Where are your internships located?
Our internship program currently accepts in-person and remote applicants. Our office is in Washington, DC, and in-person interns will need to be able to get to our office and provide their own accommodations.
How long is your internship program?
Our internship program is 12 weeks during the Spring and Fall semesters and 10 weeks during the Summer semester.
Are your internships paid?
Yes, our internships are paid. Full-time interns work 30-37.5 hours and receive $6,000 for the 12-week semester ($5000 for the 10-week Summer semester). Part-time interns work 15-25 hours and receive $3000 for the 12-week semester ($2500 for the 10-week Summer semester).
Will I be offered a job after my internship?
Interns at the Human Rights Campaign are encouraged to apply for full-time jobs as they become available, and many of our staff members are former interns. Our internship program, however, does not in any way guarantee employment after the completion of an intern’s semester.
How does the selection process work?
Our Internship Application is a general internship application. HRC's Internship Committee reviews all applications on a rolling basis. If selected for an interview, you will interview for a general internship position with the Human Rights Campaign.
If selected for a second interview, the Internship Committee will evaluate your skills, experience, and interests, and place you with a best-fit team based on the department internships we have available. You will be given the opportunity to express your department & team preferences in the application and during the first interview, (you can view our available departments here) but we cannot guarantee department placement based on interest. The second interview will be conducted by the team that we have deemed to be your best fit. That team will make the final hiring decision.
How do I express my interest in a specific department?
As previously mentioned, we cannot guarantee departmental placement based on expressed interest. The Internship Committee will decide placement based on a variety of factors, including skills, experience, and what teams have available internships. However, we do take your interest into consideration! If chosen for an interview, we will ask you specifically which departments & teams you are interested in.
Rules of thumb:
Read every team description thoroughly and don't hesitate to express interest in something new or different
Have multiple departments & teams that you are interested in
Briefly articulate WHY you are interested in those departments & teams
Know that our Policy & Government teams are our most competitive internships and are therefore highly selective - check out some other departments too! We're a political organization, so most roles will still give you a taste of policy and advocacy work.
Our Fundraising & Events internships are some of the most important and foundational to our work and we highly encourage applicants to consider some of the teams in this department.
Am I qualified for an HRC internship?
Interns in each department or program undertake different tasks, so each internship requires a different level of skills, demonstrated interests, and prior experience. In general, we look for demonstrated interest and enthusiasm in the role of policy and advocacy around LGBTQ+ issues; the ability to work in a fast-paced, dynamic work environment; and experience with Microsoft Office applications (Word, Excel, and Outlook). Some teams, such as Video or Graphic Design, look for specific skills like Photoshop or video editing.
Do I need to be enrolled in a college or university to be an intern?
No, you do not need to be currently enrolled in a university to be an intern. Interns must be:
Do you accept applications from international students?
Qualified international students have participated in the HRC Internship program. Non-U.S. citizens must have a valid student visa, green card, or other work authorization that permits them to work in the United States and be listed as a US person under IRS tax code. HRC is unable to offer assistance with obtaining a student visa – if you already have one you are welcome to apply. We generally do not accept applications that are facilitated by 3rd party groups, preferring that interns apply directly using our online application.
What supplemental application materials do you require?
We require a resume, responses to essay questions in lieu of a cover letter, and contact information for two references in the internship application. We encourage your references to be supervisors, professors, or colleagues. Please avoid using friends or family members. We do not accept letters of recommendation from references at this time.
How do I structure my resume?
We realize that this is many of our applicants' first internship and that many have never created a resume before. You can use this website to help you with the template if need be. (Information provided as a courtesy and not an indication of endorsement)
When will I hear whether or not I was accepted into HRC’s internship program?
We review applications on a rolling basis and cannot specify exactly when a candidate will be notified of the status of their application.
Do you accept applications through internship placement programs?
HRC welcomes applications from students who are involved in an internship placement program. We do require, however, that these applicants submit our online internship application form. We would also strongly prefer to communicate directly with applicants rather than staff at the internship placement program.
If your question is not answered above, please email intern@hrc.org.
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