Fellowships for Student Internships and Policy Apprenticeships

This information reflects the internship and Policy Apprenticeship awards available for the 2022–23 academic year. The number and dollar amount of each award is subject to change each year, depending upon available funds.

Student must be in good academic standing (a minimum GPA of 3.0 and not on academic probation) and must be enrolled full-time (a minimum of nine hours in long semesters or a minimum of three hours in the summer) in courses that credit toward their LBJ School degree, and must meet the criteria and eligibility of the fellowship for which they are applying, in order to be considered for any fellowships.​ To apply for an Internship and Policy Apprenticeship Fellowship fill out this application.

LBJ Internship and Policy Apprenticeship Fellowships
Endowment/Gift Internship/Policy Apprenticeship Focus Deadline
William H. Crook Fellowship Program Paid or unpaid with a focus on global development Rolling
Frances Goff Texas State Government Fellowship Paid or unpaid internships in Texas Rolling
Barbara Jordan Fund for Internships All unpaid internships and apprenticeships Rolling
Helen J. and Robert S. Strauss Fellowship Fund for Internships Paid or unpaid in public service Rolling
J.J. "Jake" Pickle Fellowship for Internships Paid or unpaid in state or federal government Rolling
Terrell Blodgett Fellowship for Government Services in Urban Management and Finance Paid or unpaid in local government with a focus on financial management April 15st
Paul L. Leventhal Fellowship Paid or unpaid with a focus on nuclear security January 31st
Steve Lowell Spinner Internship Fund Paid or unpaid with a focus on workforce development Rolling
The Eleanor Crook DC Fellowship Paid or unpaid for students participating in the programming of the LBJ Washington Center Rolling
Charls & Harmolyn Walker Public Policy Excellence Fund Paid or unpaid in public policy Rolling
Clements Center Student Professional Development Fund Unpaid with a focus on national security/foreign policy See Clements website
RGK Global Fellowship Paid or unpaid with a NGO or nonprofit outside of the U.S See RGK website

Funding Levels for Internships / Policy Apprenticeships     
Students applying for internship fellowships with internships/Policy Apprenticeships are eligible for amounts based on eligibility, available resources and internship location. These fellowships are not guaranteed and will be awarded until available funds are exhausted. The amounts are determined each year by the fellowship committee. Amounts will vary based on location of internships/Policy Apprenticeship. 

LBJ Internship and Policy Apprenticeship Fellowship Application
William H. Crook Fellowship Program

The LBJ School administers grants to support students working summer internships for nonprofit, nongovernmental, or governmental organizations that conduct development projects in the developing world. The grants are made possible by the William H. Crook Program in International Affairs. Students may use the grants to cover travel and living expenses during the internship.

Frances Goff Texas State Government Fellowship

During the more than 40 years in which Frances Goff served as director of Texas Girls State, she helped over 20,000 girls from across Texas learn about patriotism, citizenship and government. Notable Girls State graduates include former Texas Gov. Ann Richards and former Assistant District Attorney for Harris County Lori Swann. This award's eligibility has recently been expanded to include all internships based in the state of Texas.

Criteria: "The purpose of this scholarship is to fund a summer intern in the Office of the Governor of the State of Texas."

  • Learn more about internship opportunities in the Governor's Office and apply for an internship.
  • Students must have a GPA of 3.5 of higher. 
Barbara Jordan Fund

The Barbara Jordan Fund was endowed to help students at the LBJ School pursue their goal of moving into public service upon receiving their degree. This fund honors Barbara Jordan, a lifelong advocate for social justice who became the first African-American woman elected to the Texas Senate. Barbara Jordan served as a professor at the LBJ School, where she held the Lyndon B. Johnson Centennial Chair in National Policy from 1979 until her death in 1996.

Criteria: "The Fund provides financial support on an as-needed basis for such activities as unpaid internships, travel to internships and internship interviews." 

Helen J. and Robert S. Strauss Fellowship Fund

Robert S. Strauss is a figure in American politics and diplomacy whose service dates back to future president Lyndon Johnson's first congressional campaign in 1937. Strauss advised and represented U.S. presidents over three administrations and for both major U.S. political parties. Strauss occupied many academic chairs and lecture positions, including one as the Lloyd Bentsen Chair at the Lyndon B. Johnson School of Public Affairs at The University of Texas.

Criteria: "To support graduate students with awards made on a basis of academic and intellectual abilities and a commitment to a career in public service." 

J.J. "Jake" Pickle Internship Fellowship

Former Rep. J.J. "Jake" Pickle served the 10th District of Texas in the U.S. House of Representatives for more than 30 years. His close association with former President Lyndon B. Johnson inspired the creation of this endowment to enable promising students who share Rep. Pickle's lifelong dedication to public service.

