About the Internship
The Carter Center’s internship program offers a diverse set of opportunities for students and recent graduates to enhance their skills and explore career options in their fields. Although the day-to-day responsibilities of interns across different programs may vary, all share the following networking and career development opportunities:
- Substantive work experience: less than 30% of interns’ responsibilities include administrative duties
- Work directly in your field of study, gaining valuable knowledge that can enhance your professional development
- Make professional connections and form networks with an international non-government environment
- Speaker series, featuring Carter Center staff and other invited guests
- Scheduled career development opportunities with senior Carter Center staff
- A weekend excursion to the Carter’s hometown of Plains, Georgia and visit historic sites devoted to President and Mrs. Carter’s life and work.
- Social and team-building opportunities with the interns and staff
- All internships are based in Atlanta. As of this date, there has been no decision as to when The Carter Center offices in Atlanta will reopen in 2021. Until a decision is made, we intend to have interns and graduate assistants working remotely. When the Center initially reopens, there will be no expectation that interns should relocate to Atlanta or come in to the office.
- Opportunities may arise for interns to travel with staff on Center-related trips (e.g. election-monitoring missions, domestic and international conferences, training workshops). If invited, all travel expenses will be covered by the Center.
- Membership in the intern and graduate assistant alumni group, which keeps you connected with the Carter Center’s work as well as with hundreds of former interns and graduate assistants.
Responsibilities vary by program. See our website for details about the individual programs: https://www.cartercenter.org/internships
Frequently Asked Questions: https://www.cartercenter.org/involved/educational-programs/internships-offered/faqs.html
An internship at The Carter Center is unpaid. The Center does not offer stipends; however, there is some need-based financial assistance available for candidates who are selected.* Instructions for applying are provided in the appointment letter to successful candidates.
*Please be aware that the amount of aid we are able to provide is not enough to defray all living expenses.
Additionally, if an applicant’s college or university offers academic credit for internships, The Carter Center will work with the school to match academic requirements with the requirements of the intern’s/graduate assistant’s host program.
Interns are required to work a minimum of 20 hours per week; anything less prevents the intern from being truly engaged with the work of the Center. Some interns choose to work 40 hours per week. An intern’s schedule is arranged with the supervisor and includes regularly scheduled blocks of time during normal business hours (e.g., four days of five hours each, five days of four hours each).
The Carter Center internships are offered three times a year. Interns are required to make a commitment of 15 weeks for the fall and spring. During the summer session, interns must make a 10-week commitment within a 13-week window. The internship roughly follows an academic calendar. Please review the requirements below before applying. At the start of the internships, qualified applicants must be one of the following:
- An undergraduate student with at least two years of study (or 60 credit hours) completed by the start of the internship.
- A recent college/university graduate (having graduated within 24 months of the internship start date).
- An enrolled graduate or professional student. Candidates who have completed their graduate degrees more than 24 months ago are not eligible for internships.
If you are not a U.S. citizen and need visa sponsorship, Emory University cannot support an application for a J-1 visa unless you have completed your bachelor’s degree. Please email us if you have questions about obtaining a visa.
Strong internship candidates are those who have demonstrated superior academic, professional, or personal experience and interests related to Carter Center programs. Programs vary with interest in careers ranging from nonprofit management, international relations, research, political science, international studies/development, public administration, law, gender studies, to psychology, public health, medicine, public policy, social work, hospitality, digital content production and related areas.
Key Dates for Summer 2021 Session:
- Application must be submitted by March 1, 2021
- Transcript, Letters of Recommendation must be received by March 8, 2021
- Session begins May 18, 2021
- Session ends August 13, 2021 (total internship commitment requirement is 10 weeks)
TO APPLY: Applicant MUST apply for the Summer session by March 1, 2021
Application link: https://www.cartercenter.org/involved/educational-programs/internships-offered/apply-today.html
Do NOT apply via Handshake. Applicants will be notified of decisions approximately six weeks from the application deadline.
Application Instructions
Before you begin this application, please read the following instructions carefully.
In order to access the Carter Center Internship application, you will need to establish a user account. You will be prompted to create a username and password and provide a valid email address.
Your user account will give you the option to save and continue your application at a later date, as well as check the status of your applicant file after your application has been submitted. Please be aware that once you submit your application, you will not be able to make any changes.
To complete the online application, please be prepared to provide the following:
- A 100-word autobiography.
- A short 250-word essay stating your objectives and expectations of a Carter Center internship and how they relate to your goals.
- A resume, to be uploaded as a PDF.
- A short, pertinent writing sample, preferably an academic paper five pages or less, to be uploaded as a PDF.
- The names, titles, email addresses, and phone numbers of two people prepared to write letters of recommendation on your behalf. Your recommenders will be sent a system-generated email after you have submitted your application that will allow them to upload their recommendation letter into a web form and submit it electronically.
Transcripts:
Official transcripts may be mailed in sealed envelope to the address below and postmarked by the application deadline. Many universities also offer secure, official, electronic copies of transcripts. Transcripts submitted in this way should be emailed to:
EducationalPrograms@cartercenter.org
Educational Programs
Attn: Internship Program
The Carter Center
453 John Lewis Freedom Parkway
Atlanta, Georgia 30307
Please do not hesitate to email us if you have any questions about your application.