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Volunteer Student Internships

Employment Opportunities

The Division offers competitive student volunteer internship positions in Washington, D.C. each academic semester, including the summer, for both law and undergraduate students. These positions are volunteer (without compensation) but may be used for work-study credit. The Division also participates - subject to budget restrictions - in the Pathways Program, which provides paid internship opportunities for students. Information about eligibility and the application process for volunteer and paid student internship opportunities is set forth below.

Interns gain a unique and exciting view of the work and mission of the Division. Interns will assist Division attorneys and/or specialists in a variety of assignments, including conducting legal and factual research, preparing documents and exhibits, interviewing witnesses, summarizing depositions, analyzing records, and other case-related work. Interns in the Policy and Strategy Section, as well as interns in some other sections, will assist the Division with a full range of civil rights policy work, including legislative proposals, policy development, and engaging civil rights stakeholders.

The Department of Justice is an equal opportunity/reasonable accommodation employer. The Division is committed to recruiting a talented, diverse, and highly qualified workforce, and we welcome applications from all accredited law schools for our law school intern program and from all two- and four-year colleges for our undergraduate program.

Volunteer Student Internship Program

Eligibility

Applicants must be U.S. citizens; dual citizens will be considered on a case-by-case basis.

The following students are eligible: undergraduate and graduate students enrolled at least half-time; first-year (second semester), second- and third-year law students; and law school graduates who are enrolled in graduate law programs (e.g., L.L.M. programs) at least half-time. All students must be in good academic standing and will be required to provide official documentation from their school. First-year, first-semester law students may apply after December 1 for internships the following summer.

Qualifications

The Division seeks eligible applicants with excellent interpersonal skills; strong written and verbal communication skills; strong research and analytical skills; and demonstrated interest or experience in the enforcement of civil rights laws.

How to Apply

Interested students should submit a resume, brief writing sample (no more than 10 pages of your own work), transcript (an unofficial transcript is acceptable), references, and a cover letter highlighting your qualifications, your interest and experience in the work of the Division, the Section(s) to which you are applying, and the dates/time period you are available to work. Any applicant eligible for veterans' preference is encouraged to include that information in your cover letter or resume and attach supporting documentation (e.g., the DD 214 or other substantiating documents) to your submissions.

Applications must be emailed to the Section-specific email address provided. You must submit a separate application for each section in which you seek employment; include the name of the Section in the subject line of each application.

For more information about each section's volunteer intern program and the number of positions available, click on the links below.

Deadlines

Applicants are encouraged to apply early in the process.

Applications are considered on a rolling basis, and positions, particularly for summer interns, may be filled before the deadlines indicated. If space remains after the deadlines indicated, the website will be updated to indicate which sections still have openings available.

The deadlines below are based on colleges/universities on a semester system. If the college/university you attend is on a quarter system, please email the section you are interested in to receive applicable deadlines for the term for which you wish to participate.

Summer Semester

Applications from 2Ls will be considered from October 15 through February 1 (and from 1Ls from December 1 through February 1).

Fall Semester

Applications will be considered from March 1 through June 1.

Some sections may offer a winter program for students at schools that operate outside the traditional two- semester system. Applications for the winter program, if any, are accepted from July 1 to October 1.

Spring Semester

Applications will be considered from July 1 through October 1.

Civil Rights Division Offices & Sections

 

Updated August 12, 2025