Paid Human Rights Internship in Congress 2026: How to Land the Eleanor Roosevelt Human Rights Internship Program With a $1,000 Monthly Stipend

If you’ve ever read a human rights report and thought, Someone should put this in front of the people who actually write laws, this internship is your chance to be that someone. The Eleanor Roosevelt Human Rights Internship Program places students with the Democratic staff of the Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission in the U.S. House of Representatives—right where human rights concerns collide (sometimes politely, sometimes not) with U.S. foreign policy.

Let’s be clear: plenty of internships promise “exposure.” This one promises real congressional work—briefings, hearings, research that ends up in members’ hands, and the kind of meetings where you find yourself taking notes while a human rights defender describes what it costs to speak publicly in their country. It’s not theoretical. It’s not a classroom simulation. It’s the machinery.

And the Eleanor Roosevelt name isn’t decorative. She helped build the modern international human rights system and played a central role in drafting the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. This internship is essentially a front-row seat to how that legacy gets argued over, advanced, and occasionally stress-tested inside Congress.

Also: there’s a paid option. The Commission can offer a $1,000/month stipend to one intern per trimester through the House paid internship program. It’s not a full living wage in Washington, D.C. (nothing is), but it’s meaningful—especially in an internship world where “compensation” sometimes means a complimentary lanyard.

Applications are due February 28, 2026. If you want a Capitol Hill human rights internship that looks serious on paper because it is serious in practice, keep reading.

At a Glance: Key Facts for the 2026 Eleanor Roosevelt Human Rights Internship

What This Opportunity Actually Offers (Beyond the Prestige)

A congressional internship can mean anything from filing to floating around receptions. This one is much more specific: you’re supporting the Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission, a bipartisan commission established under House rules and connected to the House Committee on Foreign Affairs. Translation: it’s a real platform with real convening power—especially through briefings and hearings that put urgent human rights situations on the congressional record.

Day-to-day, the work can swing between substantive and logistical, and honestly, that’s part of the education. You might spend the morning doing research and analysis on a country situation (say, political prisoners, attacks on journalists, or religious freedom restrictions), then spend the afternoon helping prep a congressional briefing—confirming speakers, checking names and titles (you will learn that job titles are a minefield), and making sure the event runs without a hitch.

You may also help draft background memos, letters, or press materials. This is where you’ll start to understand the difference between writing for a professor and writing for Congress. In school, you’re rewarded for showing complexity. On the Hill, you’re rewarded for making complexity usable in three minutes, with receipts.

Interns can also end up doing careful, detail-heavy work like maintaining information on prisoners of conscience, preparing transcripts for public release, or updating web and social content. Those tasks might sound routine until you realize they touch real people and real consequences. Accuracy matters. Tone matters. Discretion matters.

Then there’s the access: meetings with activists, foreign policy analysts, and other congressional offices, plus trainings and professional development on Capitol Hill. If you’re trying to learn how human rights advocacy interacts with government—where it succeeds, where it stalls, and why—this is one of the most direct routes you can take without being elected.

Who Should Apply (And Who Will Thrive)

This internship is aimed at upper-level undergraduates, graduate students, and law students who want to understand human rights and foreign policy from the inside of Congress. It’s a strong fit if you’re the kind of person who reads human rights news and instinctively asks: What can the U.S. government actually do about this? What are the tools? What are the trade-offs? Who has jurisdiction?

You don’t need a perfect resume stuffed with international experience. The listing makes it clear that prior human rights experience is a plus, not a gate. What they’re really looking for is a demonstrated interest in human rights in U.S. foreign policy and international relations, plus curiosity about public policy and Congress. In plain terms: you should care about the issues, and you should care about how decisions get made.

A few examples of applicants who tend to do well:

If you’re a political science or IR student who’s written papers on sanctions, security assistance, conflict prevention, or authoritarianism, you’ll have relevant muscles. If you’re in law school and drawn to international human rights law, refugee law, or accountability mechanisms, you’ll be able to translate legal concepts into policy implications—which is gold on the Hill. If you’re a journalism or communications student with sharp writing skills and strong judgment, you may thrive on drafting, summarizing, and making complicated events legible to the public.

The bigger non-negotiables are practical: you must be authorized to work in the U.S., and you must be able to work in person in Washington, D.C. in the Commission’s Democratic offices. This isn’t a remote internship you can do between classes from three time zones away.

One more thing: they explicitly call for professionalism, maturity, and discretion. That’s not filler. You’ll be in rooms where sensitive information gets discussed, where activists may share personal details, and where drafts aren’t meant for public circulation. If you’re responsible with information and careful with your words, you’re already ahead.

Understanding the Commission Context (So Your Application Sounds Like You Get It)

The Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission is bipartisan, with co-chairs from both parties. That matters because human rights work in Congress often succeeds when it’s framed as more than a partisan preference. When the Commission convenes around an issue—through a briefing, hearing, or public statement—it’s signaling that this topic deserves attention across ideological lines.

