Graduate Archer Fellowship Program

Applications for the Summer 2025 Graduate Archer Fellowship Program open in early September, and will have a deadline to submit of Friday, November 1, 2024 at 11:59 p.m. CT. Once the application opens, candidates will be able to access and edit their application as often as they wish until the deadline or until the application is submitted, whichever comes first.
Learn more about the application process

The Graduate Archer Fellowship Program is available to graduate, medical, and doctoral students of all academic disciplines, and we welcome a diverse array of student interests and backgrounds.
Students must meet the following eligibility requirements in order to apply:

• Applicant must be pursuing a graduate degree (masters, Ph.D., M.D., J.D.) at a University of Texas System university
• GPA of 3.0 or greater at The University of Texas at Austin (first year students must meet this requirement by the end of the fall semester)
• Previous professional or internship experience
• Campus involvement and/or community leadership experience

If selected for the Graduate Archer Fellowship Program, students must meet the following requirements by the beginning of the summer they will be in Washington, D.C.:

• Nine hours of in-residence credit completed at The University of Texas at Austin
• GPA of 3.0 or greater

Courses

Archer Fellows take courses housed in the LBJ School of Public Affairs, which are taught by faculty from UT Dallas and policy experts from the Washington, D.C., community. Students earn 9 hours of graduate-level credit:

• PAs388k: Federal Policy—DC
• PAw389: Conference Course in Policy Analysis/ Independent Study and Research
• PAw396k: Internship in Public Policy—DC

Students are strongly encouraged to consult their academic advisors to learn how these classes will fit into their degree plans.

Policy Working Groups

[paragraph] As part of the coursework, Archer Fellows will participate in a specialized working group in one of several topic areas: General Domestic Policy, Education Policy, Health and Healthcare Policy, National Security, and Global Affairs Policy. These working groups enable Archer Fellows to connect with policy leaders in their field through policy roundtables and tailored academic research projects, and foster collaboration between Archer Fellows.

Internship

All Archer Fellows participate in a full-time internship that aligns with their academic and professional goals. Archer Fellows are responsible for researching and applying for internships, while Archer Center staff provides guidance and assistance throughout the process. The Archer Center has a vast network of connections in a variety of fields in the nation’s capital, and Archer Fellows have developed a fantastic reputation as high-quality interns.
While many internships in Washington, D.C., offer financial compensation (e.g. stipends, hourly pay, etc.), some opportunities remain unpaid. For that reason, students should not expect to earn an income while in D.C.
View Potential Internship Sites
Student Spotlight: Jacqueline DeAnda, UT ’18

Archer Fellows pay a program fee in place of UT Austin tuition. The current Graduate Archer Fellowship Program fee is $3,900 and is subject to change in future years. Students typically fund their fellowship through existing financial aid, designated campus funding, Archer Center need- and merit-based scholarships, and personal resources. Thanks to generous funding, the program is more affordable than ever. Students are encouraged to visit archercenter.org/funding-your-fellowship.html for more information on program expenses.

The Archer Center and our supporters are committed to making the Graduate Archer Fellowship Program affordable by removing financial barriers that may prohibit a fellow from achieving their educational goals. The Archer Center’s need- and merit-based scholarship provides up to $8,000. With a variety of scholarships and funding resources, many Archer Fellows receive comprehensive funding for their fellowship. Please reach out to the Archer Center if you’d like to discuss your individual financial circumstance.