Arizona Legislative & Government Internship

You are eligible if you are enrolled full-time at ASU, will have completed 75 total academic credits before the start of the internship (must have completed by the end of the fall semester) and have a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or better at the time of application. This information can be found on your MyASU page.

Online students are eligible, but if selected, must be willing to work physically in the greater Phoenix area.

Assignments vary depending on placements. See our program webpage at https://spgs.asu.edu/az-leg-internship for detailed descriptions of internships at each office. Many interns have continued working in the government sector upon graduation because of their outstanding work performance during their internship.

The stipend is approximately $6,000 for the 18-week program. Students also receive an ASU tuition and fee waiver.

Upload your completed ASU cover page, program application, unofficial transcript, personal statement, resume, and two current letters of recommendation to the application form under apply now by the listed deadline. If your recommenders do not want you to upload their letters, they can email the letters to Kayla.Stamey@asu.edu. It is your responsibility to make sure all materials, including recommendation letters, are received by the deadline. Incomplete applications will not be considered.

Yes. Apply for as many positions as you are interested in. However, you need only complete one application.

Two current (e.g., within the last six months) recommendation letters are required.  Letters can be from professors, employers, or community members who can speak to your work ethic and communication skills (e.g., your writing).  Please do not include letters from colleagues, coworkers, family members or friends. Letters should be addressed to the Arizona Legislative and Government Internship Screening Committee and can be uploaded by you with your other application materials or emailed by your recommenders to Kayla.Stamey@asu.edu.

Yes, but you must be enrolled as a full-time student for the fall semester. Students admitted to a graduate program for spring can apply. Students can also apply to be a non-degree seeking graduate student through ASU Graduate Studies. See a graduate academic advisor to inquire whether or not these internship course credit credits can be applied to a specific degree program. Internship offers cannot be deferred to another semester.

Attend an Arizona Legislative & Government Internship Program open house and/or one of our pre-interview workshops at the Tempe and downtown campuses. For dates, times, and locations, see our program webpage at https://spgs.asu.edu/az-leg-internship

You can find more about the selection process from AZ-Leg Road Map.

The info session offers a chance for students to interact with the agencies and clear any doubts about the internships. Not attending the info session would not affect your application process but it is highly recommended you attend as it gives you an opportunity to ask questions  and in the process, learn more about each agency.

Yes, you can Skype/Zoom in for an interview. However, we have found that often times we encounter technical difficulties that are beyond our control. This therefore adds a complication which may negatively impact the interview. Days before the interview date and time, SPGS will communicate with you to arrange for the Skype interview.

Please refer the AZ-Leg Road Map for the details on interview process and results.

In general, interns work a minimum of 40 hours a week, usually 8 a.m.-5 p.m., Monday through Friday, and overtime as needed. Interns begin the first working day in January and are also required to attend an orientation.

You must check with the Financial Aid and Scholarship Services- https://students.asu.edu/financialaid to determine how the tuition and fee waiver will impact your loans, grants, scholarships, and financial aid status.

Undergraduate students receive 12 course credits for the internship, graduate students receive 9 course credits. Although additional coursework is discouraged based on the full-time nature of this internship, students may take an additional course if approved by the internship supervisor on the course credit form. The government agency intern supervisor will complete mid- and end-of-term evaluations. Most internship supervisors also require a paper, portfolio, or some written summary of the experience. The materials are given to the professor issuing the credits.

POS 484/584 internship courses align with ASU and the Legislature’s Agreement for the Internship Program and Dr. Tara Lennon is the POS484 “faculty submitting grade” (for the form below). If you plan to enroll in a different department’s internship course, you will need to review that department’s internship requirements because the AZ Legislative and Governmental Internship Program does not allow regular class attendance or additional research essays. The internship supervisors provide midterm and final evaluations of your performance and you write a final reflection paper which includes samples of your written work during the session. SPGS can share ASU and the Legislature’s Agreement with your department, if needed.

It is up to the school or department issuing the internship course credits to determine if the credits will be pass/fail or letter graded. Some schools and departments, such as those under The College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, do not allow pass/fail credits to count toward major, minor, or certificate program requirements.  The school or department issuing the credits will identify how grades will be determined.

Depending on the total credits completed and the credits required in your program of study, these internship course credits may or may not be applied toward your degree program. Talk to your academic advisor to determine if and how these internship course credits may be applied.

Yes, have your course schedule set in advance as you normally would. You can drop courses later if you are accepted into the internship program. Students are strongly discouraged from taking any courses beyond the internship courses while serving as interns, as overtime may be required on any given day. Permission from your government agency internship supervisor is needed to take additional courses during the internship.

Call the School of Politics and Global Studies at 480-965-6605 or email the School of Politics and Global Studies Internship Coordinator, Kayla Stamey at Kayla.Stamey@asu.edu.