Your application should reflect that you understand the balancing act. Human rights policy sits at the intersection of values and strategy: democracy promotion vs. security partnerships, public condemnations vs. quiet diplomacy, sanctions vs. unintended humanitarian effects. You don’t have to solve those tensions in a cover letter, but you should show you recognize them.

And yes, the Eleanor Roosevelt connection is a real part of the story. She wasn’t just a symbolic figurehead; she shaped the early architecture of international human rights. Mentioning that legacy is smart—if you connect it to the present. The best applicants don’t simply name-drop the UDHR; they explain why the modern congressional role still matters.

Insider Tips for a Winning Application (The Stuff That Quietly Separates Applicants)

1. Write a cover letter that sounds like a person, not a term paper

You get one page. That’s not a lot of real estate, so don’t waste it on generic admiration for “public service.” Tell them what you want to learn and what you can contribute. A simple structure works: (1) why this Commission, (2) why you, (3) why now.

A sharp sentence beats a long paragraph. If your letter feels like you’re trying to impress a rubric, rewrite it until it feels like you’re talking to a smart staffer with limited time.

2. Pick one or two human rights issues you can discuss with specificity

Broad passion is nice. Specific interest is better. Maybe you’re focused on political prisoners, freedom of expression, LGBTQI+ rights, religious freedom, atrocity prevention, labor rights in supply chains, or accountability for war crimes. Choose one or two and show you’ve done real reading.

Specific doesn’t mean obsessive. It means you can name the problem, name the stakes, and explain why Congress is a relevant arena.

3. Treat the writing sample like an audition for Hill writing

They cap it at two pages and 500 words, double-spaced. That limit is basically a hint: they want clarity, organization, and judgment.

Choose a sample that shows you can (a) make an argument, (b) use evidence, and (c) write in plain English. If your best writing is academic, consider excerpting the cleanest section and adding light edits for readability—without changing the substance.

4. Show you can handle the unglamorous work without acting like it’s beneath you

Staff work is often logistics plus urgency. Mentioning experience with event planning, scheduling, data tracking, careful note-taking, or deadline-heavy environments is a quiet power move.

It signals you understand how congressional work actually functions: the briefing doesn’t happen because someone had a good idea; it happens because someone followed up 17 times and caught the typo in the witness bio.

5. Name your skills in ways that match their tasks

If they mention transcripts, say you’re accurate and patient with detail-heavy work. If they mention research and analysis, point to a project where you synthesized sources and produced a tight memo. If they mention updating web/social, show you can communicate responsibly and avoid sloppy oversimplification.

Think of it like matching keywords—but with integrity. You’re not stuffing jargon; you’re translating your experience into their needs.

6. Choose references who can speak to discretion and reliability

They want 2–3 references with contact details, and they specifically say no recommendation letters. So pick people who will respond, and who can speak to your judgment. A professor is great, but a supervisor who can say “This person handled sensitive material and met deadlines” can be even better.

Give your references a heads-up that they may be contacted, and remind them what you’re applying for.

7. Make your email and PDF immaculate

This is Congress. Presentation counts. Put everything into one PDF in a logical order (cover letter, resume, writing sample, references). Name it clearly, like: LastName_FirstName_ER_HumanRights_Internship_2026.pdf. In the email body, specify which trimester you’re applying for, as instructed.

Tiny errors (wrong subject line, missing trimester, multiple attachments) are the kind of thing that can sink you before anyone reads your gorgeous prose.

Application Timeline: A Realistic Plan Backward From February 28, 2026

If you start the week before the deadline, you’ll produce something that looks rushed—because it will be rushed. Give yourself at least four to six weeks to do this well.

By mid-February (2 weeks out), you should have your final writing sample selected and trimmed to the required length, your resume tightened to one or two pages, and your references confirmed. This is also when you should do your “cold reader” test: ask someone who doesn’t know the Commission to read your cover letter and tell you what they think the internship is and why you want it. If they can’t answer that in a sentence, revise.

By late January to early February (3–5 weeks out), draft the cover letter early and revise it multiple times. This is where most applicants underperform. They either write too generally (“I care about human rights”) or too academically (“I will analyze normative frameworks”). You want: clear motivation, real interest, usable skills.

By early to mid-January (6–7 weeks out), decide which trimester fits your schedule and build your materials around that. If you need academic credit, talk to your department then—not after you’re accepted, when bureaucracy suddenly becomes your full-time hobby.

Finally, aim to submit at least 72 hours before February 28. Email attachments fail. PDFs get corrupted. Life happens. Don’t lose because your Wi-Fi did.

