CBCF Congressional Summer Internship Program

SUMMER 2027 CBCF CONGRESSIONAL INTERNSHIP PROGRAM

The summer-long Congressional Black Caucus Foundation, Incorporated (CBCF) Congressional Internship Program places rising college sophomores, juniors, and seniors, as well as recently graduated persons, in the offices of Congressional Black Caucus (CBC) Members. To take part in this opportunity, interns must be permanent residents in the district of a CBC Member or attend an academic institution in the district of a CBC Member. Through this 9-week internship, participants gain practical and meaningful work experience on Capitol Hill and obtain firsthand experience supporting the day-to-day work of a congressional office and the policymaking process.

The Summer 2027 program will take place in person from May 24 through July 23, 2027, with move-in on May 22 and office placements beginning June 1. Interns receive CBCF-provided housing and a $3,000 stipend. Interns interact with congressional staffers, explore various aspects of the policymaking process, and build skills to prepare them for careers within and beyond the policy arena. Throughout the internship, participants also take part in business networking, team-building events, and leadership development sessions to enhance their professional and leadership skills.

Summer 2027 Program Details At-A-Glance
Internship tracks: Congressional Internship and Pathways to the C-Suite
Program length: 9 weeks
Stipend: $3,000
Housing: CBCF-provided housing
Move-in: May 22, 2027
Orientation begins: May 24, 2027
First day in office: June 1, 2027
Cohort concludes: July 23, 2027

Application Period
Applications for the Summer 2027 CBCF Internship Program open September 1, 2026 and close November 30, 2026, at 11:59 p.m. ET.

Important 2-Step Application Process

• Complete and submit the General Application.
• After submitting the General Application, locate the applicable opportunity under “Recommended Opportunities” and complete the Conditional Application specific to the internship track for which you are applying.
• Both the General Application and the applicable Conditional Application must be completed and submitted by the application deadline for an applicant to be considered.

Opportunities Overview
Summer 2027 internship tracks: Congressional Internship and Pathways to the C-Suite.
PLEASE NOTE: Applicants may submit an application for only one Summer 2027 internship track. Applicants should review both opportunity descriptions and eligibility requirements carefully before selecting a track.

Information Sessions
CBCF staff will offer information sessions to allow prospective applicants to learn more about the Summer 2027 internship program. Prospective applicants may register for the information session of their choice once dates and registration links are published.

Information Session and Registration Links:
Session 1
Use the link below to register for the information session on September 1st at 6:30 pm EST:
Meeting Registration – Zoom

Session 2
Use the link below to register for the information session on September 29th at 6:30 pm EST:
Meeting Registration – Zoom

Session 3
Use the link below to register for the information session on October 27th at 6:30 pm EST:
Meeting Registration – Zoom

Session 4
Use the link below to register for the information session on November 17th at 6:30 pm EST:
Meeting Registration – Zoom

Candidate Requirements
Note: You must use your full first and last name as your display name when creating your application account.

General Requirements for All Summer 2027 Interns

• Interns must have U.S. citizenship or a permit to work in the United States for the duration of the program.
• Interns must have availability to participate full-time upon acceptance.
• Interns cannot yet have obtained a graduate degree.
• Interns cannot be actively enrolled in graduate studies.
• Interns cannot be enrolled in classes for the duration of the program. In some cases, the program may be used for academic credit with university approval.
• Interns must demonstrate strong analytical skills.
• Interns must demonstrate outstanding oral and written communication skills.
• Interns are only allowed to apply for one-track-only rule and should consult with the website for more details.

Congressional Internship Requirements

• Applicants must have at least a 2.5 GPA on a 4.0 scale.
• Applicants must be a current college sophomore, junior, or senior, or a recent graduate within two years of the internship program start date.
• Applicants must have an interest in pursuing a career in public service, policy, or law.
• Applicants must have general familiarity with the federal legislative process, the U.S. Congress, the Congressional Black Caucus and its members, and related policy.
• Applicants must reside in or attend a college or university in the congressional district of a Congressional Black Caucus Member.

Application Materials

• The completed online application must be submitted by 11:59 p.m. ET on November 30, 2026.
• The following items will be requested through the online application:
• 1 video recording in response to a provided prompt located within the Conditional Application.
• 1 essay response located within the Conditional Application.
• 2 letters of recommendation, uploaded by the applicant directly to the application portal. Each letter must be on formal professional letterhead, signed, and include the recommender’s full name, professional title, contact email, and telephone number. Hard-copy letters will not be accepted. Recommenders should not submit recommendations directly to the Leadership Institute.
• Resume listing extracurricular activities, honors, employment, community service, and specific skills (2-page limit).
• Transcript uploaded directly to the application portal. Unofficial transcripts are accepted.

Essay Prompt
Choose a social justice policy issue (e.g., criminal justice reform, voting rights, the school-to-prison pipeline, public education, housing, racial discrimination in the workplace, etc.) that you believe is most relevant to the Black community and should be championed by members of the Congressional Black Caucus through legislation. Discuss the current effects of this issue on the Black community and identify specific aspects the legislation should address to create a positive impact. Be sure to cite your sources.
Maximum length: 150 words, not including sources. Arial font, size 12, single-spaced. Citation style is at the discretion of the applicant.

PLEASE NOTE: This is a two-step process. Applicants must first complete the General Application to gain access to the Summer 2027 opportunities and then complete the Conditional Application for the selected track. Both applications must be completed in full for the application to be considered.

If, for any reason, you are unable to access an opportunity, it may be because you do not meet the eligibility requirements for that opportunity. Please contact internships@cbcfinc.org for assistance as necessary. Application materials are not accepted via email.

Requests for Accommodations
Interns may request an accommodation for a medical reason such as a disability (as defined by applicable law), pregnancy (or childbirth or a related medical condition), being a nursing mother, or any other trait, characteristic, or class for which applicable law requires CBCF to provide reasonable workplace accommodations.

Accommodation requests for the Summer 2027 Internship Program should be submitted to Human Resources in writing no later than November 30, 2026.

Additional Note
Former interns, immediate relatives of a CBCF employee, CBC Member, CBC Spouse, a staff person of a CBC Member or Spouse, a member of the CBCF Board of Directors, Corporate Advisory Council Member of CBCF, or any CBCF-sponsoring entity are not eligible for CBCF internship programs.

Selection Process
The Internship is a highly competitive program. Applications are reviewed by a selection committee made up of program alumni, staff, and board members. Top candidates receive an invitation to interview. Applications are scored based on evidence of leadership and leadership potential, including community involvement, commitment to public service, and ability to challenge self.

Questions?
Please contact: internships@cbcfinc.org
Please do not contact the office regarding your application status. Only qualified candidates will be directly contacted by program supervisors. Due to the high volume of applications we receive, we regret that we are unable to respond to all applicants.

CBCF is a non-partisan 501©(3) equal opportunity organization that provides scholarships, internships, and fellowships to eligible applicants.