Criteria: "These funds will help support students as interns in congressional offices or on federal and state committee and agency staffs." 

Terrell Blodgett Fellowship for Government Services in Urban Management and Finance

The Blodgett Endowment honors Terrell Blodgett, LBJ School professor emeritus, with a lifelong dedication to professional city management. Professor Blodgett earned a master’s degree in public administration from Syracuse University. He has worked as city manager of Garland and Waco, and as assistant city manager of Austin. Professor Blodgett received an appointment at the LBJ School in 1982, where he taught until 1995. Upon retirement, Blodgett spent 13 years as the LBJ School's first Mike Hogg Professor in Urban Management. For more information about the Blodgett Fellowship, visit the fellows page. This fellowship provides a $4,500 summer internship fellowship, a $4,500 fall fellowship and $3,000 toward travel to designated professional conferences.

Criteria: "Income from this endowment is used to support rising second-year students interested in government service in urban management and finance." 

Paul L. Leventhal Fellowship

This fellowship honors the late Paul Leventhal, who advocated tirelessly for the protection of the United States and the world from the proliferation of nuclear weapons and the materials and technology to make such weapons. Mr. Leventhal worked as an aide in the Senate from 1972 to 1981 and was instrumental in the passage of many landmark pieces of nuclear legislation. This fellowship is made possible by the LBJ School’s Nuclear Proliferation Prevention Project (NPPP).

Criteria: "Funds distributed from this endowment will provide an internship or apprenticeship stipend to… fund work inside a public policy organization, federal government office, or think tank that advances policy in the area of international and nuclear security."

  • A minimum of 50 percent of the student's internship time must be spent working on issues that focus on reducing the risks of nuclear nonproliferation and nuclear terrorism, or associated weapons of mass destruction.

NOTE: Applicants are not required to have secured an internship to be eligible to apply for a Leventhal Fellowship. 

Steven Lowell Spinner Internship Fund

This internship fund was established to commemorate Steve Spinner, a 1984 graduate of the LBJ School. Steve was devoted to developing a comprehensive system for employment and training and to fostering public-private partnerships in the area of workforce development. As job training adviser to the U.S. Senate Labor and Human Resources Committee, he successfully led a bipartisan effort to consolidate federal employment training and education programs. The Senate overwhelmingly approved the legislation, known as the Workforce Development Act, two weeks after Spinner's death in 1995.

Criteria: "Funds distributed from the endowment shall be used to support the required 12 week summer internship for a second-year student interested in workforce development policy." 

  • The student must engage in a project that is mutually beneficial to the organization and to the student's academic and professional goals.
The Eleanor Crook DC Fellowship

The Eleanor Crook DC Fellowship will serve as a model in preparing the next generation to take on effective leadership roles in public service on the federal stage.

Criteria: Students participating in the programming of the LBJ Washington Center are eligible to apply. 

Charls and Harmolyn Walker Public Policy Excellence Fund

The Charls and Harmolyn Walker Public Policy Excellence Fund was established to benefit the LBJ School of Public Affairs, particularly financial support when needed to allow graduate students to participate in public policy internships. Internships can provide networking opportunities and real-world experience that can be crucial to establishing a career. The Walkers have created a legacy of extraordinary commitment to public service that will be reflected in generations of future UT students.

Clements Center Student Professional Development Fund

The Clements Center awards funds to undergraduate and graduate students who secure unpaid internships in the fields of national security and foreign policy. Awards will be granted to those students whose work best reflects the mission and goals of the Clements Center. For more details and to access the application, visit the Clements Center website. The Clements Center also offers an Internship and Fellowship Database for your internship search.

RGK Global Fellowship

The RGK Global Fellowships provide financial assistance to graduate students at The University of Texas at Austin who choose to pursue an international internship placement with an NGO or nonprofit outside of the U.S. The award provides up to $5,000 to help defray living and travel costs associated with international internship opportunities in the summer of 2024. Students are responsible for securing their own internship.   

Fellowship Eligibility   

  • Funding is available to continuing UT Austin graduate students who plan to enroll in Fall 2024 semester courses. Students graduating in May 2024 are not eligible.   

  • Applicants do not need to receive course credit for the internship to qualify for the fellowship.   

Applications will open January 5th, 2024 and close March 8th, 2024. 

Download more information about the application, scoring rubric, and other fellowship requirements. 

For questions, email jenica.jones@austin.utexas.edu  

Want to learn more? Join the RGK Center on Wednesday, February 7th (12-1 p.m.) for a virtual info session/Q&A with RGK Center staff and past recipients of the RGK Global Fellowships. Register here

Connect With Us


Office of Student Affairs and Admissions - Fellowships

Location  
SRH 3.104

Phone  
512-471-4292

Email  
lbjfellowships@austin.utexas.edu