Archer Fellowship Program

Students apply for the Archer Fellowship Program well in advance of the semester in which they hope to participate.

February 15, 2025, at 11:59 p.m. Central is the deadline to submit a completed application for students who hope to become an Archer Fellow in fall 2025 or spring 2026. Selected finalists will be interviewed by the selection committee in March 2025.

Application Materials
Applicants are required to submit the following application materials:

• Resume
• Personal statement
• Policy paper
• Letters of recommendation
• List of potential internships
• Official transcript
• Signed disclosure statement

Learn more about the application process

All undergraduates meeting the eligibility requirements are encouraged to apply. Courses count as in-residence credit; therefore, graduating seniors may participate during their final semester.

To be eligible to apply, students must meet the following requirements at the time they submit an application:

• Overall GPA of 3.0 or higher
• Must be pursuing a bachelor’s degree at a University of Texas System institution
• Previous work or internship experience
• Campus leadership and/or community involvement

Students selected to participate in the Archer Fellowship Program must meet the following requirements by the beginning of the semester that they will be in Washington, D.C.:

• Junior or senior status by years and hours (first and second-year students are not eligible)
• Twenty-four hours of in-residence credit completed at UT Austin
• Completion of government requirements (GOV310L and 312L or their equivalents by transfer)

Selection is competitive. Applicants will be assessed based on relevant coursework, as well as their leadership, internship, research, volunteer, organizational, and/or professional experience. For questions on individual eligibility, schedule an appointment with the Archer Campus Coordinator to discuss your background and interests.

Courses
In conjunction with the internship, students will be enrolled in government and communication studies courses taught by faculty from UT and the Washington, D.C., community. Students will earn 15 hours of upper-division course credit in government and communication studies consisting of three academic courses and six hours of internship credit. These courses include:

• GOV 662N: Archer Center Washington Internship—D.C.
• GOV 370P: Policy Making Process—D.C.
• CMS 372D: Politics of National Memory—D.C.
• CMS 373D: Advocacy and Politics—D.C.

Students are strongly advised to consult their academic advisors to learn how the classes above will fit in their degree plans. Please note that some colleges and departments limit the number of hours of internship credit that may count toward the major or the degree.

Courses count as in-residence credit; therefore, graduating seniors may participate during their final semester.

Please note: Due to the special program fee (currently $4,900) that replaces standard flat-rate UT tuition and fees, students may not register in any additional hours during the semester they participate. Students may be enrolled only in the 15 hours above. Therefore, honors students may not enroll in thesis hours and spring semester participants may not enroll in a May Term course.

Additionally, students may not use the tuition installment plan the semester they participate in the Archer Fellowship Program.

Internship
All Archer Fellows will participate in an internship of their choosing. The Archer Fellowship Program is an extraordinary opportunity for students to live and work in our nation’s capital city and take advantage of all that it has to offer. Students should think of their dream job opportunity in D.C. and go from there. Archer Fellows are responsible for researching and applying for internships on their own, but the Archer Center provides guidance and assistance throughout the process. Archer Fellow interns have developed a professional reputation for their abilities, work ethic and high-quality performance. Over time, this reputation has helped increase the competitiveness of and desire for Archer intern applicants at internships around the capital.

Archer Fellows are required to intern 40 hours per week. The majority of internships tend to be paid, but some internships will be unpaid, so students should not expect to earn an income in D.C. Archer Fellows are prohibited from having an outside job while in D.C. since a full-time internship and a full academic course load keep Archer Fellows plenty busy.

View potential internship sites

Fellowship
The Archer Fellowship Program gives students a sense of direction and the tools necessary to launch their respective careers and enable them to grow both personally and professionally. Archer Fellows live together in fully furnished apartments conveniently located near the city’s public transportation. Archer Fellows make and maintain social and professional contacts that can help lead to continued internship opportunities and jobs post-graduation.

UT Archer Fellows are registered as full-time, in-residence UT students. The financial aid that students ordinarily receive almost always applies to the costs of the semester in D.C. Students who wish to use their Texas Guaranteed Tuition Plan (formerly Texas Tomorrow Fund) towards the Archer Fellowship Program will need to take additional steps. Please contact the campus coordinator for more information. Archer Fellows who receive financial aid will have their financial aid package re-evaluated to take into account the higher cost of living in Washington, D.C.

Learn more about available scholarship opportunities

Students interested in learning more about the Archer Fellowship Program should join us for an information session. Students who need accommodations should contact UT Austin’s Archer Program Coordinator at least five days in advance.

• Tuesday, September 10 | 5:30-6:30 p.m. | Texas Career Engagement, FAC 2nd Floor
• Wednesday, September 25 | 2:00-3:00 p.m.| RLP 1.302B
• Tuesday, October 1 | 6:00-7:00 p.m. | Texas Career Engagement, FAC 2nd Floor
• Thursday, October 24 | 4:00-5:00 p.m. | Virtual via Zoom
• Thursday, November 7 | 12:00-1:00 p.m. | Texas Career Engagement, FAC 2nd Floor