The CSIS Policy Fellowship is dedicated to developing the next generation of policy leaders.
The CSIS Policy Fellowship is dedicated to empowering undergraduate students of historically underrepresented backgrounds who demonstrate an interest in joining and furthering the national security community. Through its four departments and over 30 research streams, CSIS has broadened the definition of national security beyond purely defense to include human security, climate, tech, and other crucial regional and topical issue areas. Fellows will learn from renowned foreign policy experts and practitioners and participate in a mutual exchange of ideas that fosters professional growth, builds connections, and accelerates success.
This semester-long fellowship is intended for sophomores, juniors, and seniors attending universities within the D.C., Maryland, and Northern Virginia (DMV) region, who have demonstrated a strong interest in national security, and who seek to advance their careers in the policy field. 16 applicants will be selected as fellows for each annual cohort. Fellows’ travel to CSIS will be covered based on their individual needs and fellows will be eligible to receive a $1,500 stipend.
Fellows will meet on a weekly basis over a 15-week period (January 28th - May 8th) for a combination of professional development seminars, geopolitical briefings, and networking events. Sessions will be tailored to accelerate the fellows’ professional growth, foster connections with policy leaders and CSIS mentors, and position them for success as future leaders in the field of foreign policy.
The CSIS Policy Fellowship is designed for individuals who want to advance their careers in the field of national security. Candidates from historically marginalized backgrounds with a strong desire to pursue a career in policy are encouraged to apply.
The ideal candidate:
Fellows will emerge from this experience with:
Applications for the CSIS Policy Fellowship will open on September 30, 2024, and close on November 1, 2024, at 11:59 PM Eastern Time. Applicants will be notified by early December, and should be ready to begin in January 2025.
Please note that due to the volume of applications, we are not able to address all inquiries relating to the Fellowship. Refer to the FAQ section for any eligibility or logistical questions.
Fellows will engage in a robust learning journey that covers three components: (i) foreign policy seminars, (ii) professional skill-building, and (iii) networking and mentorship. The program culminates in a capstone project.
Participants must attend both mandatory introduction meetings, at least, and present their final capstone project to CSIS staff and mentors. Fellows will be recognized at a celebratory dinner with CSIS President and CEO Dr. John J. Hamre and awarded a certificate of completion by CSIS’s Abshire-Inamori Leadership Academy.
Each seminar includes experiential learning components and opportunities to share input with experts. Below are examples of national security seminars offered in previous iterations:
These interactive workshops provide tools and practices to strengthen professional skills for the workplace. Below are examples of professional skill-building sessions offered in previous iterations:
Fellows will be offered opportunities to connect with professionals at CSIS and across D.C. and be paired with CSIS mentors to support them throughout the fellowship and to provide tangible career advice
The CSIS Fellowship will culminate in a two-part experiential capstone to reinforce skills developed and knowledge gained over the course of the program.
Diplomacy Simulation: Great Power Competition
This real-world exercise will allow participants to simulate making decisions as government and business actors faced with an international crisis that demands immediate action under challenging circumstances. Each participant will be assigned a specific stakeholder role to research and represent during the simulation.
Capstone Project
Participants will work in groups to develop a policy initiative to solve a challenge they are passionate about. Each group will tackle a national security-related policy issue of their choice throughout the semester. Fellows will present their final projects to President Hamre, CSIS scholars, project advisors, and staff.
At CSIS Executive Education, we are working to expand access to our transformative programs. We cover all costs of the Policy Fellowship to provide access to students who might not otherwise be able to join us. If you are interested in supporting our mission-driven work and helping us grow our reach and impact, please visit our Donate page and designate a gift to Executive Education, or contact Donatienne Ruy, Director of the Abshire-Inamori Leadership Academy at druy@csis.org
For questions about the CSIS Policy Fellowship, contact Julieze Benjamin at jbenjamin@csis.org or Veronica McIntire at vmcintire@csis.org.