Required Materials (And How to Make Each One Strong)

You’ll submit everything as a single PDF via email. Here’s what goes in it:

• Cover letter (max 1 page): Explain your interest in the Commission and how the internship supports your goals; describe the experiences you bring that would help the Commission’s work; and say how you heard about the program. Keep it tight, specific, and human.
• Resume: Include relevant work history, coursework (if useful), achievements, and honors/awards. Prioritize writing, research, policy, international affairs, advocacy, language skills, and event coordination.
• Writing sample (English, max 2 pages and 500 words, double-spaced): Use your own work only. Choose clarity over complexity. If it’s an excerpt, make sure it reads coherently on its own.
• References (2–3): Provide names, titles, phone numbers, and email addresses. No letters—just the list.

Put page breaks between sections. Add your name in a header. Make it easy for someone skimming quickly to find what they need.

What Makes an Application Stand Out (How They Likely Evaluate You)

They’re hiring interns to help run a functioning congressional operation, not awarding a prize for the most poetic commitment to justice. So the standout applications usually communicate four things clearly.

First: substantive interest. You understand what human rights issues are, and you can connect them to U.S. foreign policy tools and congressional attention.

Second: writing strength. Congressional staff live and die by written material—briefing memos, summaries, draft language. If you can write cleanly under constraints, you’re immediately useful.

Third: judgment and discretion. This includes professionalism, maturity, and the ability to treat sensitive subjects with care. No drama. No oversharing. No sloppy hot takes.

Fourth: operational competence. You can take notes, track details, support events, and meet deadlines without needing constant supervision. In other words, you’re the person who makes things easier, not harder.

Common Mistakes to Avoid (And How to Fix Them)

Mistake 1: Submitting a cover letter full of vague enthusiasm

Fix: Replace generic lines with one concrete example per paragraph. Name a Commission activity you’re excited about (briefings, hearings, research support) and explain why.

Mistake 2: Choosing a writing sample that proves you can write long, not well

Fix: Pick the cleanest, clearest piece you have. Edit for readability. Keep your citations minimal or integrated smoothly. Make sure it’s within both limits (2 pages and 500 words).

Mistake 3: Treating Congress like it’s the same as an NGO or the UN

Fix: Show you understand Congress has its own rhythm—committees, members, constituent optics, political constraints, tight timelines. You don’t need cynicism; you need realism.

Mistake 4: Ignoring the in-person requirement

Fix: If you can’t be in Washington, D.C., don’t apply and hope they’ll “make an exception.” They won’t. If you can be there, state it plainly.

Mistake 5: Sloppy packaging

Fix: One PDF. Correct subject line. Trimmed writing sample. References included. Trim your file size if needed. This is the easiest part to get right—so get it right.

Mistake 6: Picking references who are hard to reach

Fix: Choose people who answer email and phone calls. Then warn them to expect contact. Reliability is contagious; so is silence.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is this internship paid?

There is a $1,000/month stipend available to one intern per trimester through the House’s paid internship program. Not every intern is guaranteed that stipend, so plan your finances accordingly and consider outside funding, school support, or housing options early.

Who is eligible to apply?

The program is open to upper-level undergraduates, graduate students, and law students. They prefer candidates with relevant fields of study, but the bigger requirement is demonstrated interest in human rights, foreign policy, and Congress.

Do I need prior human rights experience?

No, but it helps. Strong applicants often show a pattern: coursework, a campus group, a research project, a previous internship, volunteer work, or sustained independent reading and writing. They want evidence you’re serious, not evidence you’re already an expert.

Can I apply if I am not authorized to work in the U.S.?

No. The eligibility requirements include authorization to work in the United States.

Is the internship remote or hybrid?

It’s in-person in Washington, D.C., working from the Democratic offices of the Commission. If you need remote flexibility, this isn’t the right opportunity.

What should I put in the email when I apply?

Follow their instructions closely: attach one PDF, use the subject line “APPLICATION for Eleanor Roosevelt Internship,” and specify the trimester you’re applying for in the body of the email.

Do I need recommendation letters?

No. Provide contact information for 2–3 references, but do not include letters.

What kind of writing sample works best?

A short policy memo, a tightly argued essay excerpt, a human rights analysis, or a well-reported piece can all work—so long as it’s your own writing, in English, and shows clarity and structure within the word/page limits.

How to Apply (Do This, Not That)

Submit your application by email, and treat the instructions like they’re part of the evaluation—because they are.

1. Create one PDF containing your cover letter (max 1 page), resume, writing sample (max 2 pages and 500 words, double-spaced), and references list (2–3).
2. Email it to [email protected].
3. Use the subject line exactly as requested: APPLICATION for Eleanor Roosevelt Internship.
4. In the email body, state which trimester you’re applying for and include a short, polite note.

Before you hit send, reread everything once for clarity and once for errors. Then submit well before February 28, 2026 so you’re not gambling on technology at the worst possible moment.

Get Full Details and Apply Now

Ready to apply? Visit the official opportunity page for the most current details and any updates:
https://humanrightscommission.house.gov/about/internships