passion for public service in the next generation. Internships play a significant role enabling young people to explore and enter government careers, but they are often unpaid or low-paying, making them impractical. To help students overcome this financial barrier and explore careers in local, state, and federal government, the PAV Government Internship Award provides financial support to students who wish to participate in government internships. We aim to raise student awareness about the range of opportunities a career in public service offers, including mission, impact, job security, and pathways for career advancement.